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Welcome, you are in Marca País
Welcome, you are in Marca País
Marketplaces in Colombia: a unique culinary journey
Colombian marketplaces are a fusion of flavors.
The market squares in Colombia are much more than just places to sell food; they are true hubs of cultural and gastronomic encounters. There, the aromas, colors, and flavors of Colombian tradition intertwine, offering a wide variety of dishes that reflect the richness of each region of the country. From fresh fish from the Caribbean coast to the flavors of the country’s capital, these market squares have become an essential destination for those seeking to experience the culinary essence of Colombia. We present five Colombian squares that will captivate you with their gastronomic offerings.
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Plaza Minorista José María Villa – Medellín
Located in the La Candelaria neighborhood, the Plaza Minorista José María Villa bears a blend of cultures and life stories in its foundations. Inaugurated in 1984, as you walk through its wide and colorful corridors, you will find a great variety of fruits, vegetables, and fresh food. In its restaurants, you can taste unmissable delights such as coconut rice, and those who work there recommend not leaving without trying the fish soup.
Among the wide gastronomic offerings, the cuisine of the Colombian Caribbean stands out, along with Spanish cuisine restaurants and, of course, the typical gastronomy of Medellín and Antioquia with its unique bandeja paisa. La Minorista is a living reflection of Medellín and a great showcase of Antioquia culture, thanks to its wide variety of food.
Plaza de Mercado Alameda – Cali
Visitors from across the country and abroad come to Plaza Alameda in Cali to enjoy the best flavors of southwestern Colombia. Pacific cuisine, traditional drinks, sancochos, rellena, and fritanga are part of the exquisite Colombian cooking you can find here. As you venture into the corridors of La Alameda, the aroma of seafood in casseroles and rice dishes reaches every corner.
You can also find representative dishes of Peruvian and Spanish cuisine as well as from various regions of Colombia. Among the tables of the square, it is common to see small groups of international visitors enjoying gastronomic tourism, delighting in local flavors while sipping a refreshing cholao or a delicious lulada to quench their thirst. Undoubtedly, it is the perfect place to combine the pleasure of good food with the magic of the local atmosphere.
Galería Plaza – Manizales
Galería Plaza is located in the northwest of Manizales and was established as the city’s first market in 1849. The stalls of the square are adorned with the colorful presence of coffee, sugarcane, tomato chonto, citrus fruits, and plantains. Between fruits, vegetables, tubers, and gastronomic richness, the market becomes a reflection of the city’s culture.
As for the gastronomic offer, the typical breakfasts at Galería Plaza are the favorites of many. They consist of an arepa with campesino cheese and butter, scrambled eggs with tomato, a ripe plantain, and hot panela water. Moreover, they are made with fresh products from the square, which has over fifteen restaurants with a varied and captivating offering.
Plaza de Paloquemao – Bogotá
Vibrant colors emerge from the fruit and vegetable stalls at the Plaza de Mercado Paloquemao, where a rich variety of Colombian farm products and a wide gastronomic offer are on display. There, you can find a broad range of fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, dairy products, grains, and other typical products, as well as a culinary proposal that invites everyone to try different flavors.
One of the main attractions of the Plaza de Mercado Paloquemao is a stand specializing in empanadas and corn arepas (arepas de peto) with a variety of chili sauces. Lechonas are also a preparation many people seek out in this place, as well as fruit tastings. Undoubtedly, there is a great variety of gastronomy: stands where you can get cubios, fish shops, and cheese tastings such as cuajada, quesito campesino, and costeño.
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Plaza de Mercado de Santa Marta
The Santa Marta Public Market is an attractive gastronomic tourism destination and is becoming one of the most visited areas in the country for its cuisine. Merchants reinvent themselves in the kitchen to offer national and foreign tourists an authentic taste of the Colombian Caribbean region. Moreover, for many years, this place has become a showcase of true local flavor.
Here, you can find dishes such as Cayeye, coconut rice, shrimp rice, stews, lengua en salsa, fried fish, yam stew, goat stew, among other preparations that reflect an explosion of authentic flavors, where fresh ingredients from the sea and the land come together to offer a unique experience to all visitors and locals.
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