“Gastronomy is a demonstration of the pride we feel for our territory.” Roca Brothers – El Celler de Can Roca

When you arrive in Armenia, land of the cuyabros—a demonym taken from the cuyabra fruit, native to the region—Doña Mirita’s boiled chorizos at El Roble restaurant are a true delight for the palate. They’re cooked with a tomato and onion stew and served with potatoes; and if you prefer, you can ask for them in a small cup with a spoonful of rice. Another option is the bandeja paisa, which many traditional restaurants serve with arepas, hogao (tomato-onion sauce), limes, and butter. And you can’t leave without tasting the popular mazamorra, a thick, corn-based food. Finger-licking good! 

Let’s follow the influence of Antioquian traditions. That translates into a bandeja paisa or calentao’ paisa, and they must be enjoyed for their abundance and for being so typical of this region. Calentao’, for example, is a mix of leftovers from the night before: rice, ripe plantain, beans, ground meat, chorizo, arepa—and the classic finishing touch is a fried egg on top. In Armenia, El Típico Montañero is the perfect restaurant for this mission. Enjoy your meal! 

If your trip finds you in Circasia on a Sunday, the best option is hen sancocho, that thick, nourishing broth served with yucca, corn on the cob, and plantain. Ask for Restaurante Canela Que Que—that’s the spot!
And if you don’t make it there, no rush: further along in Quimbaya you’ll find Guanapalo Restaurante, whose specialty is beans with rib cartilage. 

And a little bonus: in Armenia there are two great options for vegans and vegetarians. To tease your appetite a bit, at Cerón Restaurante they start with rolls filled with two types of mushrooms and onion, seasoned with herbs from their garden, lulo nectar, honey, soy sauce, and a few other touches that turn it into a true delicacy. And ask for the Venetian risotto—you’ll definitely like it.
Another place to add to the list is BoticaSol, focused on healthy eating. To feed the soul, we recommend the cauliflower tacos with sweet-and-sour chipotle sauce. They also serve tempura tofu with sweet-and-sour sauce—a detail of refined charm.

Continuing along the gastronomic route, asadura soup is a dish made with small pieces of liver, potato, and well-cooked peas that give it a soft texture. It becomes a deep, dark broth where all the flavors blend into one. At El Casonal restaurant in Circasia, they serve it with grilled tongue and beans. Here in Colombia we call it a “wake-the-dead” soup—because of how nourishing and energizing it is. 

One way to end up truly trancao’, as they say in the Colombian Andes when you’re completely full and satisfied, is to order a plate of cacheo for lunch. Its ingredients are organ meats such as chicken gizzards or hearts. A nap after this fantastic street-food banquet is absolutely essential. 

In Salento, there’s a restaurant called Donde Laurita, where traditional food is laid out on the table so locals and foreigners alike can enjoy the products of such fertile land. 

If you’re in the mood to breathe fresh air, feel at peace, and eat well, in the Gaitán neighborhood—behind the Municipal Sports Field in Quimbaya—you’ll find La Reserva del Colibrí restaurant. Among their dishes is a pork chop marinated with ginger honey and pineapple; Fridays are frijolada days, and we must confess that their sancocho often becomes the perfect excuse to gather around the table and share food. Enjoy!

We arrive in Filandia, and here you must try the marranitas with a Quindío twist. They are spheres made of corn dough, filled with shredded pork leg, fresh farmer’s cheese, house-made mayonnaise,

and hogao’. At Helena Adentro restaurant, this is a guaranteed hit—a perfect snack to share, because it captivates the senses. 

Another must is the garlic trout wrapped in papillote, a technique that allows it to cook in the steam of its own juices, preserving flavor and nutrients. The garlic notes are softened with parsley for those who aren’t too fond of this bulb. 

This dish at La Martina restaurant in Salento becomes even more tempting with the thin, crispy patacón served alongside. 

Another great place to enjoy excellent trout is Bosques de Cocora Donde Juan B, on the road connecting Salento with the Cocora Valley. 

At the corner of 6th Avenue and 12th Street in Quimbaya, it’s unforgivable not to have avena (a thick oat drink) with a hot buñuelo. This is a tradition of this town in western Quindío that also pays homage to the pre-Columbian culture that once inhabited the area. Doña Gloria, now deceased, was the pioneer of this delight, and her children have carried on the tradition.

Solteritas are irresistible for their crunchy texture and are a delicacy throughout the Coffee Region. They’re fried, bright orange in color, and their flower shape charms everyone who comes across them. Ah! If you run into one, don’t miss the chance to be dazzled and transported back to childhood! 

Broken suspiros: a passion fruit bomb filled with meringue and cream. If you dare, run over to Helena Adentro in Filandia. And finally, be sure to add the bread pudding with guava paste to your order—it’s the grandmother’s recipe of Alejo, one of the restaurant’s partners. You won’t regret it!

A bite of Quimbaya tradition is calados: ripe plantain slowly cooked with cloves and panela, served with cheese—a true delight. On Colombia’s Caribbean coast it’s known as plátano pícaro or plátano en tentación.

A sip of coffee always hits the spot, and in the Coffee Region it’s enjoyed everywhere and at any time of day. One recommendation is Café Quindío in Filandia. Here, flavors and aromas never cease to amaze and become distinctive among visitors. Their shops have everything you could want when discovering the beverage native to this land.
And when you order your little coffee, it’s lovely to pair it with a small meringue—also coffee-flavored. 

Still in Filandia, the chontaduro margarita cocktail made with viche—a sugarcane-distilled alcoholic drink traditional to Afro-Pacific communities—at Helena Adentro is perfect for the afternoon. Cheers! 

We also can’t fail to mention Alquímico Farm in Filandia, which is fascinating for its production model: they work with what they have on hand to supply their cocktail menu with fermented herbal infusions and aged goat cheeses, which are used at the bar of the same name in Cartagena. It’s inspiring to see how bar/restaurant and countryside come together as a gesture of sensitivity toward crops and land. This idea was born during the pandemic in 2020—and they also carry out reforestation with native trees to help restore the ecosystem. 

Forcha is a frothy, white, slightly sweet drink with a natural fermentation process very similar to that of chicha. It’s made from wheat flour, water sweetened with panela, sugar, and sometimes fruit like pineapple. One of the most popular recipes is Don Luis’s, who more than 60 years ago started a business called La Súper Forcha, now a must-stop in Barcelona, a rural district of the municipality of Calarcá. 

You must also try and savor sirope, a refreshing drink made with water, panela, and cloves or lemon juice for a special touch. This artisanal syrup is widely present in farmer’s gastronomy and is well worth seeking out in cafés and traditional eateries throughout the department. Elders say it pairs beautifully with bread.