I recently returned from one of my favorite trips yet. I finally made it to Colombia, land of coffee, expansive nature-scapes and the only South American country with ports on both the Caribbean and the Pacific.

There is so much to do there, but I’m just going to highlight the degustation delights of Cartagena — with more to come in the next blog! We found most of the best eateries in the historic center, Getsemani. The theme across these popular spots is the use of local, seasonal ingredients.

La Mulata is seafood heaven and boasted some of the best Caribbean food in Cartagena. We had the mojarra (deep-fried tilapia), some of the best ceviche and a shrimp rice (which resembled a light paella to me).

Mojarra from La Mulata.

Shrimp rice, definitely a shareable dish!

Ceviche, the best way I know to start a meal.

At the local fruit carts, don’t be shy and just try the sweetest mangos across the land.

Delicious carts filled with seasonal fruits!

Carmen Cartagena was a stylish and happening restaurant. Everything about this place is Instagrammable. Don’t let this deter you; the kitchen delivers! I tried the chicharron (pork belly) — I’ve never enjoyed a dish more. We didn’t have space for dessert, but the house treated us to a beautiful palate cleanser: light, water-based mango ice cream with a super-light foam of sea salt, which resulted in a salty, lemony mango to close out the meal.

Chicharron (pork belly) by Carmen Cartagena.

One last recommendation is Celele. This is the spot for traditional Caribbean flavors. It is among the top 50 restaurants of Latin America—plan ahead of time! We did not and now have to wait until our next visit to give it a try.

— Maria Angeles, account executive