Roaming with Rumbi - Bogota food Tour

I was watching Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime and recognized the lively streets of Bogota particularly the colourful La Candelaria. Nostalgia set in and I was taken back to my time in Bogota.

I am a foodie so booking a food tour to try some local and traditional food was a must. The tour was small and intimate with only two participants and two tour guides which was great because it felt like I was spending the afternoon with friends. The first restaurant was your typical South American restaurant. It was so colourful with loud Spanish music in the background. At this spot, we tried Ajiaco, a soup comprising mainly of potato and chicken. I definitely would not order this as an appetizer because it was quite filling but tasty. 

The second stop was a barbecue place. Our tour guide was full of glee as he described that we were going to sample some “meat”. I knew he was up to no good! When the plates came out, we were asked what Capybara was. I had no idea but was feeling adventurous so I tried it anyway. It tasted pretty good right up until I found out that Capybara is actually the largest living rodent in the world! 

The next stop was an outdoor market made out of sea cans which I loved. Local artists had painted the cans and it was so bright and vibrant. There was a variety of street food but we were trying tamales. They were good too but at this point I was struggling to consume more food. 

A coffee shop was the next stop. I was quite relieved to take a break from food because I was so full. After coffee we made our way to a local woman’s house to learn how to make empanadas. Getting that perfect shape is definitely harder than it looks. I did okay right?

A food tour in Colombia would not be complete without chocolate. The last stop was a chocolate café where we tried an interesting dessert… hot chocolate and cheese. Cheese you say? Yes, the cheese melts in the hot cholate making for a creamy dessert. It was the freshly baked bread to go with it for me though.

The food tour was an afternoon well spent. I would recommend it if you have some free time in Bogota. It was a great way to learn about the way of life, and to interact with locals. The highlight of my food tour was our tour guides inviting us to their favourite happy hour bar. It was off the beaten path with no tourists in sight. I mentioned that I would love to go to a salsa club and they took me to one. A food tour complete with salsa dancing. Priceless!

Rumbi is a 30-something living in Edmonton, Alberta. She loves photography, trying different foods and new experiences. Her love for travel and photography began as a young child, mostly influenced by her father. Rumbi writes about her experiences to not only share her adventures but to inspire others out there to take the scenic route and experience this world.