Where to eat in Salento, Colombia
Welcome to Salento, the land of colorful doors, rich coffee, tejo, and the world’s tallest palm trees just a short drive away — and herds of tourists everywhere you look.
Salento is a tourist hub for a reason, but I have compiled a list of some of my favorite places to eat in town so that you can skip the traps and head straight for the good stuff.
I spent about 4 days here and here are my top picks:
La Tapería Salento
It was night one and we were ravenous after our 9-hour bus journey from Jardín. We walked the whole main street in search of something that appealed to both of us. We probably checked at least 15 different menus. One thing about me is I will never go into the first restaurant I see, no matter how hungry I am. We turned left onto a different street and my spirits lifted when I saw a little Spanish flag waving a few doors down.
This cozy restaurant serves a variety of typical Spanish tapas (small, shareable plates), including pan con tomate, jamón serrano, patatas bravas, tortilla de patatas, and croquetas. They also serve a nice seafood paella, which comes in two different sizes.
The chef is from Madrid and everything we ordered was very tasty — so tasty that we went back two nights later for more.
The prices were fair but one thing to note is they only accept cash!
Pailart
This inviting-looking ice cream shop is conveniently just two doors down from the tapería. The ice cream is handmade in a large metal pot — called a paila — that is set on ice. They offer several unique flavors such as mora, guanábano, and maracuyá.
I got one scoop of coffee (coffee ice cream in Colombia’s coffee region seemed like a good choice) and one scoop of mango and I easily could’ve gone back in for another cone.
My patience slowly running out as we waited for the French couple in front of us and each of their 5 kids to taste every flavor in the shop
Andino Chicken and Fast Food
It’s actually not fast food so the name is a bit misleading. I ordered the menú del día which consisted of chicken soup that tasted like my grandma’s, grilled trout with fried plantain accompanied by rice, spaghetti, and a salad, and a tamarind lemonade all for less than $5 USD. This place is perfect for a simple but tasty lunch. And so cheap! It’s right on a corner of the main street.
You’ll find a lot of fresh trout around here because the region is actually full of trout farms, which I didn’t know before coming here!
Waiting for our food!
Concreto Café
If you’re going to stop at any of the cute coffee shops in Salento, let it be this one. (I only tried two in total so by no means am I an expert.) However, the chocolate croissant I had here was the best croissant I’ve had in two months of traveling — perfectly flaky and buttery and chocolatey. I also got a very good maracuyá smoothie.
The place itself is very aesthetically pleasing and clearly designed by someone with an eye for detail (inspo for my future café!).
I didn’t try the coffee but I imagine it is also good.
Tacosmicos
If you want good Mexican food on a budget, you have to check out this little taco stand. Three tacos for less than $3 USD with options of chicken, chicken + beef mixed, and vegetarian. I got two veggie and one chicken and they were all delicious and full of flavor. Tasty salsas too. They also have burritos and quesadillas on the menu.
I don’t have a picture of this one, but it’s very easy to find if you just put the name into your phone. Limited seating and an awning propped up by two sticks but I would go back any day for these tacos.
La Gata Carola
This is another great option for a classic Colombian menú del día, although their menu is quite extensive if you are tired of the classic meat of the day, rice, patacones, and side salad. I got the grilled trout which came with rice, a fruit salad, huge patacones bigger than my face, a berry jam which was so good with the trout, and a glass of tamarind lemon juice. Delicious, filling, nutritious, and well-priced. We went back the next day and ordered the same thing, but this time it came with a potato salad instead of fruit and the jam was made of pineapple.
Aside from the good food, the ambiance is very nice. They played calming Norah Jones-style music and the next day an older man came in with his guitar and sang for a bit. Very peaceful dining experience.
These are just a few of the many great options to choose from. If you have visited Salento, feel free to drop any recommendations in the comments. Happy eating!