Cartagena: Street Food Walking Tour & 10 Local Tastings

Summary

Cartagena street food tasting walk with Caribbean flavors and stories

You’ll wander Cartagena’s lively streets sampling ten local street foods—from creamy patacón con suero to warm pandebono bread and fresh tropical juices—with stories from your guide at every stop. Taste Afro-Caribbean sweets at Portal de Los Dulces and sip coffee as you watch city life unfold around you.

What’s the experience like?

First thing I noticed was the smell—fried corn, sweet coconut, something tangy in the air as we stepped into the Old Town. Our guide, Andrés, waved us over to a little stand where a woman was mashing plantains with her bare hands. “Patacón con suero,” he said, grinning like he knew it’d be my new favorite. I still can’t pronounce ‘suero’ right (Andrés tried not to laugh), but that salty cream on crispy plantain? Yeah, I’d eat that every day if I could. The streets were loud—kids chasing pigeons, someone selling bracelets, salsa music leaking out of an open window somewhere above us.

We wandered through narrow streets, stopping every few blocks for another bite—arepa de huevo (hot oil popping as they fried it), carimañola stuffed with meat, then a bright pink juice that tasted like nothing I’ve ever had at home. At one point we paused by a fruit cart piled high with lulo and guanábana; the vendor handed me a slice of something orange and tart. I think it was nispero? My Spanish is shaky but the taste stuck with me all afternoon. Andrés told stories about how each snack came from different roots—African, Indigenous, Lebanese—and you could kind of feel that mix in every bite.

I didn’t expect to laugh so much just eating bread—pandebono is this cheesy roll that’s apparently famous here (TasteAtlas says it’s the world’s best bread; I mean, who am I to argue?). We dipped it in thick juice made from fruits I still can’t name. The sun was heavy but there was always shade somewhere—a doorway or under a balcony draped in bougainvillea. By the time we reached Portal de Los Dulces for candies and coffee, my shirt smelled like sugar and salt and maybe just a hint of fried oil. Not complaining.

The last thing we tried was beer brewed by local farmers—cold, almost grassy-tasting—and cocadas so sweet they made my teeth ache. A few of us sat on the curb outside the café just watching people go by for a while. There’s something about sharing food with strangers that makes you feel less like a tourist for a second. Anyway—I keep thinking about that first bite of patacón whenever I hear salsa now.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Taste Cartagena's iconic street foods

• Start with patacon, suero, and cheese
• Try Colombian-style ceviche and seafood
• Savor pandebono with tropical fruit juices
• Enjoy Colombian fritos: arepa de huevo and carimañola
• Taste arepa with tropical fruit juice
• Discover and taste exotic Caribbean fruits
• Sample authentic Colombian Caribbean beer
• Eat cocadas, traditional Afro-Caribbean sweets
• End with coffee and African-inspired candies

Top questions

How many foods do you try on this Cartagena street food tour?

You’ll taste ten different types of local street food during the tour.

Is this Cartagena food tour suitable for kids or people using wheelchairs?

Yes, it’s wheelchair accessible and infants or small children can join in strollers or on laps.

Does the tour include drinks or just food?

The tour includes fresh tropical juices and locally brewed beer along with food tastings.

Where does the Cartagena street food tour take place?

The tour takes place in Cartagena’s Old Town (the Walled City) and nearby areas like Avenida Santander.

Are there vegetarian options available on this Cartagena street food walk?

The tour features some vegetarian-friendly items like tropical fruits and breads; ask your guide about specific needs.

What’s included

Your walk includes ten different local street foods—from savory snacks to sweets—with all tastings covered throughout ten stops. You’ll have a qualified guide sharing stories along the way; drinks like fresh juices and local beer are part of the experience too.