The culinary offer in Cartagena is constantly growing. However, there are places that over the years have managed to win the hearts of locals and visitors who return time and time again to enjoy their dishes. Below, we highlight five of those restaurants whose prestige has made them true gastronomic icons of the city. A luxury selection for lovers of good food.
Best fancy restaurants in Cartagena
1. Carmen restaurant
For more than 10 years, Carmen has established itself as one of the most creative proposals for haute cuisine in the country. Located in an intimate and elegant house in the San Diego neighborhood, it has won over its visitors with a menu of contemporary food full of Colombian flavors.
Among original formulas, Caribbean delicacies such as Laminated Ceviche with corozo tiger milk and Platero Snapper with coastal yam and lychee chimichurri stand out. The restaurant also offers vegetarian options, craft cocktails and a select wine list that can be enjoyed in any of its three cozy settings.
2. 1621 restaurant
It is impossible to talk about haute cuisine in Cartagena without mentioning 1621. Located in the exclusive Hotel Sofitel Legend Santa Clara, a former convent of the Clarisas sisters, this restaurant is considered one of the five best restaurants in the country.
With its tasting menu and a menu that combines the best of French gastronomic culture, Mediterranean food and the vibrant flavors of the Colombian Caribbean, it is the obligatory stop for those who want to live a luxury gastronomic experience in an emblematic venue full of history. . We recommend you explore the extensive wine cellar, while you try the fish of the day ceviche with sour guava and banana leche de tigre, irresistible.
3. Erre de Ramon Freixa restaurant
The Catalan Ramon Freixa arrived in Cartagena almost seven years ago to make his concept of “Food as an experience” resonate in all corners of the city. Charismatic and outgoing, just like his culinary creations, he has become one of the most avant-garde chefs in Colombia.
Erre, located on the 10th floor of Torre del Mar in the Hotel Las Américas, has a cozy tapas bar and three main areas: bistro, gourmet and lounge. Delight yourself with the catch of the day, or the Asian flavors of the recently launched complementary menu, which offers an exquisite combination of Japanese cuisine with a Spanish touch. In addition, the restaurant has an extensive cellar made up of 138 varieties of wine to pair this memorable gastronomic experience.
4. Marea by Rausch restaurant
Strategically located in the Getsemani neighborhood, in addition to having the Rausch brothers’ seal, Marea has a menu of fish and seafood, among which appetizers such as the tower of crab and guacamole, the tuna tartare and the grilled octopus stand out and masterful main dishes such as the Cartagena fried Mojarra, King Prawns in coconut sauce, Spaghetti Frutti di Mari and, of course, the classic Arroz Caldoso de Mariscos.
Marea also has one of the most privileged terraces in the city, from where you will appreciate the Historic Center and the Bay of Cartagena in all its splendor.
5. Moshi restaurant
If you enjoy Japanese cuisine with a local touch, you cannot stay without visiting Moshi. Along with its elegant sushi bar, this restaurant has an open-air lounge where you will have at your disposal an extensive Omakase tasting menu and a menu that brings together the most select flavors of Japan and Southeast Asia, without neglecting the love for Caribbean cuisine.
An authentic proposal where you will find recipes such as Ca Kho Encocado, made with the catch of the day, lobster and tiger prawn from La Boquilla, coconut caramel and fish sauce. A unique fusion of its kind in an exclusive and modern environment.