Where Is The Best Breakfast In La Candelaria Bogota?

Bogota is a fantastic city, it’s actually one of my favourites, and luckily for us, we’ve been able to visit it a few times! It’s an incredible city to walk around and explore, eat and walk some more. We are always in search of the best breakfast in La Candelaria, Bogota!

The vibrant barrio de La Candelaria, or in English, the Candelaria neighbourhood, is a fun and colourful place. It’s full of street art, multicoloured buildings, food stalls, street acts, and tons of cafes and pretty plazas.

Luckily for us, and now you, we know some great spots for a great breakfast in La Candelaria, plus some other must-visit restaurants to really get that authentic taste of Colombia.

In this post, I will share with you places for the best breakfast in La Candelaria, Bogota. As well as the best breakfast spots, I will mention what to buy there for the best food experience in La Candelaria. On top of that, remember we are a budget-friendly blog, so all of these places are cheap eats, too!

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Are you looking for the best breakfast in La Candelaria, Bogota? These top food places will explode your taste buds but not your wallets!

The best breakfast spots in La Candelaria are dotted around the neighbourhood, but since it’s a fantastic place to walk around, I’m sure you’re going to love finding them while you explore and discover what makes Barrio de la Candelaria so special!

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The best breakfast in La Candelaria location map

Always remember: The best food has always got to be fresh. That’s why you want to get to these breakfast spots early morning to ensure you get the best breakfast!

Most places open at around 8 am, which for us is always a good time to start the day, and since Bogota has so many amazing things to do, an early morning start will be good for you, too!

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El Dorado – For the best all-rounder

This has got to be hands down the best breakfast place in La Candelaria, Bogota. It’s my favourite by far, so much so that I’m getting some serious salivation going just thinking of it! It’s the best all-rounder serving a typical Colombian breakfast.

A typical Colombian breakfast is usually served with soup, empanadas, a type of pan (bread) or eggs and coffee – or at least this is my interpretation of their breakfast. If you haven’t been to Bogota, let me tell you, the soup is much appreciated. Bogota is not a hot city, in fact, you will need trousers and a coat!

Back to El Dorado, go for the house breakfast. It comes with eggs, soup – which will normally be Caldo (beef broth), chocolate or coffee and your prefered bread. Keep in mind they have a selection of breads typical to Bogota: pan de bono, pan de yuca, pan de queso, bunuelo, empanada de carne and empanada de pollo.

As mentioned this is the best all-rounder and that’s because it’s all good! Their empanadas are deep-filled and delicious, everything is made fresh that morning and the coffee is freshly ground! This place is popular with the locals and it is small, so if you want to sit, it’s best to get there early.

• Location: Behind the Gold Museum on Calle 17.
• Price Range: It’s one of the best cheap eats in La Candelaria – £.
• Best Buy: Desayuno El Dorado for 16,000 CP (£3.00) and the beef empanada for 3,000 CP (£0.58).

Pan Pa’Ya – For the best papas rellenas

Second on the list for the best breakfast in La Candelaria, Bogota is Pan Pa’Ya. This is a ‘Comida Rapida’ spot meaning fast food, so if you’re in a hurry this is the spot to grab food. They serve the empanadas but what you should get from there is the papas rellenas – deep-fried stuffed potato balls – which if you get them fresh are to die for.

Papas Rellenas (pronounced re-ye-nas) are potato balls traditionally stuffed with seasoned minced beef and deep-fried. However, sometimes they add cooked rice to the mixture so it kind of becomes like an arancini ball with potato. Along with the traditional beef, you will also find a chicken filling.

Pan Pa’ya has a small amount of seating which if you’re lucky you’ll be able to grab. They have a delicious selection of sauces and a house salsa which will blow your head off, it’s supper spicey, so beware!

• Location: At Plazoleta del Rosario and on the intersection of Carrera 6 and Av. Jimenez de Quesada.
• Price Range: Super cheap eat in La Candelaria – £.
• Best Buy: Papas rellenas con carne for 1,500 CP (£0.29).

Sáhara Restaurante árabe y marroquí – For the best deal

Even though this isn’t a typical Colombian breakfast spot – they serve a middle eastern cuisine – they still do a fantastic breakfast, and for only £2.50 you can’t go wrong! It’s a little cosy restaurant just on the border of Barrio de la Candelaria which always smells delicious. If you head there then try their breakfast deal which includes: Arabic eggs, a portion of bread, butter, jam, cheese, a fruit portion, natural juice and coffee, tea, chocolate or milo.

