Gastronomic Crawl in Bogotá, Colombia

Come hungry, leave happily surprised. This four-and-a-half-hour food walk through Usaquén brings together a Colombian dinner, a stuffed roscon, regional chocolate, and a rum bar in one easy evening. I like the variety of stops and the way the route mixes food with stories about Usaquén. I also like that guides such as Liz and Carolina Navas have been praised for being warm, chatty, and good at explaining the food.

The main drawback is that several drinks are not included. The $75 price covers the meal, dessert, chocolate tastings, an artisanal soda, and a 20% discount at the final bar, but you will pay separately for drinks at the second, third, and fourth stops. The group can also reach 50 people, so the feel may depend on the day’s turnout.

Key Things to Know Before You Go

• Four distinct food stops in Usaquén: The evening moves from a sit-down Colombian meal to roscon, cacao, and rum.
• Start at 5:30 p.m.: You finish around four and a half hours later at Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar.
• Dinner is the largest included serving: Canasto Picnic Bistró provides an appetizer, main course, and artisanal soda.
• The roscon comes with a choice: At La Rosconería, you can select one sweet stuffed roscon from six traditional fillings.
• Regional cacao is part of the experience: Legado serves two filled bonbons and a small bar made with 70% regional cacao.
• Budget extra for drinks: The 20% discount applies at the rum bar, but drinks there are not included.

Why This Usaquén Food Walk Works

This is not a tour built around one famous dish. Its appeal comes from the sequence. You begin with a proper meal, shift to a Colombian pastry, taste chocolate made from cacao grown in different parts of the country, and end with rum and local ingredients.

That order makes sense. You get a savory start, a sweet middle, and a drink to close the evening. It also gives you several ways to think about Colombian food, from a restaurant kitchen to an artisanal chocolate shop.

I especially like the setting in Usaquén. The route takes place around an iconic part of Bogotá, and the experience includes a walk through its streets between stops. This gives the evening more character than a meal in one restaurant, while keeping the focus on eating rather than turning into a long city sightseeing tour.

The schedule allows about an hour at each location. That is enough time to eat and talk without forcing you to rush through every course. Since the whole experience lasts about four hours and 30 minutes, the remaining time is likely used for walking and transfers between venues.

Starting Dinner at Canasto Picnic Bistró

The tour begins at Canasto Picnic Bistró, at Cl. 118 #6-45 in Usaquén, with a 5:30 p.m. start. This is the point to arrive ready for dinner rather than expecting only a small sample.

Your meal includes an appetizer, a main course, and an artisanal soda. The restaurant prepares an exclusive menu for the group, using local ingredients to show several Colombian flavors. The description presents it as a two-course meal, while the inclusions list an appetizer and main course, so you should think of this as a substantial opening meal rather than a tasting of many tiny bites.

One useful feature is the social setting. The meal is meant to help you meet the group and begin talking about Colombian food. A couple can share dishes to taste more than one item, though the exact portions and menu choices are not specified.

This stop also sets the tone for the guide. The strongest comments about the experience point to friendly, talkative leadership and clear explanations of the food and places. Carolina Navas was singled out for her presentation and for connecting the meal with Usaquén’s story. Liz was also praised for being friendly and engaging.

The practical question is appetite. If you arrive after an early lunch, you may find the later stops harder to manage. If you arrive hungry, the dinner makes the $75 cost easier to justify from the start.

Choosing Your Roscon at La Rosconería

The second stop is La Rosconería, a restaurant built around roscones. This is a Colombian pastry served here in a sweet, stuffed form, with six traditional filling options from which to choose.

The tour includes one stuffed sweet roscon. It is a simple idea, but it gives you a chance to try a food that may not appear on a standard first-time Bogotá menu. The restaurant’s focus on one specialty also makes this stop feel different from the opening meal.

You should not count on a drink being included here. Drinks at the second location are extra, so check the price before ordering if you are trying to keep the evening close to the advertised cost.

The one-hour stop should give you time to enjoy the dessert and hear more about the dish. The service has been praised, and the restaurant is described as an innovative space centered on roscones. I would treat this as a genuine food stop, not just a quick pastry handout.

Because the roscon follows dinner, you may want to choose a filling that interests you most rather than ordering additional items. The six-choice format gives you some control, but the tour includes only one roscon per person.

Tasting Colombian Cacao at Legado

Legado, the third stop, is an artisanal cacao factory and shop. It works with several regional varieties of Colombian cacao and aims to support local producers through sustainable practices.

The tasting includes two filled chocolate bonbons with tropical flavors and a small bar made with 70% regional cacao. This is a modest serving, but it is more informative than simply receiving a generic piece of chocolate. You can compare the filled bonbons with the darker bar and pay attention to how the cacao is presented.

The stop also adds a useful production story to the evening. You are not only tasting a sweet. You are learning that Colombian cacao comes from different regions and that the shop works with producers in a more sustainable way.

Drinks here are not included either. That matters less than at the final bar, since the main purpose is the cacao tasting, but you should still expect any ordered beverage to be added to your bill.

The timing is well judged for the meal sequence. After dinner and a pastry, the small chocolate portion keeps the evening moving without adding another full dish. If chocolate is your main interest, this may be the most distinctive stop. If you prefer savory food, it is also the briefest kind of pause before the final drink.

Finishing at Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar

The final stop is Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar, at Cl. 117 #6a-05. The bar specializes in rum and combines it with ingredients such as local fruits and edible plants.

