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This is a brief guide on where to eat in Popayán.
Where to Eat Local Dishes in Popayán
You can’t visit Popayán without trying the local cuisine! It’s a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, known for unique dishes that blend Spanish and indigenous culinary traditions.
Mora Castilla
Locals pointed us toward Mora Castilla, a small, simple restaurant in the historic city center. Many consider it the best place to sample traditional payanés dishes. We were lucky enough to be served by the friendly owner, who was excited about our eagerness to try these local specialties.
We started with tamales de pipián — a mix of cornmeal and potato served with a spicy peanut sauce similar to what you’d find in Thai cooking. They were paired with salpicón payanés, a frozen blend of mora (blackberries), lulo, and guanabana. Both are delicious.
Next came the empanadas de pipián. These tiny fried pastries are filled with potatoes, come 10 to an order, and are served with the same spicy peanut sauce. Again, they’re excellent.
We finished by sampling carantantas. They’re very thin corn tortillas served with hogao, a Colombian sauce made with sautéed tomatoes, onions, and garlic. They weren’t my favorite part of the meal, but they’re still worth trying.
I highly recommend Mora Castilla to anyone visiting Popayán. The food is excellent, but the owner made the experience special with his explanations and enthusiasm.
Qaray
Qaray is easily one of the best restaurants in Popayán, serving creative dishes that blend local flavors with international cuisine. It’s located in a historic building on the southwest corner of Parque Caldas, with balconies overlooking the plaza.
For starters, you HAVE to try the chontanadas and empanadas de pipián. The chontanadas are empanadas filled with chontaduro, served with honey and lime. It’s a unique treat we haven’t seen anywhere else. The empanadas de pipián are as good as you’ll find in Popayán. As for the ceviche qaray, it’s tasty but not what we were expecting — more Caribbean-style with red sauce than the traditional Peruvian style. It’s served with patacón and a generous helping of avocado.
The main courses are even better. Try the cazuela afrodisíaca — a thick, creamy seafood stew served with coconut rice, avocado, and patacón — and the steak pipilongo — two beef medallions bathed in a sauce made with pipilongo, a wild pepper-like spice native to Colombia’s Pacific region. The steak comes with a side of steamed veggies and fries.
For burger lovers, the burger with camembert and bacon is excellent. Melted camembert oozes out with every bite, creating a rich texture and flavor alongside the bacon and juicy burger. On the lighter side, the chicken salad is a solid option.
To finish off your meal, you’ll love the chocolate mousse. It features layers of rich chocolate and strawberries topped with whipped cream. The coffee is also excellent. Service is friendly and efficient.
Where to Eat Colombian and International Food in Popayán
In addition to local specialties, we found a nice variety of Colombian and international restaurants in Popayán’s historic city center.
La Cosecha Parrillada
La Cosecha Parrillada, founded in 1986, has three branches in Popayán — we visited the one in the historic city center. This steakhouse offers a huge selection of steaks, chicken, fish, traditional Colombian dishes, and more.
Both Marisol and I went with the specialty of the house — steak. I had the ribeye while Marisol ordered the bife de chorizo. Both were cooked to perfection and exactly as we expected. The steaks come with a small fruit salad to start and are served with potatoes and sweet plantain. Service is very professional.
Hotel Camino Real
The restaurant at Hotel Camino Real should be on your list while visiting Popayán. They served one of the best meals I’ve had in Colombia. This award-winning restaurant offers excellent French and Colombian dishes in an elegant setting. Reservations are recommended.
Our table was set in an intimate side room off the main dining room, and we were promptly attended to. The menu has some intriguing choices, but Marisol and I both decided on the six-course dinner menus.
Six-Course Menu at Hotel Camino Real
Marisol chose Menu 1 and I chose Menu 2. Both started off with a selection of cheeses and bread — blue cheese, gouda, and brie were the cheeses of the day. Next came the first courses: Marisol had ravioli de langostino (shrimp ravioli) and I had langostinos a la gabardina (breaded shrimp). I didn’t care too much for mine but the ravioli was delicious.
Next came nido de espárragos con vinagreta (asparagus spears in vinaigrette) for Marisol and ceviche de corvina (sea bass) for me. Both were good, but we like the ceviche more. A granizado de mora (iced blackberries) followed to help cleanse our palates.
For the main course, I had steak a la pimienta negra (black pepper steak) and Marisol had solomillo en reducción de vino tinto (tenderloin in red wine reduction). Both came with sautéed vegetables and mashed potatoes. The meat was cooked perfectly and had incredible flavor, and the sides were the perfect complement.
For the main course, I had steak a la pimienta negra (black pepper steak) and Marisol had solomillo en reducción de vino tinto (tenderloin in red wine reduction). Both came with sautéed vegetables and mashed potatoes. The meat was cooked perfectly and had incredible flavor, and the sides were the perfect complement.
Finally, we were able to choose any dessert from the menu. I went with the pie de manzana y nueces con helado (apple and nut pie with ice cream), and Marisol had the Eduardo Santos (a fruit cassata). My pie was disappointing because it was a little overcooked, but the Eduardo Santos was great.
Restaurante Italiano
We’ve had some great lunches and dinners at Restaurante Italiano, an Italian restaurant and pizzeria run by a Swiss woman. It’s located near the Church of San Francisco.
To start, we’ve tried the bruschetta along with the cream of chicken and cream of tomato soups. While the bruschetta isn’t anything to write home about, the soups are great — they’re filling enough to order as a full meal.
For main courses, I’ve ordered the spaghetti a la puttanesca twice, while Marisol has done the same with the spaghetti with shrimp. We’ve also shared a pizza with a mix of meats and mushrooms. Both pasta dishes are delicious, and the pizza is very good.
Everything has been great except for the agonizingly slow service. On our first visit, we waited about half and hour for drinks and 45 minutes for our meals. The drink situation improved on our next two visits, but it still took way too long to get our food. To be fair, the kitchen is tiny, but that’s not a reason to give them a free pass. Food is priced reasonably.
Terra Inca
Terra Inca, near the bus terminal in the modern part of Popayán, is a Peruvian restaurant serving tasty ceviche, causa limeña, and grilled octopus. We also shared a lomo saltado. The price is reasonable for the quality. A taxi is necessary if you’re coming from the city center.
El Monito (Permanently Closed)
We had a simple but excellent breakfast at a tiny place called El Monito in the historic city center. We both ordered eggs and hot chocolate at a decent price.
Where to Drink Coffee in Popayán
We popped into a few places for coffee. Not mentioned below is Qaray, which also serves a decent cup.
Café Casa Colonial
In our opinion, Café Casa Colonial, across from the Church of Santo Domingo, has the best coffee in town. It’s a cozy spot with a friendly owner who’s enthusiastic about the coffee he serves.
We had a V60 prepared tableside while the owner explained the properties of the coffee. We also ordered empanadas de pipián, but they were a little on the greasy side.
Caffique
On the west side of the historic center is Caffique. They also serve a good cup of coffee and have a few delicious pastries.
Juan Valdez
I usually don’t promote chains, but this is one of the better Juan Valdez branches I’ve been to. With every coffee shop in town closed on Sundays, we stopped in as a last resort. While the coffee is no better than at any other Juan Valdez, we enjoyed the setting, which includes a nice courtyard in the middle of the building.
