Breakfast in Colombia – Best 21 Colombian Breakfast You Should Try

Breakfast in Colombia – With Colombia’s coffee, arepas, and huevos pericos, breakfast in Colombia is one to look forward to in South America.

In this post, we write about Colombian breakfast and the best 21 Breakfast in Colombia. The Colombian breakfast is easily famous, especially because of its coffee. One thing is for sure – it’s good! There are also some dishes that are authentic Colombian and traditional Colombian breakfast to try!

On average breakfast in a sit-down restaurant in Colombia will cost around $3-4 USD depending on what you are ordering coffee and bread will be cheaper than if you order a proper dish for breakfast in Colombia. Coffee can cost $2-3 USD. Click here to book online tours in Bogota and Medellin Day Tours

As you see most of the breakfast in Colombia will usually include arepas and plantains. They also have tea, cocoa and coffee drinks. Regular breakfast for weekdays in Colombia can include various versions of egg dishes or what they call huevos.

Read here our best Colombia travel tips, best restaurants in Cartagena, best restaurants in Medellin and best restaurants in Bogota

Read our top Colombia guides: Colombia Best Tourist Sim Card and Colombia Itinerary

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COLOMBIAN BREAKFAST: BEST 21 BREAKFAST IN COLOMBIA

If you’re thinking about breakfast in Colombia, this will mostly be arepas of different versions and of course delicious Colombian coffee. Let’s check the traditional Colombian breakfasts and what you can have for breakfast in Colombia.

1. AREPAS DE QUESO / AREPA CON QUESITO

Arepas is the most popular breakfast in Colombia and can be easily a staple food in every meal in Colombia, comparable to Mexico’s tortillas. Arepa resembles a small pancake, made from ground white or yellow corn.

Usually, people make it from precooked cornmeal. It is later cooked by deep-frying or grilling and can be mixed with eggs or cheese, or added to other meals. You’ll see various versions of the Colombian Arepas in different regions of the country, but be prepared to eat this a lot!

Arepas de Queso or Arepa Con Quesito is the Arepas version with cheese, probably the most popular breakfast in Colombia and a delicious version of the Colombian Arepas.

You can have it with hot chocolate. A great way to start a day is with a dish of arepas de queso. Arepas can be found all over the country with cheese, eggs, and different ones. But since everyone in Colombia can’t seem to get enough of them, you’re free to eat arepas de queso all day as a snack!

2. AREPA BOYACENSE

The Arepa Boyacense version of Arepas came from the Andean Region in Colombia, in El Bocoyá. For this Colombian breakfast, With this you use Masarepa or a yellow pre-cooked corn meal, mixed with flour, sugar and fresh cheese. This Arepa has good taste of sweetness of sugar and saltiness of cheese.

3. AREPA DE HUEVO

Arepa de Huevo is the perfect Colombian breakfast when you want to have eggs. Basically, it’s arepas stuffed with eggs. The arepa is deep-fried and later sliced and a raw egg is placed inside. It’s then re-fried to cook the egg inside.

4. MIGAS DE AREPA

Migas means crumbs in English, and for leftover or old arepas, a good breakfast in Colombia to make is Migas de Arepa. With this, you cook scrambled eggs with onions and tomato for sauce, and mix pieces of the old arepas with the eggs. Usually, this dish can be served with chorizo, beans and avocado.

5. AREPA PAISA

Arepa Paisa is a popular breakfast in Colombia, around the Antioquia Region. Arepa Paisa are grilled arepas, and are crispier, thin, and lighter in color compared to the other versions.

Colombians spread butter on them, or can also be eaten alone. You can add cheese too, or season it with salt, if you’re looking for a more savory breakfast.

6. HUEVOS PERICOS

If you’re looking for a quick Colombian breakfast, whip yourself your own Huevos Pericos or scrambled eggs with tomatoes, onions and scallions. Ofen served with your Colombian hot chocolate, arepas, and fresh soft cheese.

7. CALENTADO

Calentado is a traditional Colombian breakfast made from simply reheated leftovers from the previous night. Calentado is made of rice, beans, plantains, meat, fried eggs, and arepas. Calentado is also best served with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate on the side.

8. TAMALES

Tamales as other country to visit in any Latin American country will not be complete without having some tamales. Tamales is a simple dish wrapped in banana leaf, with steam corn dough filled with meat, cheese or vegetables. You can eat as snack or for breakfast. Prices are around $2 USD.

9. CARIMAÑOLA

Carimañola is a traditional recipe from Colombia’s and Panama’s Caribbean region. Carimañola is similar to an empanada, but the wrapper is made of cassava. Carimañola is commonly served for breakfast, but it can also be eaten as a snack or an appetizer.

10. PAN DE BONO

Pandebono is a Colombian mouthwatering cheese bread that goes well with coffee for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Pandebono is also recognized as el papá (the father) of starchy bread. With a delightful cheese flavor and a creamy shell, this little bread has a sticky crumb.

11. PAN DE YUCA / PAN DE QUESO

Pan de Yuca is a tapioca flour-based Colombian cheese bread. Pan de Yuca bread is perfect for an afternoon snack or as part of your Colombian breakfast with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee.

