Where to Eat in Pereira

Last updated on February 15, 2026.

My guide on where to eat in Pereira.

 

Overview of Where to Eat in Pereira

Pereira has a lot of good restaurants and a wide variety of cuisines to choose from. Most are located in the entertainment district along Avenida Circunvalar, though you’ll also find a few decent options in the city center.

I’ve included just about every restaurant I’ve visited in Pereira, and this list is only going to get longer. Restaurants are organized by location in the city.

Please use the “jump to” menu to make it easier to navigate and find what you’re looking for. If there’s a restaurant you’ve tried that you want to recommend, give me a shout and I’ll check it out.

 

Where to Eat along Circunvalar

Since many of the best restaurants are in the Circunvalar area, I’ll start there. This is where you’ll find most of the upscale dining and the widest variety of international cuisine. Here’s a map of restaurants in the area:

 

Ébano

Let’s start with Ébano. It’s widely regarded as one of the top upscale restaurants in Pereira and is located inside the Movich Hotel. Ébano serves excellent gourmet Colombian food. It’s a bit expensive for Colombia, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying it.

On our visit to Ébano, we started with a pumpkin soup and a ceviche. The ceviche is Colombian style, served with a tomato-based sauce.

For dinner, I had beef medallions served over pureed peas, and Marisol had a parmesan encrusted salmon. Both were excellent.

Finally, for dessert, we shared a flan. It was good, but I’ve had better.

 

Café Los Grisales

Next door at Pereira Plaza, you’ll find Café Los Grisales in the outdoor section facing Circunvalar. They serve excellent coffee and also offer a coffee tour.

 

Salón Inglés

If you’re staying at Hotel Castilla Real, you don’t have to go far to find good food. The hotel’s Salón Inglés serves fantastic dishes, and the affordable menu offers a wide variety to choose from. Try the steak in mushroom sauce with bacon or the steak with calamari. Our meal was surprisingly as good as any of the better restaurants in Pereira.

 

Journal

Around the corner on La Calle del Encuentro, you’ll find Journal. It’s a café-bar and a great place to grab a beer or mixed drink. We didn’t go for the food, but they have a full menu with burgers, steaks, chicken, and more.

 

Matutina

Moving back to Circunvalar, a block east of the Movich is Matutina, which specializes in breakfasts and sandwiches. They have a great menu with a variety of egg and waffle dishes, as well as sandwiches for lunch.

I’ve stopped in a few times for both breakfast and lunch. For breakfast, I’ve had a waffle sandwich with scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheddar cheese. Marisol tried the Matutina Premium, a sandwich with egg, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Our little one had a waffle topped with strawberry, banana, and whipped cream. On another visit, I had a delicious omelette with spinach and plantain.

For lunch, we both had sandwiches. I had the Invico Chicken while Marisol had the El Poblado. Everything was delicious, and we’ll definitely be back again.

 

Sumo

A couple blocks down is Sumo. We walked past on a hot Saturday afternoon and decided to pop in. They serve Asian fusion food, including a few sushi rolls.

We ordered Mongolian beef and a shrimp dish with walnuts and melon, covered in a sweet sauce. The food was delicious, but the Mongolian beef is not what I’m used to.

We also ordered two sushi rolls from their limited menu. They were excellent, but the lack of variety is a reason not to visit Sumo strictly for sushi in Pereira.

 

Cardinal

Across the street, on the top floor of Zi One Luxury Hotel, is Cardinal. It’s a gourmet Peruvian restaurant with an appetizing menu of both traditional and creative dishes. We’ve stopped in a few times and have loved almost everything we’ve eaten.

 

Starters at Cardinal

Among the starters, we enjoy the ceviche cardinal, a delicious combination of white fish, corn, and fried calamari rings topped with yellow pepper mayonnaise.

The causa de pollo is another excellent choice. It’s mashed potato blended with yellow pepper, stuffed with shredded chicken and avocado, and topped with egg and pepper mayo.

