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What to eat in Colombia? Top 14 Colombian Breakfasts

Last update: Wed Jan 29 2025
Top 14 Colombian Breakfasts
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01

Breakfast

ANTIOQUIA DEPARTMENT, Colombia
4.5
Calentado
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Calentado is a traditional breakfast consisting of last night's leftovers that are simply reheated. It stems from the past, when much of the Colombian population lived in poverty and nothing was wasted. This hearty breakfast usually includes rice, beans, plantains, steak, fried eggs, and arepas.


Some people like to add other ingredients as well, such as sausages or chicharrónes. Nowadays, calentado is typically served on weekends due to the sheer amount of food, and it is recommended to serve it with coffee or a cup of hot chocolate on the side. 

MOST ICONIC Calentado

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02

Bread Roll

ANTIOQUIA DEPARTMENT, Colombia
4.3
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Pan de queso is a cheese bread from Colombia, namely the Paisa region where it is extremely popular. The main ingredients are tapioca flour and grated cheese, but it is the fermented cassava starch that gives these rolls their lightness and volume.


They are eaten for breakfast or as a parva—a quick breakfast snack, either plain or filled with cream cheese or jelly.

MOST ICONIC Pan de queso

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03

Sandwich type

COLOMBIA and  one more region
4.2
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Arepa is a highly versatile cornbread made from ground corn dough or precooked corn flour. It is commonly consumed in Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. In Venezuela, arepa is eaten at any time of the day, throughout the whole country, and across all socio-economic groups.


The golden disks with a crispy, browned crust are commonly stuffed with a variety of ingredients, and the combinations are seemingly infinite, from beans, cheese, and avocado to shredded beef and onions. For a Venezuelan breakfast, arepas are traditionally paired with a cup of strong coffee and hot dipping chocolate. 

MOST ICONIC Arepa

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04
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Arepa de huevo is a popular Colombian dish that is commonly sold at street stalls, especially in the Caribbean parts of Colombia. Corn arepas are filled with eggs, then fried until the eggs are fully cooked. They are often served for breakfast, but also make for a nice afternoon snack when paired with a cup of coffee on the side.

MOST ICONIC Arepa de huevo

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05

Pancake

COLOMBIA and  6 more regions
4.1
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Cachapa, chorreada, arepa de choclo, güirila, toquera, tortilla de choclo, and tortilla changa, are all names that describe a Latin American corn dish that can be categorized as either a pancake, tortilla, or flatbread, depending on the country.


It can be made only of corn or have additional ingredients like sugar, water, milk, salt, butter, cheese, and oil. They are typically prepared by street vendors and are either fried or griddled (in Nicaragua, they’re cooked between two banana leaves!) and characterized by a sweet-savory flavor. 
06
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Caldo de costilla is a beef soup from Colombia, namely its Andean region. The soup is a breakfast dish, made by boiling beef ribs with potato slices, onion, garlic, and cilantro leaves. Popularly nicknamed levantamuertos (lit. death’s awaker), due to the fact it’s an effective aid when dealing with a hangover, caldo de costilla is a perfect comfort food dish that is commonly eaten with a side of either arepas, bread, or rice.

MOST ICONIC Caldo de costilla

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07

Breakfast

TOLIMA DEPARTMENT, Colombia
4.1
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Tamales tolimenses is a Colombian delicacy named after the Tolima region. This tamale variety is made with corn masa, peas, carrots, potatoes, chicken, pork, rice, and selected spices. Everything is neatly wrapped in plantain leaves, and the tamales are then slowly boiled, sometimes even up to four hours.


Locals love to eat tamales tolimenses for breakfast, traditionally with a cup of hot chocolate on the side.

MOST ICONIC Tamales Tolimenses

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08
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Chocolate completo, also known as chocolate Santafereño is a traditional meal that is usually served for breakfast. In order to prepare it, a cup of hot chocolate is topped with mild cheese that doesn't dissolve under heat, such as costeno or queso fresco.


The cheese is added to the hot chocolate just before serving, and the combination is traditionally accompanied by buttered bread and almojábana (corn and yuca roll). The leftovers at the bottom of the cup are often soaked up with chunks of the buttered bread, but don't worry, being messy while enjoying chocolate completo is encouraged in Colombia.

09

Snack

COLOMBIA and  one more country
3.8
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Carimañolas are Colombian snacks made with mashed cassava that is filled with chicken, beef, or cheese before being deep-fried. These fritters are traditionally torpedo-shaped and can be served for breakfast or as an appetizer before a bigger meal.


The meat filling is usually flavored with onions, bell peppers, garlic, cumin, and tomato paste. It is recommended to serve carimañolas warm with ají sauce on the side.

10

Flatbread

ANTIOQUIA DEPARTMENT, Colombia
3.7
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One of the most omnipresent local dishes in the Paisa region of Colombia is the traditional arepa paisa, made from soaked threshed corn that is shaped and grilled until golden brown. This crispy and luscious corn cake can be eaten on its own, served as a side dish, or stuffed with variable fillings such as cheese, meat, or eggs - you can eat it with whatever choice of filling you want.


The versatility of the arepa paisa is only matched by the love the locals have for it - a typical breakfast in this region is centered on it (topped with butter, salt, and slices of cheese), and sometimes the dish is part of all meals of the day! And because you can find arepa paisa at every supermarket, street vendor or restaurant, there's always a perfect one available at all times.

MOST ICONIC Arepa paisa

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11
Bread
COLOMBIA
3.3
12
Vegetable Dish
MAGDALENA DEPARTMENT, Colombia
3.3
13
Soup
BOYACÁ DEPARTMENT, Colombia
2.9
14
Bread
CUNDINAMARCA DEPARTMENT, Colombia
n/a

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 14 Colombian Breakfasts” list until January 29, 2025, 1,271 ratings were recorded, of which 709 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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Colombian Breakfasts