When I first arrived to Cartagena, I was on a very tight budget. If I couldn't cook at home, I didn't like to spend more than pesos equivalent (US$5) for a meal. These are places I like to eat for cheap. Apologies now for the sometimes approximate addresses and the fact the list is biased towards Getsemani and La Matuna because that's where I live and work. Please send me your tips and recs for cheap eating in other parts of town (add them to the comments section - that would be rad)!!
Restaurante 1596, San Diego, Calle de la Moneda
This delightful restaurant has quickly moved into my number 1 spot for lunch time corrientes. The restaurant is found in a historic house with open air courtyard and air-conditioned dining room. It also has free wifi - win!! Then there's the food! Super flavoursome soup, a rotating mix of different-from-the-norm meat options with tasty sides (they vary depending upon the day but include casseroles, fish, fajitas etc) and they even bring out a little matrimonio (guava paste with cheese dessert) to finish on.
Rincon del Antioqueno, Bocagrande, near the Olimpica
If you want to feel full without spending money (and you don't mind sacrificing your arteries in the process), Cartagena has the perfect option; fritos! This place makes amazing Kibbeh (the football-shaped Lebanese-originating spiced meatballs. There's also probably the best Pan de Bono in Cartagena. The usual suspects of Arepa de Huevo, Cariminola and Papas Rellenas are also done very well.
Este es el Punto, Getsemani, Calle San Andres
Pretty basic but very acceptable. I think their best dishes are the guisadas (a kind of casserole). This place is especially popular during the p.m. because they are one of the few restaurants that do night-time corrientes at around the 6,000 COP price-point. The crowd is pretty much 50/50 backpackers and locals filling up on the cheap fare.
Street Lunches in La Matuna La Matuna, Near the Olimpica
At just 4,000 pesos, this is one of the cheapest lunches going and really tasty. You'll find the food cart set up in front of the Europa Pool Hall in the Joe Arroyo Mall in La Matuna Commercial area. You'll get a generous serve of whatever meat you choose (all that I've tried are slow-cooked tender and flavoursome with plenty of spices), rice, lentils, salad and cooked banana. I am always the only female that eats here. I sit on the concrete bench with all the old men and joke with them while chewing the (literal) fat.
Fruit Salad La Matuna, near Hotel Stil
Also in La Matuna, but in the neighbouring Plaza Benko (formerly Plazaleta de Telecom) near the Hotel Stil, you'll find a mobile fruit salad cart. For 2,000 pesos, they will cut up and choc-fill a polystyrene container (sorry environment) with an assortment of watermelon, papaya, pineapple, grapes and banana. I think it's excellent value. You can also talk them down to a 1,000 half-serve that is pretty darn filling.
Esquina de Pan de Bono, Centro, Calle de San Agustin
Doing a roaring trade in keeping University students sated, this is my number 1 pick to sample the best in Cartagena's diverse array of tropical juices. They are cheap (around 2,500), freshly blended up and super refreshing during a hot day. The bakery also makes a very good version of the Pan de Bono (the tasty yucca, cheesy bread-roll that is strangely addictive) and this cheese and ham filled flaky pastry goodness that comes of the oven a thing of puffed up golden awesomeness and is then flattened into pizza-style triangles. Sneak your haul across to Juan Valdez and enjoy them in the air-conditined wifi wonderland.
Ciudad Movil Pizza Getsemani, Calle Espiritu Santo - CLOSED
Restaurante 1596, San Diego, Calle de la Moneda
This delightful restaurant has quickly moved into my number 1 spot for lunch time corrientes. The restaurant is found in a historic house with open air courtyard and air-conditioned dining room. It also has free wifi - win!! Then there's the food! Super flavoursome soup, a rotating mix of different-from-the-norm meat options with tasty sides (they vary depending upon the day but include casseroles, fish, fajitas etc) and they even bring out a little matrimonio (guava paste with cheese dessert) to finish on.
