Food and nightlife
Most of these places are a short walk from Mixa 1001, in Astorga, Manila and Provenza. At night, take Uber, Cabify or DiDi from the lobby, and don't accept drinks from strangers.
A classic for Antioquian food, with its El Poblado branch on Calle 10. Order the mondongo (tripe soup) or the bandeja paisa with beans, rice, chicharrón, egg, plantain and arepa.
Tip: Portions are large. The bandeja paisa is easy to share.
Official siteAntioquian cooking in an old house in Astorga, open since 2016. The crisp tocino (pork belly) is the dish people come for, and there is often live music.
Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos's tasting-menu restaurant, now inside the Elcielo Hotel in Astorga. The menu runs to about 20 small courses, many meant to be touched and smelled as well as eaten.
Tip: Book ahead on the restaurant's website and plan for a long evening.
Official siteA second-floor restaurant in Manila filled with plants, wood and vintage pieces. The Latin American dishes are generous and made for sharing, and the cocktails are good.
A small bistro in Provenza with a menu that changes with the season. The cooking is simple and built around local produce.
One of Medellín's longest-running fine-dining restaurants, from chefs Carmen Ángel and Rob Pevitts. The tasting menu travels through Colombia's regions and ingredients, served in a house with a garden-like dining room.
Tip: Reserve for dinner. Its cocktail bar, Bar Carmen, is worth a drink even without dinner.
Official siteThe best-known specialty coffee in El Poblado, serving beans from its own farms and partner growers. The original café is on a shady corner of Provenza and is popular for working.
Tip: They sell bags of beans to take home, and there is also a branch at the airport.
Official siteA café and roastery on Calle 8 in Provenza with a full breakfast and lunch menu. It is a comfortable place to work for a few hours.
A Manila café that roasts its own coffee. Good for breakfast, with chicken and waffles and açaí bowls on the menu.
One of Medellín's early third-wave coffee shops, roasting its own beans since 2015. It sits on Carrera 37, a block from the busiest part of Provenza, so it is quieter.
The streets around Carrera 35 and Calle 8, lined with restaurants, cocktail bars and terraces. It fills up from early evening, especially Thursday to Saturday.
Tip: Walking there is easy. For the trip back late at night, call a ride from the app.
El Poblado's best-known nightlife area, a small park surrounded by bars and clubs that stay busy late. It is loud and crowded on weekends.
Tip: Keep your phone out of sight, watch your drink, and turn down offers from people approaching you in the street.
The rooftop bar of The Charlee Hotel, on the 17th and 18th floors beside Parque Lleras. It has a pool deck, wide views over the valley and DJs later in the week.
Tip: Reserve for Thursday to Saturday, and dress smart casual.
A Cuban-themed salsa bar in Laureles near La 70, with a crowded dance floor and live bands on some nights. Dancers of every level and age go.
Tip: Check their Instagram (@sonhavana) for live-music nights before you go.
Medellín's big covered market near the city center, with hundreds of stalls of fruit, vegetables, flowers and simple lunch counters. It is the best place to try tropical fruits you won't find at home.
Tip: Go in the morning, and take a ride app door to door rather than walking around the surrounding streets. A guided fruit tour helps if you don't speak Spanish.
Bandeja paisa is the region's signature plate, and arepas come with almost every meal. Also try empanadas with ají, buñuelos (fried cheese dough balls), and fresh juices like lulo, maracuyá or mora, made with water or milk.
Tip: Mixa's first-floor restaurants and Rappi delivery to the lobby are easy options on a quiet night in.
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