28 Things You Should Eat and Drink in Colombia

According to the locals I spoke with, Colombian cuisine is all about carbs and protein. This traditional lunch features chicharrón (deep-fried pork), chorizo, rice (often cooked with meat stock), grilled plantain, avocado, bean soup, and an arepa (a white corn cake that's a staple at every meal).

Forget tortilla chips, it's all about fried plantain chips! Whether paired with dipping sauces as an appetizer in the restaurants or sold in bags from street vendors, this sweet and crunchy snack is addicting.

Have coffee as much as humanly possible while you're in Colombia! It's one of the world's leading producers (third, to be precise) for a reason.

The marranitas at Helena Adentro in Armenia Quindio are mouth-watering.These shredded pork-filled fried balls have crumbly white cheese on top.

This Colombian cheese bread is like a powdery bagel with a hint of cheese flavor. Delicious with a hot cup of Colombian coffee.

The sweet Colombian treat, oblea, is made of two thin wafers with dulce de leche (like a caramelly spread) sandwiched between them. They are sold from street vendors like the one pictured here in Bogota.

Curious as to why Mick Jagger is on the signage? Well, Jagger, aka lead singer of The Rolling Stones, stopped and bought an oblea from a street vendor in March 2016 right before the band's first-ever concert in Bogota. Now there's no telling which one it was, since pretty much every oblea stand uses Mick Jagger in its advertisements.

This cheese-filled empanadas from Típicas Empanadas were sweet and crunchy.

This sweet, citrusy drink is mix between a white wine spritzer and sangria. This one is from Madre Pizzeria in Bogota.

These chewy, crispy fried plantains at Helena Adentro in Armenia Quindio are topped with shrimp, guacamole, and tomatoes.

My favorite beer on the trip was Roja Club Colombia, pictured here at Helena Adentro in Armenia Quindio.

Tucked into an unassuming jewelry mall of Bogota is Madre Pizzeria, which can only be described as a hipster haven. Besides having an ubercool aesthetic, the brick oven pizzas were delicious.

One of the more unexpected pizzas was this bright yellow seafood pizza with béchamel sauce.

This yuca-wrapped chicken at Helena Adentro in Armenia Quindio is deep-fried and covered in tomato sauce and melted cheese. It's like a cross between fried chicken and pizza but sweeter.

The hot fruit tea at Helena Adentro in Armenia Quindio isn't just fruit-flavored; it's actually filled with cut-up fresh fruit. So good.

If you thought the fruit was amazing, just wait until you try the juice! This fresh squeezed tangerine juice came from tangerines grown on one of the coffee farms in Armenia.

Nothing like a simple and fresh avocado and almond salad. This one is at Madre in Bogota.

Cheese-filled yuca croquetas at Helena Adentro in Armenia Quindio. These are essentially deep-fried potatoes (yuca is a root that has a similar texture and taste to a sweet potato) filled with a mild cheese.

The fresh seafood in Colombia was delicious, especially paired with creamy, cheesy risotto like this lobster dish at Madre in Bogota.

With the Colombian affinity for fried foods, it should come as no surprise that they'd have deep-fried ice cream as a dessert offering. This one at Madre in Bogota is drizzled with berry sauce.

The Nutella dessert pizza at Madre in Bogota was my favorite from the trip. Sweet and simple!

These fresh fish and avocado tacos at Helena Adentro in Armenia Quindio were simple yet delightful.

Trout is something you'll see on many restaurant menus in Colombia, and it's a must try. Pictured here is the smoked trout at Leo Cocina y Cava in Bogota. Those green balls were actually a smoky cheese with a slightly gelatinous exterior and creamy center.

Pitaya, aka dragon fruit, is one of the many incredibly delicious exotic fruits available in Colombia. Besides the mango, it was my favorite of the trip!

My favorite course at our dinner at Leo Cocina y Cava in Bogota was the octopus. It was tender and flavorful.

Pictured here is a collection of delicious desserts at Helena Adentro in Armenia Quindio, including cheesecake, chocolate cake, and bread pudding.

Colombian cuisine incorporated all manner of queso for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Be sure to partake — and don't be scared to try new kinds!

The fresh fruit in Colombia is incredible. Be sure to take advantage of all the juicy options like fruit parfaits and fruit salad during breakfast!

From empanadas to arepas, there's no shortage of delectable ways to carb-load your way through Colombia.

Travel and expenses for the author were provided by Nestlé.