Rincon del Antioqueno, Bocagrande, near the Olimpica
If you want to feel full without spending money (and you don't mind sacrificing your arteries in the process), Cartagena has the perfect option; fritos! This place makes amazing Kibbeh (the football-shaped Lebanese-originating spiced meatballs. There's also probably the best Pan de Bono in Cartagena. The usual suspects of Arepa de Huevo, Cariminola and Papas Rellenas are also done very well.
Este es el Punto, Getsemani, Calle San Andres
Pretty basic but very acceptable. I think their best dishes are the guisadas (a kind of casserole). This place is especially popular during the p.m. because they are one of the few restaurants that do night-time corrientes at around the 6,000 COP price-point. The crowd is pretty much 50/50 backpackers and locals filling up on the cheap fare.
Street Lunches in La Matuna La Matuna, Near the Olimpica
At just 4,000 pesos, this is one of the cheapest lunches going and really tasty. You'll find the food cart set up in front of the Europa Pool Hall in the Joe Arroyo Mall in La Matuna Commercial area. You'll get a generous serve of whatever meat you choose (all that I've tried are slow-cooked tender and flavoursome with plenty of spices), rice, lentils, salad and cooked banana. I am always the only female that eats here. I sit on the concrete bench with all the old men and joke with them while chewing the (literal) fat.
Fruit Salad La Matuna, near Hotel Stil
Also in La Matuna, but in the neighbouring Plaza Benko (formerly Plazaleta de Telecom) near the Hotel Stil, you'll find a mobile fruit salad cart. For 2,000 pesos, they will cut up and choc-fill a polystyrene container (sorry environment) with an assortment of watermelon, papaya, pineapple, grapes and banana. I think it's excellent value. You can also talk them down to a 1,000 half-serve that is pretty darn filling.
Esquina de Pan de Bono, Centro, Calle de San Agustin
Doing a roaring trade in keeping University students sated, this is my number 1 pick to sample the best in Cartagena's diverse array of tropical juices. They are cheap (around 2,500), freshly blended up and super refreshing during a hot day. The bakery also makes a very good version of the Pan de Bono (the tasty yucca, cheesy bread-roll that is strangely addictive) and this cheese and ham filled flaky pastry goodness that comes of the oven a thing of puffed up golden awesomeness and is then flattened into pizza-style triangles. Sneak your haul across to Juan Valdez and enjoy them in the air-conditined wifi wonderland.
Ciudad Movil Pizza Getsemani, Calle Espiritu Santo - CLOSED
Laguna Azul Centro Commercial Getsemani, Calle Larga (in front of Donde Pacho).
Another non-carby option, Laguna Azul specialises in ceviches. I like it because the ceviches are real ceviches in the sense that they are not filled with cream and tomato sauce and mayonnaise, but the raw seafood is “cooked” in the acidic citrus-based dressing. If you haven't tried ceviche before you really, really should. It is fresh and zesty and clean tasting. And you don't feel all gluggy and heavy afterwards. I normally get the Corvina which is around 25,000 pesos - a little above budget - but vale la pena. And the Blue Lagoon/Brooke Shields kitch-ness of the restaurant is all nostalgic cool. You can also order inside Don Pacho and add a plate of shaved Jamon Photos!
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Crepes & Waffles Salad Bar Various. Visit http://crepesywaffles.com/
This is the restaurant I eat at more than any other: and my most ordered dish (apart from the amazing ice creams) is the fill-you-own-bowl salad bar. You are allowed to fill a large bowl or take-away container with as much salad bar that will fit. Considering the general lack of vegetables and diverse salad options in Cartagena, this is a really great deal. Add in free wi-fi and Crepes and Waffles is a favourite ex-pat meet-point. Oh! And we all love the Crepes & Waffles policy of only employing single mothers - it makes the ice-cream taste sweeter.
