During our recent visit to the City of Eternal Spring, we discovered that a local food tour in Medellin with a guide provides the perfect introduction to authentic Paisa cuisine, as well as the broader Colombian food scene.
The walking food tour combines delicious tastings with cultural insights. For us, the tour experience felt like we were hanging out with a Colombian friend in one of the nicest neighborhoods of Medellin, while gorging on a series of snacks.
In this guide, we are going to share everything you need to know about this food tour, from booking details to our personal highlights, so you can plan your own culinary adventure in Medellin.
Local Food Tour in Medellin: Quick Overview
🎟️ Which Tour to Book? We went on this Local Food Tour in Laureles, Medellin and enjoyed the experience.
💰 How to Book: Click here to book and get a discount of 5000 COP.
✨ Tour Highlights: Tasting delicious local food, a nice neighborhood, a friendly and knowledgeable guide.
❗️ The Local Food Tour is NOT suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
🕰️ Tour Timings: Monday-Friday at 3:00 pm, Saturday-Sunday at 2:00 pm.
⏳ Tour Duration: 2.5 hours.
📌 Pin this for later
Why Choose the Local Food Tour in Medellin?
✅ The Guide: The Local Food Tour is conducted in a relaxed, conversational style. For us, it felt like exploring with a knowledgeable friend than a formal tour.
Our guide Diana was from Medellin, takes pride in her city and its culture, seemed passionate about Colombian food, and shared personal stories and city insights throughout the food tour.
✅ The Food: We loved that the Local Food Tour takes you beyond the typical tourist experience. You will visit local establishments where Paisas (Medellin locals) actually eat, try dishes you might not order on your own, and learn the cultural significance behind each bite.
✅ The Location: Unlike some touristy areas of El Poblado, Laureles gives you a glimpse into authentic local life in Medellin. Equipped with modern amenities, the neighborhood is known for its tree-lined streets, circular layout and a relaxed atmosphere.
The Laureles neighborhood itself is worth exploring. It’s safe, walkable, and offers a perfect balance of local charm and modern amenities.
It is one of our top favorite areas when choosing where to stay in Medellin.
After trying several activities in Medellin, we can confidently say this food tour is among our favorites.
How to Book the Local Food Tour in Medellin
The Local Food Tour in Laureles is offered by Real City Tours and you can book the tour online on their website.
💰 When you are ready to book, click here and get a discount of 5000 COP per person.
I recommend securing your spot in advance as this popular tour can sell out.
Here is how to book the Local Food Tour:
- Go to the booking page here (5000 COP discount already applied)
- Enter your group size
- Select your preferred date
- Complete the booking form
- Make the payment through their secure system
- Receive a confirmation email with meeting point details
If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies, be sure to mention these during the booking process.
❗️ The Local Food Tour in Medellin is NOT suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
After booking, you should receive a confirmation email, as well as a WhatsApp text, with all the essential details, including the meeting point location, what to bring, and contact information for any questions.
Local Food Tour in Medellin: Our Experience
Ours happened to be a small group of 3 people, creating an intimate atmosphere, where we could ask questions and interact with our guide and fellow tour participant.
Between the food stops, our guide Diana pointed out interesting aspects of the Laureles neighborhood, giving context to the area’s history and culture. The walking parts were easy and leisurely, with no steep parts and only on flat terrain.
But now, let us share the details about the most important part of our Local Food Tour in Medellin: the food!
🫓 We got to taste about 10 different dishes and drinks from Colombian cuisine at various establishments.
Stop 1: Salpicon
Our first food stop was right where we met our guide Diana, at La Jugosa dessert shop in Laureles.
You know it’s going to be interesting when you start a food tour with a dessert!
Here, we had a Salpicon, which is a refreshing tropical fruit salad. We were served big glasses of salpicons with a couple of sides: ice-cream for topping and, wait for it, cheese!
🧀 You will be amazed at how creatively Colombians put cheese in almost everything they eat and drink!
Our task was to create our own bowl of Salpicon con Queso y Helado (Tropical Fruit Salad with Cheese and Ice-cream).
