Back in Los Angeles, I sip my coffee while going through my notes and photos from my trip to Cartagena. It’s good coffee, an Italian blend I really enjoy. But it isn’t the same. During my two weeks in Colombia’s premier Caribbean destination, I was treated to some of the best coffees – both simple cups and full experiences – that I’ve ever had, from one of the countries that is best known for quality coffee. And while coffee doesn’t grow along Colombia’s Caribbean coast, visitors will find some truly outstanding cups of joe in Cartagena.

There are two types of coffee in the world: robusta and arabica. Arabica plants are known for producing a higher quality bean (and therefore better coffee) but can only grow at higher elevations, while robusta plants can successfully produce coffee even at sea level. In some places, the two are grafted together (arabica onto robusta) to produce higher quality beans in a more geographically diverse area. But not here in Colombia. Colombia is the third-highest coffee producing country in the world (behind Brazil and Vietnam), but it is all true pure arabica. Hence here along the coast there are no coffee plantations.

This information is given to me by Dominique, my guide to one of the best coffee experiences I have ever had. Cafe San Alberto sits on Plaza de Santo Domingo in Cartagena’s old city. It is one of four locations for what is Colombia’s most award winning coffee; there are two in Bogota and one on the plantation itself. Over the course of an hour, I sample their coffee prepared in different ways, learning to refine my own palate and sense of smell much as I would during a wine tasting. But first comes the class, a truly dizzying amount of information about coffee, coffee specifically in Colombia, and coffee from their brand.

As Dominique tells me, the San Alberto estate is a mere 80 acres. But in Colombia, that is not out of the ordinary. Unlike other countries which have vast corporate plantations, Colombia is home to a staggering 560,000 tiny estates run by single families. Coffee is grown in small batches, picked by hand (pickers travel from one farm to the next for work), and nearly all exported for the boon it gives to the Colombian economy. (I am told the coffee one can buy at the grocery store in Colombia is their “poor” quality coffee, but even that is significantly better than what most of us have back in the States.)

I am taught about the life cycle of coffee, of the roasting process (light roasts have more caffeine, shockingly), and of the brewing processes which can drastically change the flavor profiles. I am given a few foods to try and a few scents to smell to refine those senses. And then comes the coffee, prepared here just for me. I’m normally a guy who needs milk and sugar in my brew, but I was able to sip (slurp is more accurate; as Dominique explains, that is the best way to coat your palate and get all the notes) these without. And I loved it!

(A quick note on visiting Cafe San Alberto. It is immensely popular with cruise ship passengers, so much so that it is mainly closed in the mornings to do guided tastings just for them during the cruise season. In the afternoons, it is available to just pop into. Now as someone who doesn’t drink caffeine after about 2pm, this can be a challenge, so if you’re like me, consider ordering a drink they make with gin, soda, and a syrup of coffee and honey. It is delightful.)

Of course, while it is the most award winning, Cafe San Alberto is far from the only amazing place to get coffee in Cartagena. For the best brunch and coffee experience I had, try Epoca, also in the old city. The food is sensational, and a French press of coffee (2-3 cups, and the “preferred” way of most coffee companies here for their products to be prepared) will run well under $10.

South of the old city, in the hipster Getsemaní neighborhood, Libertario Coffee Roasters has a lineup of their own coffee options, along with food on their cafe side (as opposed to just the coffee bar). I try a pot of their Rock brand. It is terrific, though a bit lightly brewed for my personal taste.

Colombians will normally drink their coffee brewed, rather than as espresso drinks, although of course these are offered everywhere as well. For the local take on a chain, pop into one of dozens of Juan Valdez stores. (Yes there are Starbucks stores here as well, and they use only local coffee, but seriously, why?)

Or head to Abaco, a cute bookstore that also has a coffee bar, and try a Cafe Bombom, espresso layered with sweetened condensed milk. When you mix it, it tastes of caramel. I don’t even want to admit to how much I loved these, and how quickly I consumed them.

This barely scratches the surface of what Colombian coffee offers, and how widely amazing coffee is available in Cartagena. Cafes are everywhere, filled with both locals and tourists, and each one has something great. These are just my personal favorites. So whether you are in the mood for a sit down brunch, a quick pick me up, or a guided coffee tasting experience, you are in a city that runs the gamut.

Note: thank you to Cafe San Alberto for hosting me, and to Corpoturismo Cartagena for setting it up.

Like it? Pin it!