The Best Street Food Tour in Cartagena with 9 Tasty Stops
If you’re planning a trip to Colombia, booking a street food tour in Cartagena is one of the best ways to experience the city’s vibrant culture and incredible local cuisine.
Back in April of 2024, I was lucky enough to spend three weeks working remotely from Cartagena—a much-needed escape from the never-ending Wisconsin winter.
Since it was my first time in Colombia, I was so excited to dive into a completely new culture and get a real feel for life in this colorful, coastal city.
One of my favorite things to do in any new destination is to explore the local food scene, so naturally, one of the first activities we booked was a street food tour of Cartagena’s Old Town.
It was easily one of the highlights of my trip. From deep-fried snacks and coastal seafood to sweet treats and local beers, every stop gave us a delicious new taste of Colombian street food—all while wandering through the charming streets of the walled city.
In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly what to expect from this popular Viator tour and share all the tasty stops you’ll visit along the way!
Please note that this post reflects my personal experience on the tour in April 2024. I’m not responsible for any changes to the tour, including the meeting point, food stops, specific dishes, or other variations that may occur. Please be sure to check the official tour listing on Viator for any updates.
SOLO FEMALE TRAVEL RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This tour is a fantastic choice for solo female travelers in Cartagena. It’s safe, informative, and a great place to meet other travelers.
Stops on the Best Street Food Tour in Cartagena
If you’re looking for a Cartagena food tour that really delivers, this one doesn’t skimp on variety or flavor.
From zesty ceviche and crispy arepas to rich Colombian coffee and sugary local sweets, this tour takes you to some of the best street food spots in the city—all packed into a walkable afternoon around Old Town.
👉🏼 Snag your spot to try the best street food in Cartagena with a local guide!
Coctelería y Cevichería Erika
The first stop on our Cartagena food tour was a street food stand that’s been serving Colombian-style ceviche for over 50 years—Coctelería y Cevichería Erika.
It’s named in memory of the owner’s daughter, Erika, who sadly passed away at just 10 years old.
If you’ve tried ceviche elsewhere in the Caribbean, get ready for a totally different twist.
Colombian ceviche is made with a bold mix of mayo, ketchup, and lemon juice, poured over shrimp or other seafood to create a creamy, tangy sauce. Personally, this version wasn’t really my thing (I’ll take Honduran ceviche in Roatan any day), but some of the other guests on the tour seemed to enjoy it.
To wash it down, we tried a local favorite—Kola Román, a bright red cherry soda that’s super popular in Cartagena. It was sweet, fizzy, and refreshing on a 90-degree day.
Palito de Caucho
Next up on the tour was Palito de Caucho, a legendary street food stand that’s been serving Colombian queso fresco for more than 80 years.
You’ll find it just outside the walled city near the Monumento Torre del Reloj, under a small green-roofed awning that’s been a go-to meeting spot for locals since the 1950s.
The star here is the patacon con suero and cheese—a chewy, lightly salted cheese served on top of a mashed and fried plantain, often enjoyed as a snack, a breakfast bite, or a savory side dish.
It’s simple, tasty, and a great example of how street food in Cartagena isn’t just delicious—it’s deeply tied to the city’s daily life and history.
👉🏼 Secure your spot on the best street food tour in Cartagena!
Portal de los Dulces
Tucked into the bustling Plaza de los Coches, the Portal de los Dulces—translating to “Candy Hall”—is a colorful alleyway filled with all the sweets you could dream of.
It’s a local institution right in the heart of the walled city, where vendors line the corridor with trays of homemade treats stacked high in every flavor imaginable.
On our tour, we tried a traditional candy called Alegria, which translates to “joy”. The recipe was brought to Cartagena from Africa over 400 years ago, and it’s made with caramelized coconut blended into chewy, sticky squares.
The ones we sampled came in all kinds of flavors like dulce de leche, sugar cane, passion fruit, guava, and honey milk.
Arepas Street Food Stand
This was hands-down my favorite stop on the entire tour. There’s no official name for this one—it’s just a guy slinging hot, cheesy arepas from a street cart—but back in April 2024, you could find him right in front of El Pasquin de Joaco within the city walls.
