Typical Colombian drinks in Bogotá & their recipes

In this article, you will have a look at the most typical and tasty drinks of Bogotá and how to prepare them. You’ll find some non-alcoholic drinks such as “Agua de Panela”, “Chocolate Santafereño” and “Masato”. If you want to learn more and try these delicious and traditional drinks, continue reading.

Agua de Panela

Let’s start with one of my favorite drinks. This is a traditional and common beverage made with sugar cane and almost all the Bogotá and Colombian families drink it both cold and hot. It can be used as a base for coffee, with milk or mixed lime juice (some people drink it hot as medicine for the flu, but even cold it can be great and refreshing for hot summer days or when you travel around Colombia). This drink is made with sugar cane (it’s sweet and brown and is sold in blocks or grated (as you can see in the picture above) and it tastes similar to brown sugar).

Ingredients for 2-3 people:

• 3-4 cups of water “Agua” (it depends how concentrated you want the flavor to be)
• 8 oz of panela “Panela”  (grated or 2 bricks)

Optional:

• 1  lime juiced “Limón” (to taste)
• 1 cup of Milk “Leche Entera”

Preparation:

Place the water and panela in a medium pot and bring it to a boil (wait approximately 10 minutes). If you want it with lime, put the lime juice into the pot and stir to combine and then serve (same with milk). You can drink it hot or cold (wait 20 minutes for it to cool down or you can also put some ice cubes).

Approximate Budget:

• Panela (1000g): $5,700 COP ($2 USD)
• 1 Lime juiced “Limon” $400 COP ($0.13 USD)
• Milk “Leche” (1 liter): $2,500 COP ($0.83 USD)
• Total: $8,600 COP (2.86 USD)

Famous places to try “Agua de Panela” in Bogotá:

1. Panelate (Calle 53#7-41)
2. La Puerta Falsa (Calle 11#6-50)
3. Cerro de Monserrate (Carrera 2E #21-48)

Chocolate Santafereño

Hot chocolate is so famous in Bogotá, that it is called “Santafereño” because we drink it a lot. Usually, we eat it with cheese (yes, I know it sounds weird but please try it at least once and trust me that you will probably love it), arepa, bread, local pastries such as “Almojábana”, “Pandebono”, “Buñuelo” etc. Bogotá families drink it with breakfast, dinner and “Las onces” (it is like a snack between every main meal e.g. between lunch and dinner). In my case, my grandma and mom love to drink it.

Ingredients for 3-4 people:

• 4 ½ cups of milk “Leche Entera”
• 2 ½ tablespoons of sugar “Azúcar” (depends on how sweet you want it)
• 5 ounces sweet chocolate chips “Chocolate en pastilla” (some of the Colombian famous brands are: Sol and Corona, not to be confused with the mexican beer).

Optional:

• 1 cinnamon stick “Canela en astilla”
• 5 cloves “Clavos”
• 2 slices of cheese “Queso doble crema” (depends on how much you love cheese)

Preparation:

1. Add all the ingredients in a saucepan on  medium heat.
2. Reduce heat to low when it boils and becomes frothy.
3. Stir it preferably with a wooden spoon, or a traditional “molinillo”, to mix chocolate by rolling it between your hands.
4. Turn off the stove and then serve.

Approximate Budget:

• Sugar “Azúcar” (1000g): $2,500 COP ($0.83 USD)
• Chocolate chips “Chocolate en pastilla” (250 gr): $3,500 COP ($ USD)
• Milk “Leche” (1 liter): $2,500 COP ($0.83 USD)
• Cinnamon “Canela en astilla” (11 gr): $2,300 COP ($0.77 USD)
• Cloves “Clavos” (9 gr): $1,400 COP ($ 0.47 USD)
• Cheese “Queso doble crema” (250 gr) : $7,000 COP ($2.3 USD)
• Total: $19,200 COP ($6.4USD)

Famous places to try Chocolate in Bogotá:

1. Pasteleria Florida (Carrera 7#21-46
2. La Puerta Falsa (Calle 11#6-50)
3. Cerro de Monserrate (Carrera 2E #21-48)
4. LACHOCO LATERA CHOCOLATERÍA (Carrera 4A#26C-13)

Masato

Masato is a traditional drink, most common in Bogotá but can be found in other departments of Colombia such as “Tolima” and “Cundinamarca”. It’s a rice-based, creamy, fermented drink and for me the taste is peculiar. I mean the first time I tried I thought it tasted weird, but the second time I liked it and if you drink it with “Mantecada” (Colombian cornbread) and “Almojábana” (Colombian cheese bread) the flavor is better.

Ingredients for 4-5 people:

• 2/3 cup of uncooked rice “Arroz no cocinado”
• 6 cups of water “Agua”
• 1 cinnamon stick “Canela en astilla”
• 2 cloves “Clavos”
• ½ to 1 cup of sugar “Azúcar” (it depends on your taste)

Optional:

• Ground cinnamon “Canela molida”  (just for serving)

Preparation:

1. Place the rice and the cinnamon stick in a pot and cover it with 2 cups of water
2. Cook for about 25 minutes or until is the rice seems tender and then take out the cinnamon stick.
3. Pour cooked rice into a blender with 2 cups of water and blend it until it’s smooth, Strain the mixture.
4. In a small pot, heat up the sugar and 1 cup of water on medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
5. Turn the mixture in the pot down to low heat and cook for 20 minutes.
6. Add the sugar mixture and the cloves.
7. Add 1 more cup of water and then serve.

Fermented:

If you prefer a fermented drink (the way almost all the people drink it), you can leave it in a non-reactive container for a few days (3-4 days) in the refrigerator. Then stir and serve.

Approximate Budget:

• Uncooked rice  “Arroz” (1000 gr): $2,800COP ($ 0.93 USD)
• Cinnamon “Canela en astilla” (11 gr): $2,300 COP ($0.77 USD)
• Cloves “Clavos” (9 gr): $1,400 COP ($ 0.47 USD)
• Sugar “Azúcar” (1000g): $2,500 COP ($0.83 USD)
• Ground Cinnamon “Canela Molida” (50 gr) : $2,000 COP ($0.67USD)
• Total: $11,000 COP ($ 3.6USD)

Famous places to try Masato in Bogotá:

1. Chorro de Quevedo Square ( Calle 13 con carrera 2)
2. Hornitos Panadería y Pasteleria (Calle 19 #2A-10 or Carrera 11#96-46)
3. Cerro de Monserrate (Carrera 2E #21-48)
4. Toledo Pasteleria (Calle 140#13-27)

You can buy all of these ingredients in almost every grocery store close to where you are staying. For example, D1, “Justo y Bueno”, “Exito Express” or bigger markets as “Exito”, “Jumbo”, “Carulla”, “Surtimax”, etc.

I chose these 3 recipes because they are the most common, popular and delicious drinks that you can find easily in Bogotá. Thank you for reading and remember to comment below if you prepare any of these tasty beverages and share it if you like it.

If you want to learn how to prepare other typical drinks with alcohol click on : Typical colombian alcoholic drinks in Bogotá & their Recipes. Continue exploring our amazing city and follow us on Facebook & Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter.