Bogota - Post Report Question and Answers
What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Rappi is a food/grocery delivery app from Colombia that has since expanded to many Latin American countries. They are fast, very convenient, excellent client service. You can get anything ordered to your house. Otherwise, there are some good restaurants in Bogota especially for Peruvian/Japanese food, but many others are just OK. Colombians have an aversion to spice and the local food is rather bland. - Aug 2023
I love the upscale restaurant options here in the Chico/Chapinero neighborhood and of course Rappi delivers almost everything. Osk Peru, Cacio y Pepe, La Cevicheria and Cuzco are favorites. For fast food La Lucha de Sangucharia and Dixie chicken are always st the top of my list. Really you can find everything here (except for good Thai food.) - Feb 2021
Plenty of mainstream cuisine available in expat neighborhoods, albeit most restaurants are oddly closed on Sunday nights--which is when you want to eat out the most if one has a housekeeper. One wishes Bogota's cuisine had more creativity and flair. - Jul 2020
There are good restaurants, some American chains. Lots of coffee options, Starbucks, Juan Valdez, Oma and more. Crepes and Waffles is a nice local restaurant chain that employs only single mothers. Rappi is the delivery service which will deliver food and almost anything else. - Feb 2020
Many, many U.S. chains are here, including ones that you don't see as much in the U.S. anymore: fast food, pizza, Hooters, Fuddruckers, Vapianos, Hard Rock, Johnny Rockets, PF Chang's, etc. Everything can be delivered, and almost everything can be ordered online without even having to talk to a person. There are great restaurants although there's not a huge variety in international options. Most sushi has cream cheese in it, there's only one or two Indian places, one or two Middle Eastern places, a few decent Thai places, and one or two good Mexican places. It depends how picky you are how happy you will be with the international options. Colombian food tends to be bland, so finding spicy cuisine can be hard. - Nov 2018
Dining out is a highlight of this post for us. A family of five can eat out often because it's inexpensive. A fancy date night with drinks and the works, might cost US $100. The cocktails will cost almost as much as the main course. It's rare to see a main course item over US $20. It's also very easy and convenient to order food to be delivered at your home via Uber Eats, Rappi and Domicilios. In fact, you can order ANYTHING to be delivered to your home via the apps: groceries, gifts, car wash, manicure, CASH. - Sep 2018
I don't know a single expat who doesn't use Rappi, a delivery app. It's very inexpensive to have things delivered and I use it constantly. For restaurants, you can find a lot of things here: there are good "fast casual" places like Home Burger, Wok, Sipote, Freshii, lots of pizza places etc. Lots of US chains like KFC, Dunkin, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, etc. You can also go to super nice restaurants for a fraction of the cost it would be in the US. - Aug 2018
Everything is available for delivery here, from food to dry cleaning to money from the ATM. Plentiful American fast food chains. Colombian food tends to be fried, not spicy. Food is generally better in other South American countries. - May 2018
McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Carls Junior, Starbucks, PF Changs, HardRock Cafe are the American chains that are available. There are many good restaurants around the areas where embassy families live. A Chuck E Cheese recently opened as well. - Apr 2016
Everything is here and relatively pricey. - Aug 2015
Restaurants are very good and plentiful. The price is cheaper than Washington D.C. but more expensive than many parts of Latin America. - Aug 2014
Many options. Almost all restaurants from low to high end deliver. Just google domicilios bogota. - Jun 2014
Pretty much everything you could want. Prices are generally in the US range, but there are bargains, too. My favorite local chain was Wok, which has a super-tasty pan-Asian menu with noodles, sushi, dumplings, etc. at reasonable prices. McDonald's is here, too, as are Subway, BK, KFC, etc. But the local chicken joints are cheaper and better. - May 2013
Most fast major fast food restaurants are available at more or less similar prices to North America. - Oct 2012
You can eat all sorts of American fast food chains here for probably slightly more than US prices. There are amazing, world-class restaurants in Bogota at prices much lower than you'd pay for similar food/quality in NYC or San Francisco. We LOVE the restaurant choices here. - Jul 2012
Almost anything you are looking for is available, with most of the flavor removed. Colombians have great food, but bland tastes so if you like pot roast and boiled potatoes, you got it, but if your tastes are more discerning, you may be a little disappointed. - Apr 2012
Tons of great restaurants from most places in the world. Lots of American fast food, including McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, etc. The types of food I find lacking:The two Indian restaurants I know of are overpriced and not stellar. There are a limited number of decent Mexican places. - Dec 2011
You will find all types of fast food, even a chipotle rip-off. Papa John's, McD's, Subway, Dunkin Donuts, etc. - Jul 2011
A lot of fast food, prices a bit higher than in the the states. There are several delicious Peruvian resturaunts.... again, expensive. - Sep 2010
Almost all USA fast foods are here somewhere. Local Colombian food is terrible. Restaurants are far too expensive for what they are. About the same prices as in the States. Steak here is bad. Even the Argentine steakhouses are subpar. Some cuisines they do OK, especially Italian. Mexican food here is bad. Other than ceviche, seafood is surprisingly awful and expensive. - Aug 2010
Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Subway. A couple of Burger Kings. More expensive or about the same as in the US. - Aug 2010
Most fast food restaurants that you find in the US are availalbe here at prices similar to what you'd pay in the US. You can find some knock-off places for a little less. And there are always the Colombian favorites of "arepas" and street snacks, ranging in price from about 50 cents to a dollar or two. - Aug 2010
Most of them. Pretty much the same price as in the States. Maybe a little bit more expensive, but not a big deal. - Jun 2010
All are available, usually about the same prices as the US. Bogota has lots of great restaurants. My favorites are in Usaquen and La Macarena. Many are very sterile steel and glass very modern and for me rather cold decor. - Jan 2010
All. - Sep 2009
McDonald's, TGIF, Hooters, Kokorico, Pizza Hut, KFC, Baskin Robins, Dunkin Donuts, Juan Valdez Cafe (think Starbucks but better), etc. - Dec 2008
Yes, lots of options, but they are expensive. - Dec 2008
Lots I guess, but I really don't know...many restaurants, lots of beef and beans, but don't come here for the beef, it is not good at all! Food is very mild, many of us miss the spices so bring some with you. - Nov 2008
MANY of all nationalities. - Nov 2008
I hear Bogota has some of the best restaurants in the world. From personal experience, it's one of my favorite things about the city. As far as Fast Food goes, Bogota has it all (KFC, McDonalds, Subways, Pizza Hut, etc). The best thing about Bogota is that almost every single restaurant, even the mom and pop tiny grill places deliver! Best restaurant to try is Andres Carne de Res. . .about 45 minutes away from Bogota, great food and man what an experience. .. dancing on tables, great music, great environment! - May 2008
Subway, Quizno's, KFC, McDonalds, TGI Fridays, Hard Rock, Dunkin Donuts are all here. But the Colombian restaurants are much better, so enjoy the local fare. We had some of the best steaks here. Most of the restaraunts in the Zona G and Zona Rosa are great. The affordability of this great foods depends largely on the dollar. It has been pretty comparable to prices in DC lately. - Apr 2008