La Orquidea La Matuna, Avenida Venezuela
Pull up a seat under the amazing giant rubber tree (palito de caucho) and enjoy, al fresco, a big chunk of barbequed meat, served atop a pile of steamed yucca and salad on a wooden platter. The best part is the garlic sauce which will keep vampires and most of the non-garlic-eating population at bay for hours. Who wants to associate with their kind anyway? There's a distinct Cartagena-vibe here – music blares and your neighbouring tables will be filled with men enjoying cervezas and talking mierda. They also have a good rotating selection of soups (often including Mote de Queso) on the menu. Don't leave it too late to arrive. The food is served 12-2. The rest of the time is strictly for drinking. Top tip: If you still have room after your churrasco, go behind the tienda to the little stall frying up golden balls and try the best buñuelo in Cartagena.
Cafe de la Trinidad See review here.
Sunday Chicharones (and night-time fryspot), Manga, Puente Roman, next to Mimo Ice cream, in front of the Dentist.
These crunchy, salty, chewy, porky, fatty pieces of pig fat, still glistening with the oil from the fryer and sitting on top of a pile of yucca.. are so good, you'll wish you had a hangover to be able to fully appreciate them. They are only Sundays. Only from 8am-11ish am. The rest of the time, from 5pm-10pm this spot serves up the best cheesy carimonolas and papas rellenas in Cartagena.
Espiritu Santo Restaurante - Centro, Calle El Porvenir 35-60
Consistently good food, huge servings, amazing juices. This is the place I take out-of-towners for lunch. It's cheap (but more expensive than my cheap favourites - more like 25,000 and up) but the surroundings are slightly more posh: there's waiters in uniforms and actual menus. It's also super popular with locals and there's always a buzzing atmosphere. There's always at least 4 or 5 fish options and the churasco is also very popular.
This is the restaurant I eat at more than any other: and my most ordered dish (apart from the amazing ice creams) is the fill-you-own-bowl salad bar. You are allowed to fill a large bowl or take-away container with as much salad bar that will fit. Considering the general lack of vegetables and diverse salad options in Cartagena, this is a really great deal. Add in free wi-fi and Crepes and Waffles is a favourite ex-pat meet-point. Oh! And we all love the Crepes & Waffles policy of only employing single mothers - it makes the ice-cream taste sweeter.
La Orquidea La Matuna, Avenida Venezuela
Pull up a seat under the amazing giant rubber tree (palito de caucho) and enjoy, al fresco, a big chunk of barbequed meat, served atop a pile of steamed yucca and salad on a wooden platter. The best part is the garlic sauce which will keep vampires and most of the non-garlic-eating population at bay for hours. Who wants to associate with their kind anyway? There's a distinct Cartagena-vibe here – music blares and your neighbouring tables will be filled with men enjoying cervezas and talking mierda. They also have a good rotating selection of soups (often including Mote de Queso) on the menu. Don't leave it too late to arrive. The food is served 12-2. The rest of the time is strictly for drinking. Top tip: If you still have room after your churrasco, go behind the tienda to the little stall frying up golden balls and try the best buñuelo in Cartagena.
Cafe de la Trinidad See review here.
Sunday Chicharones (and night-time fryspot), Manga, Puente Roman, next to Mimo Ice cream, in front of the Dentist.
These crunchy, salty, chewy, porky, fatty pieces of pig fat, still glistening with the oil from the fryer and sitting on top of a pile of yucca.. are so good, you'll wish you had a hangover to be able to fully appreciate them. They are only Sundays. Only from 8am-11ish am. The rest of the time, from 5pm-10pm this spot serves up the best cheesy carimonolas and papas rellenas in Cartagena.
Espiritu Santo Restaurante - Centro, Calle El Porvenir 35-60
Consistently good food, huge servings, amazing juices. This is the place I take out-of-towners for lunch. It's cheap (but more expensive than my cheap favourites - more like 25,000 and up) but the surroundings are slightly more posh: there's waiters in uniforms and actual menus. It's also super popular with locals and there's always a buzzing atmosphere. There's always at least 4 or 5 fish options and the churasco is also very popular.
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