Drinks are not included, but you receive 20% off the check. This is an important distinction. The discount can make a cocktail or rum drink more reasonable, but the final bill still depends on what you order.

The bar gives the tour a social ending. You have already shared food with the group, so this is the point to sit, compare favorite stops, and decide which Colombian flavors surprised you most. Some accounts describe a rum tasting at this stage, but the stated inclusions promise only the 20% discount, so I would not book expecting a free drink or formal tasting unless the guide confirms it.

The end point is close to the starting area in Usaquén, which keeps the route compact. Since the tour finishes at the bar rather than returning you elsewhere, plan your next step from this location. The experience does not include transportation after the tour.

What the $75 Price Really Covers

At $75 per person, this is not the cheapest way to eat in Bogotá. It is also not just a restaurant meal. The price pays for a guided evening across four businesses, a dinner, a dessert, a cacao tasting, and the chance to learn how several local products fit into Colombian food culture.

Here is what you receive:

• An appetizer and main course at Canasto Picnic Bistró
• An artisanal soda with dinner
• One sweet stuffed roscon at La Rosconería
• Two filled chocolate bonbons at Legado
• A small bar of 70% regional cacao
• A 20% discount on the check at Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar

The value is strongest if you want structure and conversation. You do not have to research restaurants, work out a route, or guess what to order at each stop. You also get a guide who can explain the food and the streets of Usaquén.

The value is weaker if you want a large amount of food or a fully prepaid evening. Extra drinks at the last three locations will raise the cost. The supplied details also do not promise hotel pickup, transportation, or a fixed number of cocktail or rum servings.

For a visitor new to Bogotá, I think the price can be fair if you use the tour as an introduction to the city’s food scene. For a person who already knows Usaquén and prefers choosing independent restaurants, the fixed route may feel less flexible.

The Guide Makes the Difference

Food tours depend heavily on the person leading them. Here, the strongest praise centers on the guides’ personality and explanations.

Liz was described as friendly and very chatty, which suits a social food walk. Carolina Navas was praised for her presentation, her understanding of Usaquén, and her ability to connect the food with the places visited. One account also describes owners explaining parts of the experience directly, adding a personal touch that you will not get from a guide reading a script.

That does not guarantee the same guide on every date. Still, the repeated emphasis on friendly leadership is a good sign for anyone who wants to ask questions or meet people during the evening.

The group limit is listed as 50 people. That is a fairly large maximum for a food crawl. A smaller group could make conversation and restaurant service easier, while a full group might feel more organized and less intimate. If you prefer quiet meals or a private experience, this format may not suit you.

Timing, Walking, and Practical Planning

The meeting point is Canasto Picnic Bistró in Usaquén. The tour starts at 5:30 p.m. and ends at Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar, also in Usaquén. The route is near public transportation, but no private transfers are included.

You should arrive at the first restaurant before the start time. A mobile ticket is accepted, and booking confirmation is sent at the time of booking. Most people can participate, though the supplied information does not give details about wheelchair access, food allergies, or specific dietary substitutions.

Wear something comfortable for an evening that includes walking between venues. The route is not described as strenuous, but four stops and about four and a half hours can feel long if you are uncomfortable or if you eat heavily at the first stop.

The tour requires good weather. If poor weather cancels it, you are offered another date or a full refund. It also requires a minimum number of participants, so a cancellation for that reason comes with the choice of another date or experience, or a full refund.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the 5:30 p.m. start. Inside that window, the payment is not refunded and changes are not accepted.

Who Will Enjoy This Evening Most

I would recommend this experience to someone visiting Bogotá for the first time, especially if food is a good way for you to get oriented. The route gives you an easy first look at Usaquén while introducing dishes and products that you might not choose on your own.

It also suits couples. The dinner is described as a good setting for sharing dishes, and the move from meal to dessert to chocolate gives you plenty to talk about.

Solo visitors may like it for the social side. The group format, friendly guides, and final bar make it easier to meet people than a solo dinner at four separate places.

It is less suitable for anyone who wants a strict cocktail tour, since drinks are not included. It may also disappoint people expecting a long formal history tour or a huge quantity of food. This is a guided food-and-neighborhood experience, with history added through the walk and explanations.

Should You Book the Gastronomic Crawl?

Book it if you want a friendly introduction to Colombian food in Usaquén, and you are happy to pay extra for drinks. The mix of dinner, roscon, cacao, and rum gives the night a clear rhythm, while guides such as Liz and Carolina Navas appear to bring the warmth that makes a group tour work.

Skip it if you want complete control over your restaurant choices, a small private group, or an all-inclusive price. For everyone else, the four-stop format offers a practical way to taste several sides of Bogotá in one evening without spending time planning the route yourself.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

It starts at Canasto Picnic Bistró, Cl. 118 #6-45, Usaquén, Bogotá.

What time does the tour begin?

The tour starts at 5:30 p.m.

Where does the tour end?

It ends at Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar, Cl. 117 #6a-05, Usaquén, Bogotá.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately four hours and 30 minutes.

What food is included?

The included food consists of an appetizer and main course with an artisanal soda, one sweet stuffed roscon, two filled chocolate bonbons, and a small bar of 70% regional cacao.

Are drinks included at every stop?

No. Drinks at the second and third locations are not included, and drinks at Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar are also not included.

What discount is provided at Pedro Mandinga Rum Bar?

You receive 20% off the check at the final rum bar.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.