Colombia has some of the best coffee in the world but for many years the highest quality product was immediately exported while locals had the lower quality, known as pasilla. You were more likely to find world class Colombian coffee in Paris than Pasto but times have changed.
There is now a passionate, enthusiastic group of world-renowned experts and baristas who are celebrating and championing the best Colombia has to offer. Bogota is at the center of this growing culture with a focus on amazing coffee experiences as well as ensuring a positive social impact and fair prices for growers.
As well as tasting some of the finest coffee in the world, you can also enjoy a rich cultural experience, learn about a true artisan industry and visit some beautiful, charming spaces.
I have lived in Colombia for 15 years and these are some of my favorite coffee shops to visit when I am in Bogota.
No time to read it all? Here are my recommendations in a nutshell:
- Best coffee shop with a coffee workshop: An afternoon with Jaime Duque and his team at Catación Pública is an incredible learning experience and they have full programs available. Amor Perfecto, Libertario Coffee and Azahar algo have great options. You will leave all of the cafes on this list with fresh knowledge, love and appreciation for coffee.
- The best place to meet global coffee experts and the best baristas: Varietale is a meeting place for many aficionados and hosts the Colombian capital’s major competitions such as La Rumba Barista, known as the Barista League.
- Best coffee shop for fruity, refreshing creations: Azahar combines their top quality beans with sweet local flavors such as mango and lulo to create some amazing cold, fruity options.
- Best coffee shop for peace and relaxation: Tropicalia’s award winning design makes the cafe the perfect place to clear your mind and recharge with delicious coffee.
- The best place for your Colombian coffee connoisseur selfie: Varietale is an amazing cafe full of style, character and personality. Even from the street you can see it is a special place.
1. Azahar Café 93
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📍 Cl 93b #13-91, Chapinero, Bogotá, DC
Azahar is clearly a passion project that celebrates coffee and champions all stages of its preparation. They source their coffee directly from farmers and are very open about how much they pay for the beans. The first location was built on a shipping container by travelers who fell in love with Colombian coffee during their visit and set about making the most of the country’s important national product. They now have three cafes in Bogota.
The baristas are real experts who have won national coffee competitions and love to share their expertise with visitors. The space is stylish and perfect for a business lunch or an afternoon snack. As well as a range of high quality ingredients, they also look to innovate with cold, fruity coffee based drinks plus excellent cakes and pastries.
Price: An espresso is 4,000 COP and a cup of coffee is 4,500 COP. Food is priced between 15,000 COP to 40,000 COP.
Why I like this coffee shop:
- Excellent coffee bought directly from the producers at a fair price
- Passionate, expert baristas who can recommend and prepare something perfect for you
- Really tasty snacks and lunch options make it the perfect place to spend an hour or so
2. Varietale
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📍 Cl 93b #13-91, Chapinero, Bogotá, DC
Varietale is a very cool spot set in a restored convent full of character and cozy corners. The cafe is full of colorful hanging flower beds and is surrounded by trees in the university district, giving it a free, natural feel in the heart of the city.
The cafe has hosted some of the big barista competitions and it is a real meeting place for coffee lovers. They source coffee from across the country and roast the beans in their Chapinero location. You can also enjoy some tasty local food, with great breakfast options and delicious empanadas.
They also have a store at Bogota’s El Dorado Airport if you need some last minute Colombian gifts to take back for family or friends.
Price: An espresso is 6,000 COP, a cappuccino is 9,400 COP and a filter coffee is 9,800 COP. Food options are available between 15,000 COP and 35,000 COP.
Why I like this coffee shop:
- A really hip, stylish space with an iconic entrance
- Expert baristas and a meeting place for Colombia’s coffee aficionados
- Really good food options and nice covered outdoor space
3. Catación Pública
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📍 Cl. 120a #3A-47, Usaquen, Bogotá
Catación Pública is the passion project of Jaime Duque, one of Colombia’s most influential and celebrated coffee specialists. Jaime worked as an agronomist for the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation for over 20 years and brings all of that knowledge and expertise to this coffee shop.
At the front there is a fairly small but charming coffee shop while round the back there is a larger coaster area and lab where they produce perhaps the largest selection of coffee you will find on sale in Bogota from all over the country.
It is a great place to pick up a delicious coffee but it is also a perfect place to learn and experience some of the best coffees in the world. You can pay US$30 for a 2 hour course which takes you through the process with advanced technology and then taste a range of coffees with a variety of extraction processes. The tour is led by an experienced, certified instructor. They also offer full courses for those looking to become qualified experts in the field.
Price: Coffee is priced in line with the other shops in the region while the 2 hour tour is 120 COP (US$30).
Why I like this coffee shop:
- An incredible range of amazing coffees roasted on site
- Expert baristas who know everything about the huge range of options available
- The guided tour and tasting session with a leading international expert is a great experience for those who love coffee
https://catacionpublica.co/almacen-bogota/
4. Amor Perfecto
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📍 Cra. 4 #66-46, Chapinero, Bogotá, DC
Amor Perfecto is a big name in Colombia’s small but growing specialty coffee scene. They have their flagship location in Chapinero which is stylishly decorated with a high tech lab on their premises. This lab has been the training ground of many national and international champions such as Diego Campos who won the World Barista Coffee Championship held in Milan in 2021.
They source beans from around the country in small lots, so they always have an excellent variety of classic and new flavors on rotation. It is a great place to learn about some of the best coffee in the world from internationally renowned specialists. They love coffee and after a visit you will love and appreciate coffee too.
The flagship location is an amazing experience but you should also be able to find Amor Perfecto coffee around the country if it becomes a new favorite.