These arepas were made completely from scratch using white corn, cheese, and butter, grilled until golden, and finished with a splash of spicy hot sauce.
They were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and absolutely everything I want in a Colombian street food snack. Not only were these arepas my favorite dish on this street food tour in Cartagena, but they were my fav Colombian dish overall!
You’ll see plenty of street vendors around the city selling versions of this classic, and, honestly, I doubt you can go wrong with any of them. They’re made by locals and usually taste amazing.
Even if you don’t take this tour, you’ve got to grab at least one street arepa while you’re in town. Trust me on this.
La Esquina del Pandebono
Although this next stop isn’t technically a street stand, it still fits right in on a Cartagena food tour focused on local flavors.
La Esquina del Pandebono is a small bakery tucked into the city center that’s been serving up fresh Colombian cheese bread for over 30 years.
We popped in just after the arepas stop to try their pandebono—a warm, cheesy bread made with butter, eggs, cheese, and cassava starch. It was fresh out of the oven and absolutely delicious.
Pandebono is a staple street food across Colombia, and this little spot nailed the perfect texture: soft, chewy, and rich.
We also cooled off with a cup of lulo juice, made from a native fruit that’s tart and citrusy—the perfect refreshment for a steamy Cartagena afternoon.
👉🏼 Book your Cartagena street food tour on Viator!
Fritos la Mona
Next up was Fritos La Mona, a spot that takes the classic arepa and gives it a deep-fried twist. This little stand has been dishing out arepas con huevo for over 12 years.
You’ll find it centrally located right in front of the Townhouse Boutique Hotel—which turned out to be home to one of our favorite rooftop bars in Cartagena!
This was one of our favorite bites of the tour. The crispy exterior, savory egg center, and perfectly salty dough hit all the right notes—even though we were definitely starting to feel full by this point.
It’s also super budget-friendly, so if you’re exploring Cartagena on your own, it’s a great spot to keep in mind for a quick, satisfying snack.
Kalu Restaurante
Next up was Kalu Restaurante, and we actually got to try two different things here.
First up was a version of sancocho, a traditional Colombian soup made with chicken, pork, or fish—depending on what the restaurant has in stock that day.
The soup was delicious, although hot soup isn’t usually my go-to in 90-degree Colombian weather.
Then the waitstaff brought over a big plate of local Colombian fruits, which we all passed around and sampled. We tried lulo, cherimoya (a.k.a. sugar apple), guava, and mamoncillo before packing up and heading to our next stop.
Refresquería La Estrella de la Inidia
Our second-to-last stop on the tour was Refresquería La Estrella de la India, where we cooled off with a Costeñita, one of Colombia’s most popular beers.
It’s a crisp, refreshing lager that’s been brewed in Barranquilla since 1934, and you’ll see it everywhere throughout the country. Bonus: it’s cheap and it goes down easy!
Cafe la Manchuria
Our last stop on the food tour in Cartagena was at Cafe La Manchuria, a cute little coffee shop tucked away in the Old Town.
Our guide brought us here to try something I’d never even heard of before—limonada de cafe. It’s exactly what it sounds like: lemonade mixed with coffee.
It might sound a little strange, but it was actually better than I expected.
Tangy, slightly sweet, and layered with a subtle coffee flavor—not something I’d probably order again on my own, but definitely a fun twist to end the tour.
Beyond that quirky drink, Cafe La Manchuria offers an impressive lineup of Colombian coffee drinks—so there’s something for everyone.
👉🏼 Secure your spot for your trip dates in Cartagena!
Tour Logistics
Here’s all the info you need to know to plan ahead for my favorite street food tour in Cartagena!
It’s an easy walk through the walled city with plenty of breaks, but make sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring water—the Cartagena heat is no joke, especially in the afternoon.
How Much does the Street Food Tour Cost?
The tour costs $44 USD per person, which includes all your food and beverages during the tour.
Since we were both full to bursting by the end, I would say it’s a great value for the number of stops and amount of food you get.
If you want to buy anything extra—like an additional drink or snack—that’s on your own tab. Also, don’t forget to tip your guide!
Where and When Does the Tour Meet?
