The hearty, filling, tasty and generously proportioned bandeja paisa is a favorite local dish in Medellin. A strong link between rural Antioquian farming traditions and the modern, progressive city.
The dish was created to fill and sustain hardworking rural workers who need to refuel after a tough day of toiling. Colombians typically will have a large lunch and then a much smaller evening meal alongside a warm drink. The bandeja paisa filled with protein is the ultimate comfort food, often enjoyed at the weekend ahead of a necessary siesta.
I have lived in Medellin for over 15 years and these are some of the best places to get a bandeja paisa in the city and surrounding municipalities. Giving it a go is an essential part of your city to Medellin but make sure you don’t have a big breakfast before!
1. Mondongo’s
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📍 Cl 10 #38-38, Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia
Mondongo’s opened on Avenida San Juan at the edge of Laureles in 1976 with the aim of creating a small, cozy restaurant that would bring local families together to enjoy classic Antioquia dishes.
The restaurant was named after a soup made from diced tripe slow-cooked with a wide range of vegetables including onions, carrots, tomatoes, cilantro and peppers.
They have since opened a very conveniently located second Medellin restaurant in the heart of Poblado on Calle 10 as well as a branch in Miami. The restaurant has been a favorite with local families for generations and is a great way for visitors to experience paisa food, culture and hospitality.
The bandeja paisa comes in a very generous portion with kidney beans, chicharrón (fried pork skin and meat), ground beef, egg, mature plantain, mashed potatoes, rice, avocado, banana, cilantro, an arepa and ají (a sauce with peppers, oil, tomato, cilantro, garlic and onions).
Other favorites also include ajiaco soup (potatoes, spices, chicken, capers) or, if the bandeja paisa didn’t sound big enough, a mixed “tipica” with mondongo soup, kidney beats, chicharron, ground beef, egg, mature plantain, mashed potato, rice, avocado, banana, lime, cilantro, sweet and spicy ají and an arepa.
The restaurant’s decor is really understated and clean. While most on this list make a big statement about their paisa credentials with some rural Antioquia design, Mondongos keeps it fresh and simple; the reputation of the food speaks for itself.
💲 Bandeja Paisa price: 50,000 COP (USD $12.70)
2. La Matriarca
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📍 Cl. 8 #43b-62, El Poblado, Medellín, Antioquia
La Matriarca has a growing reputation for having some of the best chorizo and chicharrón in town.
The restaurant is conveniently located a couple of blocks south of Parque Poblado with a modern, Mediterranean feel with both indoor and outdoor space, illuminated with strings of lights hanging from trees in the courtyard.
Their bandeja paisa has all the staples including kidney beans, chicharrón, ground beef, chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage), white rice, mature plantain, a fried egg, arepa and avocado.
They also offer Antioquia classics such as ajiaco soup, cazuela de lentejas (lentil casserole), mondongo soup and sancocho (a popular stew full of a range of meats and vegetables). Breakfast is also great at La Matriarca.
The restaurant is very comfortable, conveniently located, attractively decorated and they offer all of the local classics you should give a go on your trip to Medellin. They also deliver via the Rappi app.
💲 Bandeja Paisa price: 51,900 COP (US$12.50)
https://sedemedellin.lamatriarca.com/categoria_especial/tradicion-matriarca/
3. Hacienda Junin
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📍 Cra. 49 Junín #52-98, La Candelaria, Medellín, Antioquia
Hacienda is an obvious choice for a bandeja paisa and far from a hidden gem but with good reason.
The initial restaurant opened on Junin street in the heart of downtown Medellin in 1991 with a number of balconies overlooking the buzz of el centro. The menu was developed by the founding families’ favorite recipes and they have a lot of paisa classics which have been honed over generations.
The central location is my favorite with beautiful, traditional decor and a real sense of tranquility and elegance amongst the chaos of central Medellin. They have also opened restaurants in Manila, Poblado Avenue, Ciudad del Rio, Guayabal and Buenos Aires up on the hill.
In my experience staff are extremely welcoming and professional adding to a great experience.
Their bandeja paisa comes with kidney beans, rice, ground beef, chicharron, morcilla, chorizo, egg, plantain, avocado and arepa.
💲 Bandeja Paisa price: 44,000 COP (US$11.15)
4. Hatoviejo
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📍 Cra. 47 #52-17, La Candelaria, Medellín, Antioquia
Hatoviejo is a traditional Colombian restaurant which celebrates Colombian culture and popular local dishes. The staff are dressed with the white shirts and the classic Aguadeño hat. The decor has an understated, homely rural Colombian feel.
Hatoviejo opened their first location over 30 years ago on Las Palmas across the street from the Intercontinental Hotel in Poblado. In the years that followed they launched their second restaurant in El Centro with new establishments in Oviedo and Viva Envigado malls in recent years.
El Centro is conveniently located if you want some good quality food downtown but the Las Palmas location is more easily accessible from Poblado. They also have a nice view over the city and plenty of indoor and outdoor space.
Their bandeja paisa comes with beans, ground beef, sausage, fried egg, plantain and chicharron (fried pork skin and meat). The dish is accompanied with rice and avocado. The quality is good but the price is a little high for the quantity of food, you definitely won’t leave hungry but it isn’t piled high as with other places on the list.
Alongside the bandeja paisa they also offer a very good range of grilled meats, soups, mondongo and other local favorites.
💲 Bandeja Paisa price: 52,600 COP (US$13.40)
5. La Gloria de Gloria
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📍 Cl. 37 Sur #35-06, Zona 9, Envigado, Antioquia
La Gloria de Gloria (The Glory of Gloria) was opened by Gloria Cecilia Ramirez 32 years ago in the Los Naranjos neighborhood of Envigado, a neighboring municipality of Medellin which is close to Poblado. The family business is today run by her daughter Martha Mesa.
