Candé has been called the best restaurant in Cartagena, and once we stepped through the restaurant’s doors, we understood why. This popular restaurant, whose lively atmosphere reminds us a bit of the restaurant we love in Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe, serves authentic Colombian food with a large selection of fresh seafood dishes, soups, stews, and grilled meats, and the ambiance is like walking into a well-traveled foodie’s Instagram. In a word, we couldn’t have been happier to sit down and experience everything that this restaurant had to offer. 

If the idea of an Instagram-worthy ambiance, a live band, dancers, and a mouthwatering menu with local food and drinks sounds like the style of restaurant you like, then keep reading to discover our full review of Cartagena’s Candé restaurant.

The Eye-Catching Interior & Ambiance

If we had to pick one word to describe the interior of Candé, it would be ‘vibrant’. Colombian interior design is known for its bright, poppy colors, rich textures, and almost bohemian vibe, and the restaurant really leans into that motif. 

The flooring is an eye-catching, polished black and white pattern, lush plants hang from above, and the dining room is framed by beautiful white columns that reach up to a windowed ceiling. One dining area has bubblegum pink walls, another has a richly textured ceiling with hanging palm fronds. There are so many textures, patterns and colors mixing in the atmosphere here, you will want to snap a few photos.

That the restaurant has live music during lunch service and dinner service adds even more energy to the atmosphere here.

Restaurant Candé Menu: The Food & Wine

If you’re a fan of restaurants that serve local seafood, then you’re going to love the menu at Candé Restaurante. 

We enjoyed a mix of appetizers and entrees from the menu, including: 

• Picada Caribe – A fried platter of various vegetables and meats.
• Sopa de Jaiba – A tasty fish soup
• Ceviche de pescado fresca – Fresh white fish, lime juice, red onions, bell peppers and cilantr
• Langosta Islena – Grilled fresh lobster with coconut milk sauce and fresh tomatoes, served with white coconut rice and patacones.

Many reviews of Cartagena’s Restaurant Candé mention the Conejo en leche de coco shredded rabbit meat sautéed with chopped vegetables and coconut milk, served with traditional noodles, rice, and Carthaginian salad. While we didn’t have the opportunity to try this – we were too taken by all of the fresh seafood, if we ever get back to Candé you can bet we will try this dish.

Needless to say, you will not be disappointed by the assortment of dishes available to try. 

The Wine

You can tell so much about the quality of a restaurant’s food by the wine list, so you can imagine how pleasantly surprised we were by Candé’s exquisite selection of wines and spirits from around the world. It’s this very reason they were given an Award for Excellence in 2020 and 2022 by Wine Spectator.  

Candé’s wine list is spectacular, and spans numerous varieties and global regions. The by-the-glass offerings lean into selections from France, Spain, Argentina, Chile, but the bottle list includes: Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rose, Carménère (a speciality of Chile), Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Gamay, just to name a few. They even have a small selection of Riesling and Gruner Veltliner from Germany and Austria.

In addition to the wine list accolades, this Cartagena’s Restaurant received the title of ‘Best Tablecloth Restaurant in Colombia, 2021’, from La Barra magazine.

Tips

• The Candé Menu is full of tantalizing dishes, but the must-order item is the Pargo Rojo Platero Frito, a whole deep-fried red snapper served with white coconut rice, green fried plantains, and Carthaginian salad. The presentation is incredible. 
• Candé is popular with tourists and locals alike, and the menu is available in both English and Spanish, so there’s no need to worry about the language barrier. You’re guaranteed to receive great service.

Final Thoughts

Candé came highly recommended to us by a local who knew all of the region’s trendiest restaurants and hotspots. And, not surprisingly, they were spot on. One look at our photos of Candé reveals just how amazing the food and wine offerings are. From the service to the wine list and the incredible atmosphere, everything was just perfect.

If you find yourself in old town Cartagna, then this is the place for lunch or dinner.  A true winner in our books.