Our absolute favorite is the jamón nikkei. It’s pan-seared tuna topped with leche de tigre, citrus teriyaki, and avocado. The flavor is incredible, and you’ll want to lick the plate to make sure you don’t leave one drop.

 

Main Courses at Cardinal

For your main course, try the tacu-tacu, which features brisket braised for 24 hours and sautéed with spiced purple corn. It sits atop a bed of rice and beans. It’s excellent but extremely filling. Marisol had the chaufa de mariscos, a fried rice mixed with vegetables, shrimp, and calamari. She wasn’t too impressed.

The risotto pesto is another delicious option. It’s shrimp and calamari rings bathed in huancaina and white wine sauce with parmesan cheese, served over creamy risotto al pesto.

The sanguche de asado is a sandwich made with slow-cooked beef in Peruvian barbecue sauce, avocado, and Colby cheese. It comes with fried potatoes and a delicious creole sauce. I really enjoyed it.

If you can’t decide on one plate, try the trilogia cardinal. It’s a sampler of three traditional Peruvian specialties: chaufa de mariscos (seafood fried rice), fish ceviche, and causa de pollo.

Finally, on one visit I tried the parihuela del diablo, a spicy stew of shrimp, mussels, scallops, yucca, cilantro, and parsley. To be honest, although it was good I was expecting more flavor.

 

La Ruana

Right next door is La Ruana, which serves great meat dishes and traditional Colombian food. The picada for two includes a juicy combination of beef, pork, chicken, and chorizo.

 

Synera

Across the street to the east is Synera, which serves traditional Colombian dishes with a haute cuisine twist. The service is excellent, and prices are reasonable for the quality of the food. It has quickly become one of our favorites in town.

 

Dishes at Synera

For starters, we’ve tried the cream of tomato soup, aborrajados con pulpo — fried mashed plantains stuffed with octopus — and Nuestra Causa, a bass ceviche with fried calamari and plantain chips. All are delicious.

Our main courses have included the Mar y Tierra, a sirloin steak in demi-glace served atop a seafood stew on a bed of pasta or mashed potatoes, and the Tierra y Dulzura, rice sautéed with mango chutney, plantains, pork, and almonds. Both are excellent.

We’ve also shared a few sushi rolls. They’re a work of art, and some come out in spectacular presentations.

 

Desserts and Pastries at Synera

The desserts and pastries are on another level. There’s a good selection of croissants, traditional Colombian pastries, and creative cheesecakes.

La Magia de Synera, the house specialty, is inspired by One Hundred Years of Solitude. The chocolate tree’s branches represent the memories of Macondo, while the roots spread across cacao crumbs and coffee grounds representing the past. The leaves are caramelized popcorn drizzled with panela and sea salt, representing white butterflies.

 

Cocktails at Synera

You can’t visit Synera without trying one of their signature cocktails. There’s often a special presentation — the mai tai comes in a Moai cup and the Que Caimán is served with a comical dry ice display. The drinks are fantastic.

 

Brujas Café (Permanently Closed)

Hidden down Calle 12 is Brujas Café. It’s a lovely space with a patio that opens onto Circunvalar. The service is excellent, and we had probably the best coffee we’ve tasted in Pereira. The upper level serves as an art gallery, and it’s a great place to read, study, or get some work done.

 

Kilaba (Permanently Closed)

Kilaba, at Circunvalar and Calle 11, is a cozy little restaurant serving authentic Lebanese and Syrian food. What makes a meal at Kilaba even better is the owner, Samir. You won’t find a friendlier or more attentive host.

I recommend the bandeja paisa árabe, a combination plate featuring many items and enough for two to share. The kibbe crudo (raw kibbe) and esfiha are also excellent. Try one of the fresh juices to wash down your meal.

 

La Mexicana (Permanently Closed)

If you want Mexican comfort food like tacos, burritos, fajitas, enchiladas, and soups, you have to visit La Mexicana (formerly María la Mexicana). The food is incredible and easily the best Mexican food I’ve had in Pereira. (Note: The quality has dropped off noticeably since María left.)

The enchiladas are exactly how I would expect them to be, and the tacos, burritos, and flautas are also excellent.

