This post was originally published on A Globe Well Travelled in 2017. The content has been revised and updated with fresh information.
As a vegetarian, food in the Caribbean region can be a challenge.
Many of the dishes from this part of the world are fish-based. When I visited the Caribbean islands, I often struggle to find meals that consist of more than just bland, imported vegetables.
My expectations weren’t particularly high for finding good food in the coastal area of Colombia, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover a handful of amazing restaurants in Cartagena with local Colombian/Caribbean dishes and tasty vegetarian options on their menu.
The street food in Cartagena is fabulous, too, though this post is more about restaurants and casual eateries.
If you’re interested in trying the local street food with some veggie options, I’d suggest booking a street food tour of Cartagena.
If you’re heading to this vibrant Colombian seaside city, here’s my suggestions for plant-based travellers on where to eat vegetarian food in Cartagena!
Demente
Demente is a restaurant/bar in Getsemani that was recommended to us by a friend, and it ended up being our go-to dinner place in Cartagena (we went there twice and would have one a third time if it wasn’t closed on behalf of the Pope’s visit!).
The menu featured a vegetarian section with around 5 tapas options. We sampled them all! Every one of them was delish.
As this place is also a bar, there are a great selection of drinks on the menu (I highly recommend the mojitos! They’re so good). The prices are kinda on the high side as the place is catered towards tourists but it’s totally worth the cost.
Restaurante DKP
Restaurante DKP was one of my internet finds. This venue was kind of fancy and had a separate veggie menu (you just have to ask for it).
I ended up getting the risotto vegetariano, which had vegetables and parmesan. It was amazing! Rob said that his three cheese pasta wasn’t quite as good as my risotto, but he still enjoyed it.
Gokela
Gokela is a chain takeaway health food store. When we visited Cartagena they were located in El Centro, but Maps seem to suggest that this location is now closed – you’ll have to head into Bocagrande instead.
At Gokela, you can choose the ingredients to make your wrap/sandwich/salad exactly how you want it. We ended up getting some veggie wraps to take back to our hotel, and they were so damn tasty. This is a great place to go if you want something quick and casual.
La Mulata
La Mulata actually specialises in fish, but it has one vegan dish on the dinner menu – a coconut rice with vegetables and plantain.
I honestly didn’t expect much seeing as we were ordering a veggie dish from a fish restaurant, but it was so incredibly tasty. In fact, I think it was my favourite meal of the entire trip! It was also presented like a work of art, which is definitely worth some bonus points in my book.
Restaurante Pavia
We randomly stumbled across this place as it was near to our hotel in Getsemani. The restaurant doesn’t look like much from the front, but it has a cute courtyard sitting area out the back.
Restaurante Pavia has an Italian/Colombian fusion menu (weird combo, I know). We ended up getting some tasty arepas, which are kind of like a savoury pancake/tortilla, stuffed with vegetables and parmesan. The arepas were quite small, so order 2 if you’re hungry!
La Paletaria
La Paletaria is the place to go for dessert – it’s a popsicle store in El Centro with so many options that you may spend half an hour there just deciding which flavour to get.
Rob went for a milk chocolate popsicle which he said was “unreal” and I went for a vegan chunky fruit popsicle (it was sooo good). Do not leave Cartagena without trying this place!
Other options:
There are a few more places that I didn’t get to try or that have opened in the years since I visited Cartagena in 2017. Check these out if you’re still hungry:
- El Bololó – A casual eatery in El Centro serving fresh, healthy bowls.
- Pezetarian – Asian Fusion restaurant with veggie/vegan sushi and more.
- Local Restaurant – Friendly spot with a large selection of vegetarian plates.
- Casa del Tunel – Beer garden with a variety of Mexican/Caribbean veggie options.
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