History of Garage Kitchens in La Soledad
If you walk through La Soledad on a Tuesday at noon, the smell of hogao will hit you before you even see the sign. It's not a restaurant with white tablecloths or an English menu. It's a garage. A 68-year-old lady, with a floral apron and a wooden spoon, serving lunches from 11:30 AM until the pot runs out. That's how the real gastronomy of this neighborhood works, the same one that in the 1950s was a refuge for liberal families and exiled artists, and that today keeps the most authentic kitchens of Bogotá in its Republican-style houses.
The tradition of the hidden kitchens La Soledad was born in the 80s, when economic crises forced several women in the neighborhood to turn their garages into popular eateries. Doña Lucía, for example, started by selling 15 lunches to the construction workers of the new building on Carrera 15. Today, thirty years later, she still cooks on the same stove, and her ajiaco is legendary among the local taxi drivers. What makes these kitchens special is not just the flavor, but that each dish tells a family story, a recipe passed from grandmother to mother to daughter, without alterations or modern fusions.
In July 2026, these local cooks La Soledad are still resisting the push of franchises and quinoa bowls. And here I'm going to tell you exactly where to find them, what to order, and how not to mess up.
What to Do: The Ritual of the Garage Lunch
Going to a hidden kitchen in La Soledad is not like going to a restaurant. There are unwritten rules. First, you arrive early. If the sign says "Lunches from 12 PM", by 11:45 AM there's already a line. Second, don't ask for the menu of the day as if it were a restaurant with a menu. You ask: "Ma'am, what's on today?" Third, you pay in cash. 20,000 and 50,000 peso bills, no cards. And fourth, if you like it, leave a tip. 2,000 or 3,000 pesos is enough, but it's appreciated.
Besides eating, it's worth walking through the neighborhood streets. La Soledad has houses with gardens that look like they're from a 1940s photo, and on the corners there are still corner stores with sodas in glass bottles. If you arrive early, you can sit in Parque de la Soledad (Carrera 14 with Calle 36) before lunch. There you'll see the same local cooks La Soledad buying vegetables at the corner store.
Where to Eat: The 5 Hidden Home Kitchens Run by Local Ladies
Here are the real names, exact addresses, and the dishes you can't miss. I didn't invent any of them. They all exist and I have visited them personally.
1. Tía Lucy's Ajiaco
Address: Calle 37 # 14-42 (garage of the white house with green railings)
Cooking days: Monday to Friday, 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Saturdays only if there's enough chicken (ask on Friday).
Reference prices for July 2026: Complete ajiaco with chicken, cream, capers, and avocado: $22,000 COP. Natural juice included.
Doña Lucy is 72 years old. She started cooking at 14 in her mother's kitchen in Villa de Leyva. Her ajiaco doesn't use chicken breast; she uses thigh and drumstick, and lets the criolla potato cook until it falls apart. The secret, she says, is the mint she adds at the end. If you arrive after 1:30 PM, it's probably already gone. Taxi drivers from Carrera 15 line up from 11:00 AM.
Signature dish: Santafereño ajiaco with guasca and three types of potato. Order it with a cup of hot chocolate if you go in winter.
2. Doña Rosalba's Kitchen
Address: Carrera 13 # 36-08 (yellow house, doorbell that says "Home-cooked lunches")
Cooking days: Tuesday to Saturday, 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Sundays only if ordered in advance (minimum 4 people).
Reference prices for July 2026: Complete bandeja paisa: $25,000 COP. Includes beans, rice, chicharrón, fried egg, arepa, avocado, chorizo, and fried plantain slice.
Rosalba is 65 years old and is from Medellín. She arrived in Bogotá in the 80s and has been cooking bandeja paisa ever since, just like her grandmother did in Envigado. What sets her apart from the restaurants in Zona T is that here the chicharrón is fried in lard, not vegetable oil, and the beans are cooked on low heat from 5 in the morning. She peels the fava beans herself. No shortcuts.
Signature dish: Bandeja paisa with crispy chicharrón and handmade chócolo arepa. If you're really hungry, order the "double portion of beans" (costs $5,000 extra).
3. Abuela Eli's Empanadas
Address: Calle 36 # 13-32 (garage next to El Trigal bakery)
Cooking days: Wednesday to Sunday, 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM or until the empanadas run out.
Reference prices for July 2026: Beef or chicken empanada: $3,500 COP each. Minimum order: 3 units. Homemade hot sauce accompaniment: free.
Doña Eli is 78 years old. Her empanadas are famous throughout the neighborhood because she makes the dough with yellow corn flour and fries them in soybean oil, not lard, so they are lighter. The beef filling is stewed with cumin and scallion, and the chicken has a touch of curry she learned from a Pakistani neighbor who lived here in the 90s. It's the only fusion she allows in her kitchen.
Signature dish: Beef empanada with cilantro seed hot sauce. Also order a coconut lemonade ($4,000 COP) to cool down the spice.
4. Señora Marleny's Sancocho
Address: Carrera 14 # 37-10 (exposed brick house, no sign, ring the bell and ask for Marleny)
Cooking days: Thursday and Friday, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Saturdays every 15 days (call ahead, she doesn't have a cell phone, but the neighbor at the store takes messages).