The filling sopa azteca makes a very good meal or, as a half order, a nice complement to any meal. It’s perfectly spiced and full of flavor.

Other recommended dishes include molcajete albañil and a volcán. The molcajete comes served in a volcanic rock bowl with four corn tortillas.

 

El Secreto Español

El Secreto Español is located very near where La Mexicana used to be. We visited their former location about a block from Parque Arboleda. We noticed it while walking by and decided to give it a try. The service was excellent, and the owner was very friendly.

We started with pulpo a la gallega and patatas bravas. Both were good, but the pulpo was bathing in too much oil. We were also given a complimentary fish pâté with toast.

For our main courses, I had tuna encrusted in sesame seeds, while Marisol had the merluza. My tuna was so-so. The merluza was cooked beautifully, but it was also in too much oil.

On a second visit, I had the seafood paella, and Marisol had salmon. This time, we had a better experience, although it still doesn’t compare with Hispania. It’s safe to say we probably won’t go back again.

 

Ankara

Also near Parque Arboleda is Ankara. It’s run by a Colombian man with Turkish ancestry. Although the menu is limited mostly to kebabs and döner, the flavors are pretty close to authentic Turkish food.

We’ve shared two sizes of sampler platters. The smaller one consists of köfte, falafel, mercimek köftesi, chicken kebabs, hummus, haydari, and baba ganoush, while the larger one also includes tabbouleh and stuffed grape leaves. We’ve also tried the lamb kebab and usually finish our meals with a Turkish coffee. The baklava isn’t that great.

 

Piccolo

If pizza is what you’re after, in the past I would tell you to check out Piccolo. You’ll see why below. It’s located down the street from Parque Arboleda. They also have pasta and meat dishes on the menu.

On my first visit, I had a delicious thin-crust pepperoni and mushroom pizza that I could easily say was one of the best pizzas in Pereira. It hit the spot.

Unfortunately, on my most recent visit, I noticed the quality has gone way downhill. My meat and tomato pizza was below average, and the service wasn’t friendly at all. It was always a little more expensive than other places, but prices have also gone way up. I can’t justify paying an elevated price for a mediocre pie. Stay away.

 

Where to Eat at Parque Arboleda

Parque Arboleda is a shopping mall in Pereira. Aside from the food court, which has plenty of fast food options, there are a few other places worth checking out.

 

Crepes & Waffles

If you’re looking for a delicious lunch, dinner, or dessert, try this branch of Crepes & Waffles. As the name suggests, they serve both sweet and savory crepes and waffles, as well as soups, salads, and a good selection of ice cream. It’s located just inside the entrance on the second level.

The menu is huge, with plenty of meals to choose from. On one visit, I had a French onion soup and the Peruvian crepe filled with ají de gallina. I’ve also tried the cochinita pibil crepe.

I’ve enjoyed almost every dessert I’ve ordered, especially the waffles and profiteroles. I wasn’t too keen on the citrus dessert.

 

Coco Barril

Outside the main entrance on the second level, you’ll find Coco Barril. They serve excellent steaks and other meats. We’ve never had a bad meal there,  and the service is always great.

 

Kanka Perú

Facing the food court is Kanka Perú. This Peruvian restaurant serves authentic dishes in a comfortable setting. They have another branch in Cerritos that we haven’t tried yet.

For starters, they offer a good selection of ceviches as well as a causa limeña, with or without chicken. The trilogía de ceviches features three ceviches on one plate, each served in a sauce with a different level of spiciness. The ceviche mixto includes fish, shrimp, and calamari. The causa limeña is excellent and always a big hit with our toddler.

The main courses are classic Peruvian dishes. Among the tallarín options, the tallarín saltado is noodles sautéed in soy sauce with onion, pepper, tomato, and cubes of beef. The tallarín rompeolas consists of seafood, mushrooms, and vegetables stir-fried in a wok with noodles and topped with breaded fish fillets. Both are consistently excellent.