• Location: On the corner of Calle 17 and Carrera 4.
• Price Range: This is a budget-friendly restaurant
• Best Buy: The breakfast deal for 13,000 CP (£2.49)

La Empanadería – For a twist on the empanada

As the name suggests these guys do great empanadas, they use a different type of dough than the typical empanadas which is more like pastry dough and then cooked in the oven, this gives a different texture to the empanada. They do a delicious Mediterranean empanada with olives.

It’s a bright and airy restaurant halfway between La Candelaria and El Chapinero (which is another popular ‘barrio’ to visit). If you happen to be taking a walk to the El Chapeinero neighbourhood this is a nice eatery to grab some breakfast.

• Location: On the corner of Calle 21 and Carrera 4
• Price Range: This is a budget-friendly restaurant – £.
• Best Buy: Empanadas for 2,000 CP (£0.38) and a portion of chips for 3,500 CP (£0.67)

El Gato Gris – For the best papas criollas

For the best restaurant which happens to do one of the best breakfasts in La Candelaria, Bogota head over to El Gato Gris. The restaurant is tucked away in an old white building with a wooden frame down a small alleyway which usually has some kind of colourful display of flowers and bunting out the front.

It’s an Instagram-perfect spot!

Inside El Gato Gris (the grey cat), you’ll discover the restaurant laid out over three floors, each floor with a variety of small rooms. The best place to sit and have your breakfast is on the small rooftop where you can see out over the La Candelaria neighbourhood. They do a really yummy fresh lulo juice there too, which is a fruit typical to Colombia, and shouldn’t be missed!

If you’re lucky you will also have a band on the stage playing live music.

Location: Close to Plazoleta Chorro de Quevedo on Carrera 1a.
Price Range: This is one of the more expensive restaurants in La Candelaria – £££.
Best Buy: Criollitas Richi $11 (the menu is in dollars) – these are whole fried salted potatoes typically served with homemade salsa.

Laga – For a themed restaurant

Laga is one of the places that will pleasantly surprise you as you head down the steps leading to the restaurant. Its decor is something which doesn’t quite belong in Bogota but yet it is real, inspired by vintage aircraft it looks like a museum. It’s a little dark and moody so a perfect spot to grab some food in La Candelaria on a rainy day.

The owners really wanted to make the place special and they succeeded. We like to go there for brunch but it’s geared towards more of an evening food spot which turns into a bar at night. During the day, it’s a nice place to get away from the hustle of Bogota city as it’s in the basement and is relatively quiet.

The staff are always welcoming and friendly and as it doesn’t get busy during breakfast, so you’re sure to get served fast!

• Location: Tucked away down Calle 12c
• Price Range: This is a mid-range food spot – ££.
• Best Buy: Churassco y cervesa de la casa 33,000 CP (£6.33)

Kaba Parrilla – For the best buñuelos

Kaba Parilla is another ‘comida rapida’ spot, but let me tell you why they do the best breakfast in La Candelaria, Bogota. It’s because of their buñuelos. A buñuelo is a fried dough fritter sometimes mixed with cheese, which is typical in Colombia, you will see them everywhere during your visit to Bogota.

We’ve tried a few different places and the ones at Kaba are by far the best, ask any local! If you can, opt for the cheese variety, they are the best. Colombians use a different cheese to what we have back home, it’s similar to feta but sourer, mixed with the sweet batter it makes for a delicious flavour, pair this with a milky coffee and bob’s your uncle you have one of the best breakfasts in Bogota!

• Location: On the corner of Carrera 7 and Av. Jimenez de Quesada
• Price Range: Cheap, cheap, cheap – £.
• Best Buy: Buñuelo con queso for 1,800 CP (£0.35).

Sanalejo – For the bandeja paisa

Sanalejo is another cute little restaurant which is more suited for lunch or dinner but they do have a decent breakfast menu. I just wanted to add it to the list to draw your attention to one of Colombia’s most traditional dishes, and that is the Bandeja Paisa. Sanalejo does a very good job of serving the dish for a good price.

