Colombia’s Pacific coast has a cuisine unlike any other in Colombia. Like the Caribbean coast, African influences are prominent. However, the Pacific coast, with more extensive biodiversity, has an entirely different set of ingredients and its culinary traditions that have developed in isolation.
Café Pacifico in Buenaventura, is the well researched regional restaurant I always hope to find when traveling in Colombia, or anywhere in South America for that matter, but rarely do. The restaurant has been open for seven years, though has moved locations three times. It’s more of a social experiment than a restaurant, acting as a way to preserve the region’s culinary traditions, seeking out recipes from grandmothers throughout the region.