The saltado marinero, which is seafood and fish stir-fried in a wok with mushrooms, vegetables, and oyster sauce, is a good choice for seafood lovers. There’s also the classic ají de gallina, a chicken stew served atop boiled potatoes and a side of rice, as well as the chaufa, fried rice with your choice of chicken, pork, shrimp, or a combination of all three. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

For dessert, try the suspiro limeño. We always order a jug of chicha morada to wash down our meal, and the pisco sours are also pretty decent.

 

Archie’s

Archie’s is a pizza chain next to Kanka. They serve decent pizza and pasta dishes, along with soups and salads. We’ve stopped in a few times and have always been satisfied.

 

Urbano

Urbano, located in the food court at Parque Arboleda, serves good steaks and chicken dishes. Avoid the nachos. Service can be a little slow.

 

Keizaki at Parque Arboleda (Permanently Closed)

Keizaki, whose main branch is a block south of the mall on Carrera 15, also has a branch in the Parque Arboleda food court. We weren’t happy with what we found there. We visited twice, and our order had mistakes both times. On each occasion, two rolls we ordered were replaced with less expensive ones. The staff didn’t apologize either time, though they did replace the rolls with the correct ones. You’re better off choosing one of the other restaurants at the mall.

 

Le Café de París

Finally, just a few steps from the food court is Le Café de París. This French style café offers a good variety of coffee drinks and snacks. It’s a bit overpriced in our opinion.

 

Where to Eat at Parque La Rebeca

Parque La Rebeca is a small park on the eastern end of Circunvalar. It comes alive at night and is surrounded by some of Pereira’s best restaurants.

 

Leños y Parrilla

Looking for a good steak? Try Leños y Parrilla, a casual Argentinian steakhouse with a simple menu that offers about 12 different types of steak, including Angus beef.

All steaks come with a side salad and are served with arepa, plantain, and potatoes. On my first visit, I ordered the picaña rare, but it was a bit overdone. Everyone else in our group was very happy with their steak. On other visits, I’ve had the bife de chorizo and the ribeye, while Marisol had a churrasco argentino. All were delicious, though I still thought mine was overdone.

As for appetizers, I’ve had the mozzarella sticks, which are ok, and the tomato soup, which is delicious. One group I took to the restaurant shared the picada — an assortment of meats — among three of them.

 

Eki Meshi

Eki Meshi (formerly Eki Sushi) is a great option for sushi in Pereira. It opened in 2017. The service is friendly and attentive, and the prices are reasonable. The sushi menu is small, but what they offer is done very well. We ordered five different rolls and were impressed by both the quality and freshness.

 

Vinería San Martino

For delicious food paired with Italian wine, look no further than Vinería San Martino. This cozy little place opened in January 2016. It features a small menu that packs a big punch, and the friendly Italian owner is happy to explain every dish and wine on offer. The restaurant is open daily, and prices are very reasonable.

We had a hard time deciding what to order for dinner from a menu that offers a decent selection of pizzas, pastas, a few types of bruschetta, and mouth-watering appetizers. After some serious thinking, we decided to start with a delicious octopus carpaccio, a succulent stuffed mushroom, and a tasty cheese sampler. The cheese sampler came with five different types of cheese, bruschetta, and some olives.

For our main dish, we shared fettuccine with bits of crab and calamari and a touch of spice. We each had a glass of Venetian merlot and a chianti, both of which complemented the meal perfectly.

To finish, we were hoping for the panna cotta, but they were all out. Instead, we had strawberries with lemon and sugar, which was an excellent replacement.

On our second visit, we started with another stuffed mushroom. I had a pizza, while Marisol had pasta with salmon. The quality was just as good, if not better than our first visit.

On a third visit, we started with the stuffed mushroom and bruschetta. I had a pasta special, which was a spinach fettuccine with mushrooms and a pumpkin sauce.

 

Esto es Méxyco

Esto es Méxyco offers a more modern twist on the Mexican cuisine you’re used to. I visited them at their old location near Parque Arboleda.

They have a taco bar but also serve dishes large enough for two, mostly a mix of meats and melted cheese with tortillas. The service is great and they’re creative with the cuisine, but something didn’t feel right about this style of Mexican food.

 

Where to Eat in Pinares

There are a few places we’ve tried in the Pinares neighborhood, including some of our favorite spots in Pereira.

 

Migración

A block south of Parque Arboleda, at the corner of Calle 5 and Carrera 15, is Migración. This Peruvian-Japanese fusion restaurant only has a few tables, but it’s worth the wait if it’s full.

The enthusiastic staff explained a few of the dishes to us. We decided on a couple of starters, including the causa limeña with salmon and the Tempura Explosiva — a caramelized fried shrimp dish — both of which were excellent.

For our main course, we shared a few sushi rolls and the seafood risotto. The sushi is among the best in Pereira, and the seafood risotto was the perfect complement. We’ll definitely be back.

 

Keizaki

Across the street is Keizaki, a Japanese restaurant that serves very good sushi in Pereira. They also have pad Thai, seafood dishes, and other specialties. Prices are just right for the portion sizes and the quality of the food.

 

Sushi Market

Next door is Sushi Market. It’s a much nicer space than Keizaki but has a similar menu. We stopped in for lunch one day to compare it with its neighbor.

We started with an order of edamame and a tuna tempura dish. The edamame is excellent, topped with finely shredded parmesan cheese and cracked pepper. We weren’t too impressed with the tuna.

Next came the sushi, and it was hit or miss. We ordered five different rolls, and only three were satisfying; the other two lacked flavor. The presentation is nice, and the three good rolls were enjoyable, but overall, we expected better. To top it off, although service was friendly but agonizingly slow.

 

Hispania (Permanently Closed)

A few steps away is Hispania. It’s owned by two men from Spain who make delicious food and provide excellent service. It’s by far our favorite Spanish restaurant in Pereira.

Our first visit was on a Friday night and started with a French onion soup and champiñones gratinados (mushrooms and shrimp topped with melted cheese).

We each had fish for our main course. Marisol tried a salmon dish, while I ordered whitefish topped with seafood and an Italian sauce. We couldn’t have been happier with the experience.

On a second visit, we were with a group of 10. The owner suggested some tapas dishes to share, paired with a few bottles of wine. Some of the group shared paella, which was incredible. Everyone was happy with the meal, and our group nominated it as their favorite meal on their trip to Colombia.

On our third visit for lunch, we started with the mejillones rellenos con jaiba (mussels stuffed with crab). I had salmón con hierbas finas (salmon with fine herbs) while Marisol had the lomo a la panameña (beef with a red wine sauce served with portobello mushroom and broccoli puree).

On a fourth visit with some friends from Chicago, we started with the pulpo a la gallega (octopus) and grilled baby squid. I had the surf and turf dinner (lobster tail, shrimp, and a medallion of beef), while Marisol tried a steak topped with mushrooms. Once again, we all left stuffed and happy.

 

Piura

Further south on Avenida Juan B. Gutierrez is Piura, a Peruvian restaurant in Pereira. We consider it one of our favorite restaurants in the city. It’s only a short walk downhill from Parque Arboleda.

If you’re in Pereira and looking for something other than traditional Colombian food, Piura is a great choice. The restaurant offers excellent food, friendly and attentive service, and a pleasant atmosphere. It often fills up on weekend evenings and is a popular spot for private parties.

The starters are excellent, especially the ceviche. Sometimes we make an entire meal out of them by ordering a three or four to share. They have a few versions of ceviche; we usually go with the ceviche peruano, which is more traditional, and the ceviche piura, which has strips of mango added in. The causa limeña and shrimp wontons are also worth trying.

There are plenty of choices for your main course, from traditional Peruvian favorites like lomo saltado and ají de gallina to steaks, pasta, rice dishes, and fish and seafood. Most dishes have a Peruvian twist.

Finally, the bar has good mixed drinks, a nice wine selection, and the limonada de coco (coconut lemonade) is one of the best I’ve ever had. Definitely try the chicha morada.

 

Migrato

A few blocks downhill is Migrato, located in a small complex. They have some of the freshest breads and croissants I’ve tried in Pereira.

