In Bogotá, chocolate is not just a sweet. It's a conversation that begins in the mountains of Caquetá, passes through the hands of farmers who grow criollo cacao, and ends up melting on your palate as you walk through streets that smell of history and future. This city, which once witnessed how chocolate was a privilege for the few, now celebrates it on every corner, in every steaming cup, in every bar that holds secrets of the jungle and tradition.
The Chocolate Tradition in Bogotá
Chocolate arrived in Bogotá with colonization, but stayed to reinvent itself. In the 19th century, chocolate shops were meeting points where politics and poetry were discussed over a cup of thick chocolate. Today, that tradition coexists with new generations exploring fermentations, cacao percentages, and tropical fruit notes. Bogotá has become the stage where Colombian cacao - considered among the best in the world - finds its most urban and diverse voice.
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Essential Shops, Cafés, and Tasting Experiences
1. La Florida Chocolatería
At carrera 7 with calle 21, this family-owned shop has been sweetening Bogotá for over 80 years. Their hot chocolate mix is legendary: a blend of trinitario cacao with cinnamon and cloves prepared according to the original 1936 recipe. The shop, with its wooden display cases and the chocolate aroma that fills the block, is a time capsule. Address: Carrera 7 #21-46, Bogotá. Website: Not available. Google Maps: View location. Prices: Chocolate bars from $8,000 COP, hot chocolate mix $12,000 COP for 200g package. Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm, Sundays 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
2. Cacao de Colombia
In the Quinta Camacho neighborhood, this space is more than a shop: it's a classroom where you learn that Colombian chocolate has 600 genetic varieties. They offer guided tastings where you discover differences between cacaos from Huila, Santander, and Amazonas. Their "Origen Tumaco" bar with 85% cacao leaves you with a bitter finish that transforms into red fruit notes. Address: Calle 70 #7-49, Bogotá. Website: www.cacaodecolombia.com. Google Maps: View location. Prices: Tastings from $25,000 COP, special bars $15,000 - $30,000 COP. Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm.
3. República del Cacao
In the Andino shopping center, this Ecuadorian chocolatery has adapted to Bogotá by including Colombian cacaos in its offer. Their chocolate bar with Guajira sea salt is a revelation: the salt not only contrasts with the sweetness but intensifies the fruity flavors of the cacao. The space, minimalist and warm, invites you to sit and savor without rush. Address: Centro Comercial Andino, Local 1-15, Bogotá. Website: www.republicadelcacao.com. Google Maps: View location. Prices: Chocolate bars $18,000 - $35,000 COP, hot drinks $9,000 - $15,000 COP. Hours: Every day 10:00 am - 8:00 pm.
4. Chocobús
It's not a fixed shop, but a red bus that appears at different points in the city (follow their Instagram to locate it). The experience is unique: inside the remodeled bus, chocolatier Andrés explains the process from seed to bar while preparing hot chocolate with a traditional grinder. His bonbons filled with lulo and passion fruit are small flavor explosions. Instagram: @chocobusbogota. Google Maps: Variable location - check social media. Prices: Complete experience $35,000 COP, individual bonbons $3,500 COP. Variable hours: Generally weekends in parks and events.
5. San Alberto Chocolatería
In the Zona G, this shop connects coffee and chocolate in a masterful way. Coming from a coffee farm in Quindío, they have applied their coffee tasting knowledge to cacao. Their "Origin Chocolate" comes with a tasting sheet as if it were wine, describing acidity, body, and flavor notes. Address: Calle 69A #5-75, Bogotá. Website: www.sanalberto.com. Google Maps: View location. Prices: Chocolate bars $22,000 - $40,000 COP, comparative tasting experiences $45,000 COP. Hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00 am - 8:00 pm, Sundays 10:00 am - 6:00 pm.
6. Perseverancia Market - Doña Rosa's Stall
In the heart of the market, Doña Rosa has been selling stone-ground hot chocolate for 40 years. Her stall, modest among butcher shops and vegetable stands, is a lesson in authenticity. Here chocolate doesn't come with percentages or sophisticated descriptions, but with the certainty of knowledge passed down through generations. Address: Mercado de la Perseverancia, Local 45, Bogotá. Google Maps: View location. Prices: Block chocolate $6,000 COP for 200g. Hours: Monday to Saturday 6:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Suggested Route for a One-Day Chocolate Tour
Start at La Florida (carrera 7 with calle 21) at 10:00 am, buy chocolate to take away and order a cup for breakfast. Walk north to Quinta Camacho (15 minutes) for the tasting at Cacao de Colombia at noon. Have lunch in Zona G and visit San Alberto for their comparative tasting experience at 3:00 pm. Finish at Andino with República del Cacao for souvenir shopping around 5:00 pm. If it's the weekend, check Chocobús location for a special closing.
Tips for Buying Chocolate as Souvenir
- Look for bars that specify origin (department or municipality)
- Prefer cacao percentages between 70-85% for complex flavors
- Identify the type of cacao (criollo or trinitario are the most valued)
- Traditional hot chocolate comes in blocks or tablets and is ideal for gifting
- Bonbons with tropical fruits (lulo, soursop, passion fruit) are unique to Colombia
- Ask about limited harvest chocolates or special editions that usually have interesting stories behind them
Frequently Asked Questions about the Chocolate Route in Bogotá
When is the best time to do the chocolate route?
Weekdays are ideal to avoid crowds, especially in the mornings. Weekends offer more special activities like Chocobús, but can be busier.
Do I need to book in advance for tastings?
Yes, especially at Cacao de Colombia and San Alberto, where guided tastings require prior reservation. We recommend contacting them at least 24 hours in advance.
How much does it cost approximately to do the entire route?
A reasonable budget would be between $80,000 and $150,000 COP per person, including chocolate purchases, tastings, and transportation between shops.
Is it possible to do the route with children?
Absolutely! Most chocolate shops are family-friendly. La Florida and Chocobús are especially popular with the little ones.
This chocolate route in Bogotá is more than a gastronomic tour: it's a journey through Colombian geography through flavor, a conversation between tradition and innovation that continues to be written in every bar, in every cup, in every discovery.
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