Medellin Restaurants
In recent years there has been a surge in the emergance of trendy themed restaurants in Parque Lleras, Provenza, Las Palmas and Envigado. There are far to many eateries to discuss in one article so we will highlight the most popular restaurants worth attending in each barrio. No matter where you go if your looking for quality food at a good price you will find it in Medellin. Even the fast food in particular Frisby (Fried Chicken) & Dominos Pizza turn out a quality product above and beyond what your fast food pallet may have experienced.
By Far the the most eclectic restaurants are now located in Provenza. Just within the past 2 years this area (located steps from Parque Lleras) has taken the lead in delivering the ultimate Gastronomic experience with delicacies that include Peruvian (Piqueo), Fusion (Delirio), Japanese (Sushi Train) and more. Just stroll down Street 36 and you will see notable names such as Abarroteria (Lunch Italian) , La Rioja La Taqueria (Dinner Mexican) , La Nina Juani (Traditional Colombian Lunch) and the fantastic coffee/ice cream shop (Dolce Arte) on the corner.
If you are a an avid foodie then plan your meals around the common dining times or you may find the doors closed to you with an empty stomach. The hours of operation for most restaurants is from 12 - 3pm then they close and re-open at 6:30pm. Unless your in a high traffic area attempt to stick to the dining times to enjoy your favorite cuisines. Although most places in Parque Lleras are open from 12 - 12pm without closing during off hours.
Medellin Restaurants
Making your way down the hill will land you on the steps of Parque Lleras. Also a good place to dine you will find a greater balance of restaurant delicacies from Fast Food, Street Vendors to higher end eateries even a Hooters! Triada, Lucia and Basilica are landmark dining locations in lleras. They offer a Fusion/Mixed Menu of mostly western cuisine with all the popular items you’ve come to enjoy including a Salad Bar and Sushi. If you are dining on off hours its advised to stay with these popular locations as they will surely be open on holidays, weekends and off hours.
Within Lleras you will find an abundance of street and fast food readily available. The quality is good and available late into the night to coat your liquor filled bellies. Next to the Park adjacent to Habanos is Fried Chicken served until 4am and its worth trying. Also, there is a a Crepe Cart (Yellow With Black Lettering) located on the southeast side of the Park here you will find the Best , yes the BEST tasting sandwich in Medellin.
To complement your meals attend one to of the Heladarias or Cafe’s. There are a few located on each block the in the Provenza Area Tea Market and Como Pez offer up a good mixed menu of desserts and coffee. But in Parque Lleras the Gelato Shops steal the show with Velvet & Mas Gusto offering up fine Italian flavors and coffees. What you will also find in this area and throughout Medellin are ‘Panaderias’ which are traditional local bakeries. The food in Panderias is really cheap and will satisfy a breakfast on the go. Experiment with a various number of postres as they are cheap and won’t cost more than $5 for 8 different varieties.
Taxiing around town will offer up some more options including Las Palmas and Tesoro/Envigado. In Las Palmas is where you will find significant number of Colombian Tipico Restaurants. San Carbon, Hato Viejo, El Rancherito and Las Pampas are all meat eating options typical to Colombian and Argentina. If you plan on eating on a Sunday at any of the places expect a crowd as its tradition for Paisas to go eat ‘Tipico’ on Sunday Afternoons after 1pm.
A trendy area emerging in Medellin is Envigado and Sabaneta. Bordering the most exclusive neighborhoods in Poblado and Tesoro you here you will find some good eats at a good price. As you follow Calle 43 existing Lleras you will come to Envigado and Restaurant Row which greets you at its entrance. Starting from Calle 31 - 34 Sur you will find a densely concentration of restaurants with all the worlds international flavors within Walking Distance. El Barbacoa is a leading Burger Joint which is at the top of the row followed to south by El Trifasico (Colombian) and then the usual suspects including Mexican, Peruvian, etc.
At First you will need to acclimate to the eating traditions of Medellin. Unlike Western Diets its not heavily focused on Breakfast but rather Lunch is regarded as the most important meal of the day with a late night dinner. When staying at hotels the restaurants will cater to the vacationer’s expectation but the local community does not so make sure you follow our instructions when eating during the week , off hours in the middle of the day and on weekends/holidays. Enjoy the great food Medellin has to offer as well as its people.