Photography by Isa Zapata.
My family is from Medellín, a sprawling city nestled in the Andes Mountains. It’s nicknamed the City of Eternal Spring because of its position on the equator, making for 12 months of t-shirt-friendly days, along with a reliable five-minute daily downpour.
Medellín is a small slice of the greater mountain region, a Colombian department called Antioquia, where small towns dot the lush, wild landscape. The only way to move between these towns is to drive on la carretera, the winding, one-way, absolutely stunning network of mountain roads. If you live in Medellín, your weekend activities usually involve going to visit one of these towns for a cooler mountain breeze, quality time with family, and your favorite once-a-week treats, like the golden velvety stew that is sancocho, the lifeblood of my childhood.
Most of the food up here is going to be cooked en leña, or over firewood, which lends itself to fried food, plenty of starches, and lots of meat. I live in New York, but I go back to Colombia twice every year if I’m lucky, and always find time to take a few winding road trips. The food throughout this sprawling region is a unique experience you won’t find anywhere else.
Here is a basic breakdown of the most delicious roadside foods you will find on a day trip from Medellín.
Empanadas and pastelitos de pollo
Caldas is a province in the southwest of the Paisa region in Colombia. What Caldas lacks in square mileage, it makes up for in history, architecture, and lush mountain landscapes. It’s historically known for its gold mining, coffee production, and—drumroll—its starch and meat-heavy cuisine. What more could you ask for? Surrounded by colonial architecture in cliffside towns, you’ll find the bulk of my favorite savory dishes in this itinerary.
A beloved chain restaurant in Colombia, Cocorolló boasts some of the most famous empanadas and pasteles de pollo—sun-shaped shredded chicken pastries—that you can find. This specific Cocorollo in Caldas sits right on the shoulder of a highway south of Medellín. Walking in, you’re met with the smells of the juicy, tender bits of meat and garlic hitting the grill. The entire restaurant is decorated in varnished wood, a classic design in Colombian chain restaurants. On Sundays, you will see a line of people out the door, restlessly awaiting their jumbo-sized empanadas and pasteles de pollo. The dough on these is slightly sweeter and softer than you’ll usually find, and crunchy enough that you want to keep biting in. You can order either vegetarian potato filling or shredded beef and potato in your empanadas. Whichever you choose, do not forget to top them with the ají, a beloved, mildly spicy condiment.
Obleas