Our guide Diana explained how to do it right to strike the perfect balance of sweet and salty: a couple of spoons of the fruit salad, then a layer of generous servings of cheese, then again some fruit salad, and finally, a dollop of ice-cream as topping.
Need I say, the dessert was delicious! And the mix of sweet and salty in a dessert, that we aren’t usually acquainted with, was actually interesting.
Stop 2: Chicharrón, Chorizo, Arepas and Much More
You can probably figure from the name that this was our biggest food stop on the Local Food Tour.
Diana took us to a long standing traditional Paisa restaurant and got a table on the sidewalks for all of us. As we chatted about Medellin and the life of Paisa people, a big platter was served.
We were told to start with the plate of cheese. Cheese! The plate had grilled cheese with golden gooseberry and grilled tomatoes, and all of those had to be stuck together at the tip of a fork to get the right bite of all the flavors.
The largest plates consisted of the following food items:
- Arepa Blanca: Traditional arepa, a flatbread made of ground corn
- Arepa de Chocolo: Sweet corn arepa, typically served with cheese
- Chicharrón: Crispy pork belly, a popular Colombian protein
- Chorizo: Flavorful Colombian sausage
- Dips: Guacamole and hogao, a salsa made of tomato and onions
With so much on our plates, we could have been overwhelmed, but Diana, enthusiastically explained to us how to pair the different bites and salsas, how locals typically enjoy the dishes.
Book the Local Food Tour here →
To wash down so much protein and carb, a refreshing beverage accompanied our meal: a typical drink called Guandolo.
It is a concoction of unrefined sugarcane juice, lime and water, and in this particular establishment, they mix it with a fruit of the day, which in our case, was lulo.
💰 Book the Local Food Tour here and get a 5000 COP off per person for Paradise Catchers readers.
Stop 3: Drinks
There was a bit of walking across blocks and exploring the neighborhood between the second and the third stops on our Laureles Food Tour. The third stop was a refreshing break on a nice rooftop terrace to grab some drinks and chill.
We had a Tamarindo Soda and later, Diana also shared with us shots of the typical Antioqueño distilled spirit, Aguardiente, while explaining to us the economic importance of its production.
🏡 This restaurant and rooftop bar is housed in a family residence style establishment, spanning across multiple floors and rooms.
We loved the layout and decor and plan to go back there for a little date. If you wish to do the same, note the place: Fidelina.
Stop 4: Carimañolas
Our last food stop was at a hole in the wall snack joint that seemed popular with the residents of Laureles.
Here we had carimañolas, which is actually a specialty from the Caribbean coastal region of Colombia. These are fried yuca sticks stuffed with meat or cheese. We tried both variations!
With bites on the snacks, we also had a glass of sour guava juice to sip on.
Stop 5: Bocadillo
Before ending the tour, our guide Diana gave us each a bocadillo, a guava paste dessert. It is common across Colombia, looks like a candy and usually comes in a dried palm leaf wrapper.
Fun fact: This dessert, bocadillo is often paired with, no prizes for guessing, cheese!
Tour Location and How to Get There
The meeting point for the Local Food Tour is the Laureles shop of La Jugosa, a popular dessert shop chain in Medellin. Reconfirm this with the details provided in your booking confirmation email.
Getting to Laureles is easy using Medellin’s excellent public transportation system or ride share services:
🚇 By Metro: Take the Metro Line B to get to Estadio station. It’s a 12 minute walk to the meeting point from the Estadio station.
Depending on where you are staying in Medellin, you may need to transfer from Line A to Line B at San Antonio.
🚙 Uber: Uber is readily available in Medellin. From El Poblado, expect a 20-30 minute ride depending on traffic.
🚌 Bus: Several bus routes connect to Laureles from different parts of the city. Ask your accommodation for the best route from your location.
🚦 If you use Uber or bus, we recommend leaving at least 30 minutes earlier than you think you need, to account for Medellin’s unpredictable traffic.
