The Best Colombian Food in the United States
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The best Colombian food in the United States, according to the experts: the Michelin Guide, AAA, and Eater have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Elcielo comes out on top, and the good stuff runs deepest in Houston and Las Vegas.
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Parche and Parcerito Parrilla Colombiana hold the next two places. Eater shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with the Michelin Guide next.
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Rank 1. Elcielo
Contemporary Colombian
A coffee ceremony arrives tableside with stories attached, which sets the tone for this two-Michelin-starred Colombian tasting menu tucked inside the Virgin Hotel. Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos draws from across Latin America, landing on flavors that lean tropical and ornate. Floor-to-ceiling glass, white tablecloths, and a team that explains every course make it feel like an occasion that knows it's an occasion and is fine with that.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
A Tie
Two places have the exact same Score, so they share #1. We don't pick a winner we can't back up.
- #1 Elcielo (this place) 68.544
- #1 Parche 68.544
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Rank 1. Parche
Colombian
The patacones and arepas keep things recognizably Colombian, but then a labneh dip shows up alongside yuca buñuelos and the tahini slips into the leche de tigre, and you realize the kitchen is tracing the country's full range of African and Lebanese influences. This Oakland restaurant runs loud, with a playlist and colorful room to match, but the service stays warm and the food stays sharp. Not a quiet Tuesday kind of spot.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
A Tie
Two places have the exact same Score, so they share #1. We don't pick a winner we can't back up.
- #1 Elcielo 68.544
- #1 Parche (this place) 68.544
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Rank 3. Parcerito Parrilla Colombiana
Colombian
The awards
- AAA AAA: Approved
- AAA Approved
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Rank 4. Cafetales Specialty Coffee
Colombian Coffee Shop
The awards
- Eater The Best Coffee Shops in Houston
A Tie
Two places have the exact same Score, so they share #4. We don't pick a winner we can't back up.
- #4 Cafetales Specialty Coffee (this place) 65.408
- #4 Matta Cafe 65.408
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Rank 4. Matta Cafe
Colombian Coffee Shop
A Colombian family operation with a five-acre farm at its roots, Matta lands in Portland's Northwest District as a coffee shop that keeps one foot planted in Bogotá. Espresso drinks share the menu with cocktails and arepas, which is a tidy way to cover breakfast through happy hour. Warm woods and serious plant energy make it the kind of spot where laptops outnumber newspapers, which tells you all you need to know about the afternoon crowd.
The awards
- Eater The Best Coffee Shops in Portland
A Tie
Two places have the exact same Score, so they share #4. We don't pick a winner we can't back up.
- #4 Cafetales Specialty Coffee 65.408
- #4 Matta Cafe (this place) 65.408
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Rank 6. Maria's Cafe
Colombian Café
Corn pancakes, crispy-edged and dusted with cotija, are the reason the line forms early at this Seward neighborhood breakfast cafe. Colombian dishes like arepas and paisa bowls share the menu with a full parade of pancakes, so the table next to you might be having a very different morning. It's a casual, cash-register-and-coffee-mug kind of spot, warm in the way that neighborhood regulars make a place warm.
The awards
- Eater 38 Best Restaurants in Minneapolis and St. Paul
Why #6, not #4
Both places show 65. This one's exact Score is 64.7 and the one above is 65.4, so it ranks second. We round what you see, but we rank on the exact number.
- #4 Matta Cafe 65.4
- #6 Maria's Cafe (this place) 64.7
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Rank 7. Makers and Finders Coffee
Colombian
The awards
- Eater The Best Restaurants in Downtown Summerlin
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Rank 8. Selva
Soulful Colombian
The awards
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