We were a little disappointed in their specialty breakfasts, however. Marisol had a frittata, and I tried the Neapolitan-style eggs. We were both expecting much different and better quality. On the bright side, the service is excellent, and they have decent coffee.

 

Café Don Gabo

East of Pinares, hidden on a rural road behind Cerro Canceles, you’ll find Café Don Gabo. Located in a traditional home, it’s a peaceful escape from the city center, just a few minutes’ drive away.

In addition to excellent coffee, Café Don Gabo serves delicious traditional Colombian dishes. We tried the chorizo, fríjoles, and mondongo — all three hit the spot. We enjoyed them with a view of Cerro Canceles.

For dessert, we shared a pastry filled with Nutella on one side and berries on the other. It was the perfect way to finish the meal.

 

Ambar (Permanently Closed)

Ambar is easily one of the best restaurants in Pereira. It bills itself as a casual place serving European-inspired contemporary haute cuisine.

Ambar was created by local chef Diego Panesso, who specializes in the vacuum cooking technique. He uses local ingredients and fuses them with internationally inspired recipes.

 

Our First Experience

We visited Ambar on a Friday night and sat on the outdoor patio. Immediately upon reviewing the menu, we knew it would be difficult to choose our meals. Everything looked appetizing, and we were already planning a return visit.

For starters, we ordered a white fish ceviche topped with a thick strip of bacon along with a pitcher of sangria. We were also going to order the nachos with crab meat, but the server warned us it would be too much food with our main courses. We appreciated the honesty!

For my main course, I tried the seafood bouillabaisse. This classic French dish included prawns, mussels, shrimp, white clams, squid, salmon, white fish, and crab sticks, as well as bits of avocado and a few dollops of sour cream. It was flavored with Pernod Ricard and served with a bowl of vegetable fried rice. The meal was excellent and very filling.

Marisol ordered the encocado pacífico, featuring shrimp and fish served with plantain croquettes in a delicious sauce. She was very happy with her choice.

For dessert, we shared a chocolate lava cake. It came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and little granola crumbs. The presentation was beautiful, and of course, the cake itself was a perfect way to end the meal.

 

Second Visit

A few months later, we visited again on a Saturday night. The restaurant was packed, but they were able to squeeze us in at a table outside even though we didn’t have reservations. As a starter, we finally got a chance to try the nachos with crab meat. It’s a huge dish, enough for four people, and extremely filling — the warning from our last visit was true!

For our main courses, Marisol tried the langostinos chontaduro — shrimp served on a bed of chontaduro purée with cornbread. I ordered the slow-cooked pork ossobuco served with bleu cheese risotto. Again, no complaints — the food was excellent, but we didn’t have room for dessert this time.

 

Third Visit

For our third visit, we took Marisol’s dad for lunch on his birthday. We started with the Vietnamese chicharrones — fried pork belly sautéed with vegetables. For my main course, I had the bœuf bourguignon, while Marisol went back to the encocado pacífico.

 

Fourth Visit

On a group visit for Marisol’s birthday, we ordered more of the same favorite starters from previous visits, but I switched my dinner plate to the ravioli in squid ink. They were stuffed with mascarpone and salmon and topped with a creamy Pernod sauce and grated parmesan. For dessert, we all shared the chocolate lava cake and milhoja.

 

Where to Eat in Álamos

Álamos is a quiet, mostly residential, upscale area south of Pinares. There are some popular restaurants in the neighborhood.

 

El Mesón Español

El Mesón Español is one of the most popular Spanish restaurants in Pereira. We’ve been there a couple of times and had mostly positive experiences.

On our first visit, we shared paella and a seafood stew. Both plates were huge — enough for two people — so I’d recommend sharing. We washed it down with limonada de coco (coconut lemonade).

On our second visit, we started with the baby octopus and fried calamari rings. The octopus was not fresh and too rubbery, while the calamari rings were greasier than we’re used to. The crab bisque, however, was good.

For our main course, we shared a paella with meat and seafood, as well as a shrimp thermidor. The paella was good, but the shrimp stole the show. We finished the meal with a merengón de guanábana.