You’ll meet the group just outside the city walls at Camellón de los Mártires, across the street from the Monumento Torre del Reloj (the big clock tower).
Your guide will be holding an orange umbrella with the word “Nexperience” on it, so keep an eye out for that.
The tour runs twice daily—at 10:30 AM and 4:00 PM. We picked the afternoon tour so we could get some work done during the day, and it was absolutely enough food for dinner. We were full until the next morning.
Book Your Street Food Tour
If you’re a foodie excited to taste all the flavors Colombia has to offer—especially if you’re a seafood lover, like me (we’re on the coast, baby!)—I highly recommend booking this street food tour in Cartagena, Colombia.
While you might get lucky if it’s a slower week, I’d still suggest reserving your spot at least a week in advance to make sure you get the date and time you want, especially if your trip is a short one.
Other Popular Cartagena Food Tours & Experiences
While this was the perfect tour to experience street food in Colombia for me, there might be another option out there that’s even more your style.
Below, I’ve listed a few highly rated tours from popular platforms like Viator and GetYourGuide that I’d absolutely consider booking on future trips to Cartagena—each one has a ton of glowing reviews and a slightly different approach to experiencing the city’s food scene.
You could also consider adding in a Colombian cooking class, which I so wish we’d had time for since it’s absolutely one of the best activities in Cartagena.
Cooking classes are one of my favorite ways to immerse myself in a new culture—I’ve taken them in cities all over the world, like my pierogi-making class in Krakow, a traditional Indonesian cooking class during my 4-day trip to Ubud, and my Honduran chicken in coconut milk class in Roatan.
- Street food like a local tour (not suitable for vegans or vegetarians on the weekends)—⭐️ 5/5
- Local market tour in Cartagena + cooking class—⭐️ 4.5/5
- Walled city & Getsemani private tour (with food tasting)–⭐️ 4.7/5
- Bazurto market tour + cooking class—⭐️ 5/5
Cartagena Street Food FAQ:
What is the most popular street food in Colombia?
I’d say it’s a tie between empanadas and arepas. You’ll find both everywhere—crispy, stuffed empanadas and cheesy, buttery arepas made fresh on the street. They’re both Colombian staples.
Where to eat in Cartagena?
There are so many great restaurants in Cartagena, from upscale rooftop spots to cozy Caribbean-fusion bistros. But as tempting as the restaurant scene is, don’t get so distracted by it that you miss out on the city’s incredible street food. Some of the best bites I had were served from tiny carts on the corner!
Is food expensive in Colombia?
Street food is insanely cheap, so it’s totally possible to eat in Cartagena on a budget. That said, the restaurants were more expensive than I expected—not quite big-city U.S. prices, but honestly pretty close to what I’d pay for a dinner out back home in Wisconsin.
Is a street food tour a good activity for solo female travelers in Cartagena?
Absolutely—it’s one of the best ways to meet people and explore the city safely with a local guide. Tours and excursions are my go-to for making friends when I’m traveling solo, especially ones like this that attract other food-loving travelers.
That said, if you’re heading to Cartagena solo, I recommend checking out the tours run by the city’s hostels before booking random ones online. When you book through Viator, there’s no guarantee you’ll meet other solo travelers, but with hostel-run tours, the chances are way higher. I recommend checking out Hotel Kim (formerly, Selina Hostel) in Cartagena.
Plan Your Perfect Trip to Cartagena
This street food tour in Cartagena was such a fun and informative way to explore the city—and, honestly, it was one of my favorite experiences in Colombia.
We got to try so many local flavors, learn about the history behind each dish, and explore Cartagena’s colorful Old Town in the process (all for only $44!).
That said, this is just one of many exciting tours you can book in and around Cartagena. If you’re looking to explore more of the country, I highly recommend heading over to Santa Marta—especially if you’re a beach lover like me. It’s the perfect place to relax, try some of the best restaurants in Santa Marta, and get your seafood fix all over again.
While you’re there, don’t miss the chance to hop on a sailboat tour to Tayrona National Park—it’s one of the most beautiful day trips I’ve ever taken. Colombia has endless ways to surprise you, and I’m excited to help you plan a trip that’s packed with flavor, views, and unforgettable experiences!