The restaurant is always packed at weekends with long lines down the street at times with visitors coming from all over Medellin and Antioquia.
They are renowned for both quality and quantity with plates piled high full of delicious food. Their preposterously large chicharron is a real headline grabber with a long strip of crispy pork wrapped around the plate which can weigh 1 kg and is about the size of a human arm.
Their almuerzo completo (full lunch) includes chicharrón, chorizo, fries, ground beef, rice, morcilla and kidney beans with extremely generous servings. Make sure you are very hungry or are prepared to take leftovers home which should keep you filled up for a week.
The restaurant is set in a residential area of the peaceful, welcoming town of Envigado with a low-key entrance and welcoming but unpretentious interior.
💲 Bandeja Paisa price: 50,000 COP (US$12.75)
https://www.instagram.com/lagloriadegloria/?hl=en
6. El Rancherito
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📍 Calle 18, Av. Las Palmas #N 35 – 50, Medellín, Antioquia
El Rancherito is a chain of restaurants offering a wide range of local dishes. The first restaurant opened in 1975 in the town of Amaga, South of Medellin.
The owners would offer snacks such as empanadas with hot chocolate heated on a wooden stove. Their reputation began to grow and cars began to line up for some of their snacks. The menu expanded over the years and today there are 9 restaurants across Antioquia and out as far as Pereira with a very expansive menu.
They have restaurants in Mercado del Rio, Los Molinos, Las Palmas and Viva Envigado within the valley plus rural locations in Caldas, Copacabana, Guarne and the original restaurant in Amaga.
As well as an excellent bandeja paisa, they also offer local favorites such as mondongo soup, ajiaco and sancocho. Their restaurants retain the classic feel with traditional decor and live music at times.
💲 Bandeja Paisa price: 35,700 COP (USD $9.00)
7. Maru Rico
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📍 Cra. 51, Guayabal, Guayabal, Medellín, Antioquia
Maru Rico is a very popular lunch spot in Guayabal which specializes in grilled meat and serves good quality food to busy punters throughout the year.
The restaurant has a very traditional feel with high ceilings, an open space and red and white checkered tablecloths. You really feel like you are in a country house despite the busy 80 street buzzing past outside.
They have a twist on the bandeja paisa with the dry, ground meat replaced with grilled beef. The rest of the ingredients remain the same with chorizo, morcilla and chicharron plus kidney beans, rice, fried egg and plantain. The “Típico Frijoles” as it is known is a break from tradition but offers even more juicy, meaty protein.
You will definitely leave Maru Rico feeling very full and the prices are very reasonable. It is around 15 minutes from Poblado and easily accessible to the South of Laureles along the highway.
💲 Bandeja Paisa price: 35,000 COP (US$8.90)
https://www.instagram.com/marurico.oficial/?hl=en
8. El Viejo John
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📍 Cra. 45 #70 sur 42, Sabaneta, Antioquia
El Viejo John is an excellent restaurant in Sabaneta which is very popular with locals.
The restaurant is very busy on the weekends and on Sunday there are lines of locals looking to be seated. Sabaneta is a municipality South of Medellin at the end of the metro line and around 25 minutes from Poblado, depending on the time of day. It has a much more rural, community feel and the restaurant is next to the main central park.
They have a very extensive menu with all of the local favorites plus multiple pages of grilled meat, fish and chicken dishes. There is a great buzz in the restaurant with very friendly staff who are happy to answer questions with a decent level of English. They are also famous for their buñuelos, cheesy dough fritters, a Christmas favorite enjoyed throughout the year.
They have very generous portions and very reasonable prices.
💲 Bandeja Paisa price: 29,500 COP (USD $7.50)
https://www.instagram.com/restaurante-el-viejo-john/
9. Restaurante Donde Chucho
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📍 Cra. 82 #44-90, La Floresta, Medellín, Antioquia
Donde Chucho is a restaurant that has been a popular neighborhood favorite for over 30 years with an emphasis on offering paisas with “flavors like at home”. The restaurant is run by women looking to offer generous portions of family favorites.
The restaurant is located just outside of Laureles in La America a couple of blocks up from the roundabout linking major streets La 80 and San Juan. It stretches back a fair way but the entrance is small and easy to miss on a residential street next to a car park and a car wash.
Inside it is a simple set up, white tables with metal chairs and juices served in plastic cups. A very simple local feel.
The food is excellent though and portions are extremely generous. The bandeja paisa includes chicharron, chorizo, morcilla, ground beef, egg, plantain, french fries, salad, avocado, white rice, a side of beans and a juice or mazamorra. Mazamorra is a drink from the Andes made from milk and corn sweetened by panela (unrefined sugar cane).
The bandeja paisa is huge and very good for the price. They also a good breakfast for US$2.50 (10,000 COP).
💲 Bandeja Paisa price: 40,000 COP (USD $10.15)
https://www.instagram.com/restaurantedondechucho/
10. Punto Sabroso
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📍 Cra. 51 #46-00 Local 108, La Candelaria, Medellín, Antioquia
Punto Sabroso is located right in the very middle of Medellin just outside the main downtown station San Antonio.
They have very affordable prices and offer a large 15,000 menu del dia (daily menu) plus a large chuleta de pollo (breaded chicken), churrasco (steak) and lechona (suckling pig).
Their bandeja paisa costs just 24,100 COP and includes kidney beans, rice, avocado, ground beef, chicharron, egg, plantain, chorizo and salad. A very generous plate of good quality food available on a budget right in the middle of the city.
The restaurant is clean but very much functional, offering a very hearty meal for workers in el centro.
💲 Bandeja Paisa price: 24,100 COP (USD $6.10)