Local Food Tour: Schedule
The Local Food Tour in Laureles happens everyday, with the following schedule, making for a perfect afternoon activity.
| Monday to Friday | 3:00 pm |
| Saturday, Sunday | 2:00 pm |
The tour is scheduled for 2.5 hours. Given the engagement of our group with the guide, ours lasted for about 3 hours.
Our tour started at 3:00 pm and finished around 6:00 pm, giving us plenty of time to enjoy each food stop without feeling rushed and getting ample chance to chat with our guide about Medellin.
How Much Does the Local Food Tour Cost?
The Local Food Tour in Laureles is priced at 150000 COP per person, which is equivalent to about 40 USD.
💰 Click here to book. 5000 COP automatically applied for Paradise Catchers readers.
The price includes all food and drinks tastings. You will get the chance to taste more than 10 Colombian specialties.
I asked our guide if their menu changes everyday. She said, they do have a set catalog of menu for the Local Food Tour, and the guide has the choice to play with the individual items within the broader categories of food and drinks.
Tips for Making the Most of Your Laureles Food Tour
To ensure you have the best experience on your Laureles Food Tour, here are our tips:
Before the Tour
- Come hungry! This might seem obvious, but the food portions are generous, and you will want to have room to try everything.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes as you will be on your feet for several hours.
- Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated between tastings.
- Check the weather and dress accordingly. Medellin can be rainy, so a light rain jacket might be useful.
- Bring small cash for any additional purchases you might want to make, and for gratuities for guide.
During the Tour
- Pace yourself with the food. There are multiple stops, and you do not want to fill up too early.
- Ask questions about the food and preparation methods. The guides love sharing their knowledge.
- Take notes on your favorite dishes so you can order them again during your stay in Medellin.
- Try everything, even if it looks unfamiliar. You may discover a new favorite!
- Connect with your group. Food tours are social experiences and a great way to meet fellow travelers.
What to Do in Laureles After Your Tour
After the food tour ends, you still have an entire evening to spend in one of Medellin’s most pleasant neighborhoods.
Tip: Depending on the day of the week, you can find events or activities around. Ask your guide for recommendations.
Here are some of our ideas on what you can do after the Local Food Tour.
🎶 Take a stroll along Carrera 70, the main entertainment street in Laureles. It is lined with restaurants, bars and shops, and is known for live music venues and sports bars playing local football (soccer) matches.
👗 Shop at local boutiques. Laureles has some wonderful independent shops selling Colombian-made products, ranging from locally made apparels and handcrafted jewelry to artisanal home goods.
🪩 Enjoy the nightlife. Hit a salsa club where you can practice your dance moves or hang out at a cozy bar with craft cocktails, and grab a post-dancing snack from one of the late night eateries.
After the food tour, we were too full to consume any more food or drinks. So, we spent our post-tour evening in Laureles strolling along Carrera 70, people watching. Even in the evening hours, the area felt safe and welcoming.
Is the Local Food Tour in Medellin Worth It?
After experiencing tour firsthand, we can tell you that the Local Food Tour in Laureles is one of the best ways to experience authentic Colombian cuisine in Medellin with a guide.
Considering the quantity and quality of food included, along with the cultural insights gained, we found this Food Tour to be of good value too.
If you are a food lover with a few days in Medellin, book the food tour to experience a wide range of Colombian dishes in one afternoon.
Book the Local Food Tour here →Plan Your Medellin Trip
- Things to Do in Medellin
- Medellin Itinerary
- More than Escobar Tour
- Why Avoid a Pablo Escobar Tour
- Medellin to Jardin
- Things to Do in Jardin
We were hosted on this tour by Real City Tours. However, all opinions, observations and recommendations about the tour, in this article as well as in all our published media about the tour, are our own.
If you enjoy reading our free travel guides, tips and stories, you can buy us a coffee and help us create more such travel planning tools for you. Thanks for supporting Paradise Catchers.
Travel Resources
- Flights: Skyscanner
- Hotels: Booking.com | Expedia
- Tours: Viator | GetYourGuide
- Travel Insurance:
- Heymondo (get 5% off)
- SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
- eSIMs:
- Transfers: Bookaway. Code PARADISE5 for 5% off
Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase or a booking through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.