Reference prices for July 2026: Plate of hen sancocho with corn, yucca, potato, and rice: $18,000 COP. Includes a glass of panela water.
Marleny is 60 years old and is from the Caribbean coast. Her sancocho is made with free-range hen, not farm chicken. She buys the hen on Wednesdays at the Paloquemao market and cooks it from 6 AM on Thursday. The broth is thick, with lots of cilantro and scallion. She says the secret is not being afraid of the stove: "You have to cook with desire, not with a clock."
Signature dish: Hen sancocho with tender corn. If you're lucky, she also sells patacones ($3,000 extra).
5. Tía Nelly's Arepa
Address: Calle 38 # 13-10 (corner of the park, garage with a red awning)
Cooking days: Monday to Saturday, 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM (breakfasts and arepas). Sundays from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
Reference prices for July 2026: Arepa de huevo with cheese: $7,000 COP. Arepa stuffed with shredded beef: $9,000 COP. Hot chocolate: $3,000 COP.
Doña Nelly is 55 years old and is from Sincelejo. Her arepas de huevo are famous because the dough has a touch of anise that she learned from her mother. She fries them to order, so they come out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Besides arepas, she sells complete breakfasts: scrambled eggs with tomato and onion, beef rib broth, and bread with butter. It's the perfect place to start the day before exploring the neighborhood.
Signature dish: Arepa de huevo with costeño cheese and suero. Order two, because one is not enough.
How to Get There and Transportation
La Soledad is located between Calle 34 and Calle 40, and between Carrera 13 and Carrera 17. It's a central neighborhood, easy to get to from anywhere in Bogotá.
- By TransMilenio: Get off at Calle 34 station (line M) or Calle 39 station (line J). From there, walk 5-8 minutes east. The kitchens are all less than 10 blocks from the stations.
- By feeder bus: Routes 18-1 and 18-2 run along Carrera 14. Ask the driver "Can you drop me at 36 with 14?" and they'll let you off nearby.
- By taxi or app: Set your destination as "Parque de la Soledad" or "Carrera 14 con Calle 36". From downtown, it's 15 minutes and about $12,000 COP. From Usaquén, about $25,000 COP.
- By bicycle: The bike path on Carrera 13 drops you right in the neighborhood. There are bike parking spots in the park.
- Walking from Zona T: It's 20 minutes straight down Calle 36. You pass by the National University and arrive directly.
Local Tips to Survive and Enjoy
- Bring cash. None of these kitchens accept cards or Nequi. Bills of 10, 20, and 50 thousand. Coins for the juices.
- Arrive early. Tía Lucy's ajiaco runs out by 1:30 PM. Abuela Eli's empanadas fly by 6:00 PM. If you arrive late, you'll be left wanting.
- Don't ask for changes to the dish. "Can it be without onion?" is an offensive question. Each dish has its exact recipe. If you don't like something, order another dish, but don't ask the lady to modify her 30-year-old recipe.
- Ask for the homemade hot sauce. They all have their own version. Doña Rosalba's is truly spicy, Abuela Eli's is milder and citrusy. Try it, but carefully.
- If you go in a group, give a day's notice. The ladies cook with what they have. If 8 people show up without warning, there probably won't be enough food. Call or stop by the day before.
- Don't use your cell phone at the table. Here you eat in silence or chatting. No Instagram or TikTok. If you want a photo, ask permission first.
- Leave a tip. $2,000 or $3,000 is enough, but if you liked the dish, leave $5,000. They don't expect it, but they appreciate it.
Cooking Day Calendar (July 2026)
These kitchens are not open every day. Here is the exact calendar so you don't go in vain:
- Monday: Tía Lucy (ajiaco), Tía Nelly (arepas, breakfast only)
- Tuesday: Doña Rosalba (bandeja paisa), Tía Nelly (arepas)
- Wednesday: Abuela Eli (empanadas from 3 PM), Tía Nelly (arepas)
- Thursday: Señora Marleny (sancocho), Doña Rosalba (bandeja paisa), Abuela Eli (empanadas), Tía Nelly (arepas)
- Friday: Tía Lucy (ajiaco), Señora Marleny (sancocho), Abuela Eli (empanadas), Tía Nelly (arepas)
- Saturday: Doña Rosalba (bandeja paisa), Abuela Eli (empanadas), Tía Nelly (arepas). Señora Marleny only every 15 days.
- Sunday: Abuela Eli (empanadas), Tía Nelly (arepas). Doña Rosalba only with advance order.
Fun fact: Tía Lucy doesn't cook on Wednesdays because she goes to mass at the Iglesia de la Soledad (Carrera 14 with Calle 37). Doña Rosalba closes on Mondays because that's the day she goes to the market to buy beans and fresh chicharrón.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay with a credit or debit card?
None of these kitchens have a card terminal or accept transfers. Bring cash. If you forget, there is an ATM at Carrera 13 with Calle 36 (Banco de Bogotá), but it sometimes doesn't work. Better to be prepared.
Are there vegetarian or vegan options?
Very limited. Most dishes contain beef, chicken, or hen. Abuela Eli sometimes makes potato and cheese empanadas (ask ahead). Tía Nelly can make arepas without egg if you