12. BANDEJA PAISA

Bandeja Paisa is one of the most complete dishes in Colombia and the most popular in the Medellin area. If you are visiting Colombia’s Antioquia region you’ll definitely have to try. 

Bandeja paisa is a plate rich in protein, carbohydrates and flavor. Bandeja paisa with beans, plantain, egg, vegetables, rice, and a piece of meat. Prices are around $4-5 USD in local restaurants.

13. CHANGUA

If you’re looking for a warm start to your morning, have Changua for your breakfast in Colombia. Changua is a poached egg and milk soup, topped with cilantro, croutons and usually served with almojábanas or baked cheese rolls. A hot Changua soup is the popular Colombian breakfast for the towns in the Andean parts.

MORE COLOMBIAN BREAKFAST AND BEST BEST BREAKFAST IN COLOMBIA

14. AGUAPANELA CON QUESO

One of Colombia’s more unique breakfasts is the Aguapanela Con Queso. This is hot Aguapanela, a very sweet sugarcane drink, served with a slice of their Colombian soft fresh cheese, or queso fresco.

This salty cheese is dipped on the sugarcane until it melts, which then gives the drink a thicker consistency, with a sweet-salty taste.

Even hot chocolate and Coffee in Colombia is often served with a small slice of salty cheese. This could be a very unique experience but once you tried it, you’ll understand why they love it.

15. CALDO DE COSTILLA

If you’re having a bit of a hangover, the best way to start your Colombian mornings is with a Caldo de Costilla. Sworn by Colombians as an amazing hangover cure, Caldo De Costilla is a broth made from a mix of beef ribs, carrots, potatoes, garlic and cilantro.

You’ll even see bars serving Caldo De Costilla to drunk people who are leaving bars in the early mornings.

16. CAYEYE WITH HOGAO

Cayeye is cooked green banana plantains, mashing and mixing them with onions, garlic, red bell peppers, tomato and achiote. Achiote is a spice used as a natural coloring agent in South America. Cayeye can be eaten with Hogao, or tomato and onion salsa.

17. CHOCOLATE COMPLETO

Chocolate Completo is also known as Chocolate Santafereńo, very typically served for Colombian breakfast. Chocolate Completo is hot chocolate added with mild,salty Colombian cheese known as queso campesino.

This cheese is added just as you serve the hot chocolate, and usually served with bread and almojábana. Such a sweet tempting breakfast in Colombia!

18. BOLLO LIMPIO

Bollo Limpio is a Colombian Corn Cake that you will typically see sold in the streets, or homemade in Colombian households. It’s originally from Barranquilla. It’s made by making a puree of blended Hominy (corn kernels treated in lye or lyme solutions), cheese, melted butter, and salt, and later rolled and placed in corn husks, to be cooked until they become corn cakes inside the husks.

This is good and filling Colombian breakfast, but can also be served as a meal or snack any time of the day. It is served with Colombian fried meats like chicharrón, chorizo, and butifarras.

19. BOLLOS DE YUCA

Another version of Bollo, instead of using hominy, you can also use cassava. These cassava rolls are called Bollos de Yuca, served as a Colombian breakfast, or a snack or meal in Colombia.

20. BOLLO DE MAZORCA

If you like the fresh corn roll version of bollo, Bollo de Mazorca is the version for you. Also a good snack or filling Colombian breakfast.

21. COLOMBIAN COFFEE

Colombian Coffee is easily considered as one of the best coffee around the world. Naturally, if you’re having breakfast in Colombia, you’d like to have it with their coffee. Some argue that to keep exporting the best coffee, locals will be drinking tinto, or a watery version of their coffee.

Nevertheless, Colombian coffee will always be the best as they have some of the best weather, altitude, soil and rainfall in the mountains of Colombia, which allows them to harvest the best tasting coffee. A lot are of the Arabica variety too, and tastes differ, depending on where they are harvested.

FOOD BUDGET TRAVEL IN COLOMBIA

A total of $5-6 USD dollar can be your daily food budget travel in Colombia. Local food in a local restaurant will start from $3-5 USD. And you can get snacks like street foods for $1 USD. You can buy a combination of patacones and papas rellenas with a drink for only $1.

Patacones is fried plantains and it is famous in Colombia, often paired with guacamole and other sauces. Papas rellenas is a stuffed potatoes, the taste is so delicious! The price is only $1 USD. Also, you can find beer for $1 USD in Colombia.

CASH AND ATM IN COLOMBIA

The official currency in Colombia is the Colombian Peso, or COP. After you arrive at the airport in Colombia, there are ATM machines that you can use, but it is not advisable. The current exchange rate of the Columbian Peso to the US Dollars – $1 USD is equal to 3871 COP. Prices in Colombia are marked with a dollar sign, but remember that you’re seeing the price in Colombian pesos.

Most resorts and other stores prefer US dollars for payment, but be sure to bring smaller bills like $1, $5 or $10. Use it to local transportation and small shops too.

Click here to know the exact exchange rate before you visit.

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Hope you loved our 21 Best Colombian Breakfast blogpost guide! Can’t wait to hear when you try some of them. Whether you’re visiting Colombia for the aguapanela, unparalleled coffee or bandeja paisa, food is worth trying!

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