 

Pintadito

Pintadito is a small café attached to Hotel Álamos del Parque. They serve decent coffee, good pastries, and a selection of breakfasts and other dishes. Service is friendly and efficient.

 

Queso & Café

We stopped into the Álamos branch of Queso & Café, which has several locations in the Coffee Region. In addition to good coffee and cheese, as the name implies, they serve a wide variety of hearty traditional breakfasts and lunches, as well as pastries.

 

Aura Food Hall & Market (Permanently Closed)

Aura Food Hall is a concept consisting of four different restaurants — ceviche, Italian, Mexican, and Japanese — and a bar under one roof. You can sit at any table and order dishes from any of the restaurants.

We decided to try a few dishes from the Mexican and Japanese restaurants. First, from the Japanese place, we ordered two sushi rolls and crab rangoon. The sushi is among the best we’ve had in Pereira, and we appreciated their version of crab rangoon.

From the Mexican restaurant, we each started with a birria taco. It was so amazing that we ordered a couple more, and I added a vampiro de asado taco as well. We’ll definitely be back for more!

 

Vuestro (Permanently Closed)

Vuestro specializes in tapas and paella. It’s located at the Jardines de la Alhambra boutique hotel. The tapas dishes are bigger than what I’m used to, and three dishes was enough for the two of us for dinner.

We had a selection of Spanish meats and cheeses, eggplants topped with cheese and a sweet tomato sauce, and octopus over mashed potatoes. Everything was excellent, but the octopus was a bit salty. With two glasses of wine and tip, we thought it was quite pricy for the quality.

 

Where to Eat in the Pereira City Center

While most of the best restaurants in Pereira are located in the Circunvalar district, there are a few good places to eat in the city center. Here’s a map showing restaurants in the Pereira city center:

 

SkyLounge

SkyLounge is on the 11th floor of Hotel Soratama on Plaza de Bolívar. We’ve visited during our stays at the hotel. The food is hit or miss and reasonably priced, while the service is friendly and efficient.

We were more satisfied with the soups and starters than anything else. The tomato soup is our favorite, while the cream of mushroom could’ve had more flavor. The ceviche is very good.

For main courses, we stuck with light meals. I wasn’t happy with my club sandwich, which wasn’t what I was expecting. Marisol enjoyed her vegetables with quinoa. Our wraps on our next visit weren’t great, either.

For dessert, we ordered a chocolate lava cake. It was more of an extinct volcano than anything — there was no “lava” oozing out when we cut into it. At least it tasted good.

 

Jasant

Right on Plaza de Bolívar is Jasant. This bakery-café serves excellent coffee, as well as breakfast and other specialties. Service can be a bit slow at times, but the wait is worth it for the coffee.

The breakfasts are decent, but not as good as we expected. They were also priced a bit higher than the quality. We’ve had better.

 

Lucerna

Lucerna is just off Plaza de Bolívar. It has a huge menu with decent food, but service and quality can be hit or miss. The ice cream dishes are great for finishing off your meal. Lucerna is one of the more famous restaurants in the Pereira city center.

There’s also a good pastry and ice cream counter just inside the entrance. The line for the ice cream was about 15 people long when we visited on a sweltering Friday afternoon.

 

Café del Toro

A block north of Plaza de Bolívar is Café Del Toro. They serve excellent coffee in a casual setting. We opted for filter coffee, but they also serve specialty drinks and cold coffees.

 

Autoservicio Grajales

Autoservicio Grajales is a 24-hour, cafeteria-style restaurant. The food is fair and reasonably priced. It’s about halfway between Plaza de Bolívar and Parque El Lago on Carrera 8.

 

Marruecos

Marruecos is a pizza place that stays open late and serves decent pizza, salads, and sandwiches. It’s located on a corner of Parque El Lago.

 

Café Bar Canela

A block north of Marruecos is Café Bar Canela. They serve decent coffee and drinks in a relaxed atmosphere.