The cafe is cozy, comfortable and modern, a great place to spend the afternoon.
Price: An espresso is 4,200 COP, cappuccino 5,600 COP and latte 5,900 COP.
Why I like this coffee shop:
- A cozy, comfortable, stylish cafe with great space to catch up with friends
- World famous coffee specialists on site preparing and discussing coffee
- Visit the lab to see, smell and taste the production process
https://cafeamorperfecto.com/pages/cedex
5. Tropicalia
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📍 Cl. 81a #8-23, Chapinero, Bogotá, DC
Tropicalia is one of the newest additions to Bogota’s coffee scene, opening at the end of 2021. The pet-friendly cafe is beautiful inside and they won the SCA Coffee Design award in 2022. Located in Capinero, the warm, quiet, comfortable space is inspired by the tropics and is incredibly relaxing.
They have some of the best roasters in the city and very very good food which is available all day. You can also buy some really nice, high-quality merchandise.
Price: An Americano is 6,900 COP, espresso 6,900 COP and a latte is 8,500 COP.
Why I like this coffee shop:
- An award-winning space with a beautiful, comfortable, relaxing feel
- A good range of very high quality coffee and friendly staff
- Excellent food available all day
https://www.tropicaliacoffee.com/
6. Jaguar Coffee House
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📍 Cra. 4 #12-78, La Candelaria, Bogotá
Jaguar is an artsy, vibrant and homely space situated in the historic La Candelaria neighborhood.
They have some delicious sweet treats, excellent filter coffees and espressos. You can also visit the roastery and cupping room to participate in a tasting and learn about the full production process. You can also visit their own coffee farm, La Esperanza, if you want to get the full coffee experience.
The staff love coffee and want to share that enthusiasm with their visitors.
Price: Coffees are priced between 4,500 and 7,000 COP.
Why I like this coffee shop:
- Artsy, down-to-earth, cozy feel to the cafe
- You can visit their farm to see the coffee come from the ground, through the roasting process and then get dripped into your cup to enjoy
- They have some delicious cakes and sweet snacks for the perfect afternoon experience
https://jaguarcoffeeonline.com/
7. Libertario Coffee
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📍 Cl. 70a # 5 – 37, Zona G, Bogotá
Libertario is an elegant, cool, classy cafe with all of their coffee sourced from nearby Zipacón in the department of Cundinamarca. They sell coffee brought directly from their own farm, La Palma y El Tucan, while also sourcing from 100 families located within 10km. They manage their own production while also supporting and sharing knowledge with the community.
Coffee from La Palma y El Tucan has been featured in competitions around the world and has helped baristas with prizes at major championships. The product is great plus they look to incorporate it in innovative recipes for something a little more unusual.
The cafe is small but a great place to relax in comfort to clear your mind on a busy day.
Price: Filtered coffees range from 8,900 COP to 19,900 COP with espresso’s at 6,600 COP and latte’s for 9,900.
Why I like this coffee shop:
- Libertario are closely connected to the community and process to ensure they locally-produce some top quality coffee
- The space is very cool and elegant with a nice feel
- There is a close community that appreciates and wants to celebrate good coffee
https://www.libertariocoffee.com/
8. Café Cultor
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📍 Cl. 70a # 9 – 44, Chapinero, Bogotá
Café Cultor celebrates and focuses on the coffee experience. They have helped over 10,000 coffee farmers around the country to refine their processes and produced the best beans possible.
They have four very different cafes which each offer a different experience. They have one inside the Luis Ángel Arango library in La Candelaria, a recycled shipping container on Calle 69, a quaint cafe outside Wilborada bookstore and Café Cultor Casa, which is where you will find the master roaster with a nice garden out back.
The baristas pride themselves on their expert knowledge and love to answer your most complicated or simple questions. They have Café Don Agustino, a farm served variant with lots of fruit and spaces or limanda de cafe, a refreshing chilled drink.
Price: Prices for coffees are between 4,500 to 7,000 COP.
Why I like this coffee shop:
- An important project which focuses on producing the best coffee possible while also supporting producers and the local community
- Some very inventive and delicious coffee creations to sample
- Four different cafes to experience, depending if you want outdoor space or a place to work and read
9. El Pergolero
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📍 Cl. Del Embudo #12B – 92, La Candelaria, Bogotá
Casa Galeria is a characterful coffee shop located in the city center with lots of plants and pastel colors.
The owners also run Travesia, a coffee project focused on ensuring Colombia’s speciality- coffee industry has a positive impact on local communities. They have created a brand called Banna who consult on coffee projects, arrange tours and help female farmers develop sustainable coffee businesses.
They have tasty breakfast, sandwiches, salads, deserts and hearty lunch options. You can also try their chocolate bars which have a strong, rich coffee flavor.
Price: An es
Why I like this coffee shop:
- A very relaxing space with excellent soft music and lots of natural light
- Very good, well priced snacks and lunch options
- Good quality coffee and a focus on the industry leaving a positive impact
10. Colo Coffee
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📍 Carrera 6a #117-26 Usaquén, Bogotá
Colo Coffee has a great outdoor feel and a tropical style with exceptionally fresh, flavorsome coffee. They lightly roast to ensure strong, complex flavors and there is even a coffee tree garden in the back.
The baristas are real experts in their craft and know all details about the coffee and the best brewing method for each. Coffee is roasted on site and feels the air with rich, energizing aromas.
Price: Prices start at 4,500 COP for an americano or 6,500 COP for a filtered coffee
Why I like this coffee shop:
- Beautiful green outdoor space with art and fresh air
- Excellent coffee roasted on site by experienced experts
- Very knowledgeable and enthusiastic baristas