Cali has a great variety of quality restaurants. For restaurants, the main areas I recommend are San Antonia, El Penon and Granada so I have tried to recommend a few places in each neighborhood. There are also a few building complexes with restaurants concentrated in them so head there if you are not sure what you want. In Granada there is La Cantina 15 and The Cali Market, in San Antonio, Suspiro and Criollo, in El Penon, Citadino and La Rayuela and also in the El Penon neighborhood are the restaurant complexes Plazuela Municipal and the Mercadillo. Enjoy these tasty places!
Cantina 15
A highlight of Cali. Love this high end steak and Mexican cuisine restaurant. High energy with live Mexican orchestra. Amazing food and service. A must stop on the Cali circuit. Little pricey by Cali standards but worth it. Event though it is a large place, it is very popular so your may need to make reservations. (Calle 15 Nte. ###9N-62, Cali)
Suspiro
My favorite restaurant in Cali. Cool decor, wonderful staff and delicious food. In the beautiful San Antonia neighborhood with a nice view from the second floor balcony. International cuisine menu. (Calle 2 #1065, Cali)
Criolla
Lovely restaurant/cafe offering Latin American creole cuisine, coffee and cocktails, good fish selection and relaxing atmosphere. (San Antonio Neighborhood, Calle 4 ## 5-02, Cali))
Rayuela Penon
Classy Argentinian restaurant with excellent service, delicious fish, pastas and salads and a nice cocktail bar. (Carrera 3 #2-09 Barrio El Penon, Cali)
Citadino
High end elegant feeling space. Beautifully designed cuisine and cocktails in open air restaurant. Relaxed atmosphere and nice service. (Calle 1 Oe. #2-24), Cali)
The Market Cali
Upscale restaurant with wide menu of great steaks, pasta, fish and salad inside the Marriot Hotel. Very good brunch buffet, comfortable setting.
Plazuela Municipal
Complex with a number of good restaurants called Plazuela Municipal which has Chacalacas (Mexican cuisine), Sushi Green (Asian Cuisine), El Cilindro Municipal Rustica Kitchen (traditional Colombian) and La Trattoria Cafe (for Coffee and Gelato). I ate at Chacalacas which has very good Mexican food, excellent service. (Calle 2 Oe. #1-27, Cali).
El Penon Park
Across from El Penon Park is another restaurant complex called Mercadillo Del Penon which has La Rustica Artisanal Pizza (fancy pizza), Der Baker Cafe (pastry and bread), El Gringo (American Burgers and comfort food with 80’s rock music), Ramen Bar Fuku (a cool small ramen place playing the blues) and Elsa Cafe (a rooftop open air terrace cafe with nice food).
Conclusion
Cali has good cross section of cuisine, I recommend trying these nice places which are excellent and all a great value. Bon Provecho. Let me know which was your favorite and other places you have discovered for us.