 

Colombia…Late ❤️

Colombia…Late ❤️ is a half block north of Café Bar Canela. They serve artisanal hot chocolate, coffee, and pastries. The hot chocolate is homemade and definitely worth stopping in for.

 

La Merienda Centro

La Merienda is a 50s-style diner with sandwiches named after American idols of that period. I had the Sinatra (ham, lettuce, tomato, and mozzarella). The tomato soup is excellent. The photos below are from their old location, a couple of blocks from the current one.

 

City Hall

Near Parque de La Libertad is City Hall. This popular lunchtime spot serves good set-menu ejecutivo dishes at reasonable prices. When we went, there was a choice of chicken or beef with rice and plantains. Each meal also came with soup and a drink.

 

Mis Carnes Parrilla

If you’re looking for a good steak, try Mis Carnes Parrilla at Plaza Victoria. We weren’t expecting much from this mall food court restaurant, but it turned out to be an excellent and very filling meal. I’ll be honest — it might not be the cleanest place, but the service is good and the prices are fair.

On our first visit, we both had the tomahawk ribeye, which was cooked to perfection and full of flavor. On another visit, I had a delicious ribeye.

 

El Barista

Also at Victoria Mall is El Barista. It’s located in a space outside the mall and connected to the parking garage. They make a great cup of coffee from some of the best farms in Colombia. We had to wait a long time for our V60, but it was worth it.

Also at Victoria Mall is El Barista. It’s located in a space outside the mall and connected to the parking garage. They make a great cup of coffee from some of the best farms in Colombia. We had to wait a long time for our V60, but it was worth it.

In addition to coffee, they have a decent selection of sandwiches, soups, pastries, snacks, and more. The cream of tomato soup is very good. I also had a falafel sandwich — it was good, but the pita bread was brittle. For dessert, try the red velvet cake.

 

La Trattoría

Another good place in Pereira worth trying is La Trattoría, which serves some of the best pasta in town. It’s outside the city center proper, a few blocks south of Parque Olaya Herrera.

The pizza and other dishes are ok but not nearly as good as the pasta. They also serve juicy cuts of beef on a hot plate. Everything is reasonably priced, and the service is good.

 

Where to Eat in West Pereira

I don’t have a lot of experience west of the city center, but there are a couple of places worth noting. Here’s a map showing restaurants west of the Pereira city center:

 

La Estación Silver

On the western outskirts of Pereira, you’ll find La Estación Silver (formerly Entre Vagones). It’s an upscale restaurant where diners eat in railroad dining cars arranged around a small square and train station. While the food is generally very good, we found it quite expensive for Pereira. Service is friendly and attentive. All in all, it’s a fun concept and an enjoyable place to grab a meal.

For starters, we’ve tried the shrimp cocktail, which I wasn’t happy with. It came out warm rather than chilled, and the cocktail sauce was a bit bland. On another visit, we had the creamy ceviche, which is excellent. The drinks are also very good.

As a main course, I’ve ordered the pepper steak and beef medallions with fettuccine. Marisol has had the churrasco both times. We’ve really enjoyed our meals.

 

María Café (Permanently Closed)

Along Avenida de Las Américas is María Café. This little hole-in-the-wall sits next to a gas station and PriceSmart and serves some of the most delicious traditional Colombian dishes I’ve had in the city.

You can get a fixed-priced lunch special, such as ajiaco or sancocho, if you show up during lunch hours. Supply is limited, so don’t get there too late.

 

Kahlo (Permanently Closed)

At the Unicentro shopping mall food court is Kahlo, which serves typical Mexican favorites. It has colorful decor, but both the flavor and service were lacking. The manager was also a bit rude.

We started off with a tortilla soup, which didn’t taste fresh and came out lukewarm. I had enchiladas, and Marisol tried the fajitas. Neither was great. Needless to say, we won’t be going back there again.

 

Urban Pizzeria

Also at Unicentro is Urban Pizzeria, which specializes in pizza and a few pasta dishes. It has a huge kids’ play center, making it a great option for parents who need a little break. The pizza is ok, and so is the pasta. We enjoyed the mushroom and cheese dip as an appetizer.