Budget Restaurants in Santa Marta

By Lorraine Caputo

Restaurant

Seafood and fish, of course, make frequent appearances on menus, no matter the type of establishment. Santa Marta has a broad array of restaurants, from fine dining (less expensive than in El Rodadero) to comida corriente joints ($1.60-4.20).

All day stands at Calle 16 and Carrera 5 press fresh juices. Come sunset, vendors bloom along Avenida Bastidas and the camellón like a garden of night flowers scenting the air with cheese arepas, shish kabobs and other delights. Many restaurants along this stretch also begin serving—a wonderful way to close the day, dining and watching the sun set over the bay. For dessert buy a crema de arroz (rice with milk and coconut) from a peddler.

Santa Marta’s market sprawls between Avenidas del Libertador and del Ferrocarril, Calles 8 and 12. Centrally located supermarkets include Éxito (Monday-Saturday 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday and holidays 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Carrera 5 and Calle 19) and Olímpica (Monday-Saturday 6 a.m.-8:30 p.m., Sunday and holidays 6:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Calle 11 8-54). Aguasafe water purifying drops can be bought at Droguería Andina (Monday-Saturday 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Carrera 5 18-34) and other pharmacies along Carrera 5.

Nightlife

Santa Marta’s nightlife is driven by the mere fact it is a port town. Here you will find the streets vibrating until dawn, with everything from cafés with live Cuban son music to your standard discos to hole-in-the-wall dance-and-brothel clubs. There is also a visible gay bar scene here, with probably more tolerance than you’ll find in hinterland Colombia.