Traditionally, a Bandeja Paisa consists of two types of Colombian sausage, ground beef, rice, red beans, a fried pork rind called chicharrón, an arepa, a plantain, a slice of avocado and a fried egg. It’s one of the best dishes in Colombia and could most definitely be eaten for breakfast, I mean, we have the English fry-up and I guess it’s the Colombian version of that? so why not?

• Location: Opposite Journalists’ Park Gabriel García Márquez on Av. Jimenez de Quesada
• Price Range: Sanalejo is a medium-priced restaurant – ££.
• Best Buy: Bandeja Paisa for 40,000 CP (£7.67)

Henrry – For the best sauce

Back to empanadas and Henrry, which is just a tiny shop on the corner of a derelict building, is superb for quick and cheap empanadas on the go. Well, it doesn’t have to be completely on the go as there is seating in the plaza or under La Pola – Policarpa Salavarrieta Monument. I truly believe what makes this place so popular, especially with the local university students is the special sauce that comes with the empanadas.

The lady serving will give you a basket full of your favourite empanadas and a small pot of sauce, ask for more! Take your basket and sit under the monument and enjoy the people passing by like a true local. Remember to take the basket back before you leave!

• Location: On Plazoleta de La Pola at the corner of Calle 18 and Carrera 2a
• Price Range: Henrry is a cheap eat in La Candelaria – £
• Best Buy: Empanada con carne for 1,200 CP (£0.23)

Distrito Cinema – For the delicious food

Another one of the places I just couldn’t leave off the list. It’s not technically a breakfast place but it did serve us the most delicious food in La Candelaria during our last visit. If you’re visiting La Candelaria in Bogota and have a list of restaurants to check out then you have to add this place to it. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

The menu is quite western, mainly Italian with a French flair, so if you’re missing a taste of home then head there. The chef knows exactly what he is doing! Inside is nice with seating over two levels, it’s quite small and can get a little overcrowded if it’s a full house, but it’s worth it.

• Location: On the corner of Calle 12f and Carrera 3.
• Price Range: Distrito Cinema is a medium-priced restaurant – ££.
• Best Buy: The beef bourguignon with mash potato !! (I can’t remember the price, sorry guys)

Groso Pastelería Argentina – For the sweet thing

Finally, if you have a sweet tooth and like pastries and all things chocolate, then Groso’s is by far the best breakfast place in La Candelaria, Bogota. It’s an Argentinian bakery which serves some of the best Alfajores in Bogota!

Alfajores are traditional Argentine pastries. Made with two delicate, melt-in-your-mouth cookies and a dollop of creamy dulce de leche caramel in the middle. They serve a variety of them from original to almond to chocolate, order this with a freshly-ground coffee and you’re in a dream. They also have a selection of cakes and pastries but take note, they are open for 10 am only.

• Location: On Carrera 3 between Calle 11 and Calle 12.
• Price Range: Groso Pastelería Argentina is a medium-priced cafe – ££.
• Best Buy: Alfajores for 3,700 CP (£0.71) and a cafe latte for 4,500 (£0.86)

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Resources For Colombia

Is it your first time visiting Colombia? We’ve written lots of useful posts to help you plan your trip. You can check them all out on our Colombia Page here, but below are some of our most popular articles:

• Discover why we think Colombia is worth visiting here.
• Find out why El Cocuy National Park is the best hike in Colombia!
• Villa de Leyva is a couple of hours north of Bogota; it’s a beautiful town.
• Read this post if you’re heading to Bogota and want to visit the Salt Cathedral – Colombia’s number 1 landmark!
• Colombia has an interesting climate; here’s why.
• Colombia has a ton of incredible sites to visit; these are 29 of the best.
• Cartagena is another great place to visit in Colombia. We’ve written a 4-day itinerary guide here.
• We sailed from Colombia to Panama. Discover why it’s a must-visit destination.

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In Summary: Best Breakfast In La Candelaria Bogota

Writing about the best breakfasts in La Candelaria, Bogota, has got me wishing I was back there just so I could try some of the scrumptious foods they have.

Colombian food is by no means healthy, as you can tell it’s a lot of deep-fried food (which is always the yummiest) so we always try to counter this with fresh fruit and vegetables.

You will notice drink stands during your visit. Some of these sell fresh orange juice, which is squeezed in front of you. We love pairing this with our quick foods like the buñuelo and empanadas – there is always a lady standing on Plazoleta del Rosario selling her juice!