Best Plato de los Montes Restaurants in Boyacá 2026: Authentic Spots in Tunja, Villa de Leyva & Beyond
I still remember the first time I shoveled into a steaming plato de los montes during a rainy afternoon in the Boyacá highlands back in 2018. I'd been hiking through the misty páramos near El Cocuy, soaked to the bone, when a roadside comedor beckoned with its smoky chimney and the unmistakable sizzle of chorizo hitting the grill. That plate—piled high with tender skirt steak, crackling morcilla, plump chorizo, buttery beans slow-cooked with hogao, golden rice flecked with cilantro, fried yuca that crunched like fresh-fallen snow, a fistful of crisp salad, and a couple of arepas slathered in queso fresco—hit me like an Andean thunderclap. It wasn't just food; it was survival, comfort, the soul of Colombia's mountain folk distilled into one glorious, grease-dripping heap.
Fast-forward to 2026, with better roads from Bogotá, farm-to-table revivals, and a new generation of chefs tweaking the classics without losing the grit. If you're chasing the best plato de los montes restaurants in Boyacá 2026, or wondering where to eat authentic plato de los montes in Tunja, this guide has you covered. I've crisscrossed these emerald slopes more times than I can count, dodging potholes and charming every abuelita cook along the way. Let's dig in.
What Makes Plato de los Montes the Heart of Boyacá?
Plato de los montes isn't some dainty Bogotá fusion experiment—it's the working man's feast from the páramos, born in the 19th century when Boyacá's guieros (cowherds) needed fuel for days on the trail. Picture slabs of carne de res grilled over eucalyptus wood, blood sausage bursting with rice and spices that smell like Christmas in July, chorizo fat rendering into the beans until they're creamy as sin. No two plates are identical; some spots amp up the hogao with extra onion punch, others sneak in a fried egg for that yolky decadence. It's messy, unapologetic, and pairs best with a cold Club Colombia or aguapanela spiked with panela.
In 2026, as Boyacá's thermal springs and colonial pueblos draw crowds, expect lines at the top spots—but the payoff? Pure altitude bliss. These traditional plato de los montes recipe restaurants Colombia keep the grit alive amid the eco-tourism boom.
Where to Eat Authentic Plato de los Montes in Tunja: El Mesón de la Plaza
My pilgrimage always starts in Tunja, the highland hub where history broods under slate-gray skies. Head straight to El Mesón de la Plaza at Calle 19 #8-52, in the shadow of the hulking Plaza Bolívar cathedral. This place has been slinging platters since my dad's era—or so owner Don Ramiro claims with a wink. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (stretching to midnight on weekends), it's a warren of wooden beams and checkered tablecloths that smell like decades of woodsmoke.
I once arrived post a brutal Batalla de Boyacá reenactment march—those colonial-era spectacles where everyone dresses like Simón Bolívar—and collapsed into a corner booth. The plato arrived on a tin plate: steak charred just right, morcilla oozing spice, beans velvety with cumin and tomato clinging to every rice grain. Yuca fries scorched the tongue, arepa was cornmeal heaven with melting butter. Don Ramiro's twist? A side of maduro frito to cut the richness. At 35,000 COP (about $9 USD), portions feed a family. Chat up locals for yarns about the dish's guerrilla roots during La Violencia. Brace for the crowd—it's popular for a reason.
Hidden Gems for Plato de los Montes in Andes Colombia: La Posada del Fósil in Villa de Leyva
From Tunja, wind to Villa de Leyva, that postcard-perfect pueblo where time stalls amid cobbled streets and starlit skies. La Posada del Fósil at Carrera 9 #12-45 stands out, perched overlooking the fossil museum. Open Wednesday to Sunday, noon till 9 p.m., with Friday live música llanera drawing families.
I stumbled in after touring Casa Terracota. Plato de los montes with scenic mountain views 2026 will be epic here—their new deck peers into the cordillera's jagged teeth. Mine came family-style: beer-marinated beef, smoky chorizo, peppery morcilla. Beans simmered with panela, rice fluffy, yuca pillowy-crisp, hogao-dressed salad tangy. At 42,000 COP, it's family friendly plato de los montes restaurants Colombia at its finest; kids get smaller plates. Owner Marta shared grandma's tweaks: extra garlic in the morcilla. As the sun dipped, nevado peaks glowed pink—plate as foreground feast.
Budget Plato de los Montes Dining in Boyacá Region: Paipa's El Rinconcito Boyacense
Budget hunters, hit Paipa's El Rinconcito Boyacense at Diagonal 12 #5-30 near the hot springs (open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, cash only). Truckers and thermal tourists mingle in this no-frills joint. For 25,000 COP post-soak, I got carne grilled on a backyard parrilla, juicy chorizo weeping into earthy beans, dense morcilla. Rice scoopable, yuca nutty-crisp, salad from the owner's huerta. Three generations chat like pals; abuelito shared 70s fiesta tales. Pair with balsero corn beer. Flies in summer? Swat and savor—raw Boyacá value holds for 2026's wellness boom.
Top Rated Plato de los Montes Spots Near Bogotá: Chiquinquirá's Asadero El Alto de la Virgen
Swing closer to Bogotá for Chiquinquirá's Asadero El Alto de la Virgen at Km 2 Vía al Santuario #1-50 (11 a.m.-11 p.m., weekends late). Roadside glory with basilica views. Post-pilgrimage hike, my plate landed amid echoing prayers: rare-seared steak from grass-fed fincas, annatto-hued morcilla, fennel-flecked chorizo. Velvety beans, cilantro-bright rice, addictive yuca. 38,000 COP seals the mountain panorama—locals' pilgrim fuel.
New Openings Plato de los Montes Tunja 2026 & Beyond
Mercado Gourmet Pop-Up by Chef Lina Herrera
Buzz builds for Mercado Gourmet's pop-up at Plaza de Bolívar's east wing (spring '26, Thursdays-Sundays 1-8 p.m.). Preview: sous-vide beef, fermented morcilla—modern twist on traditional plato de los montes recipe restaurants Colombia. Hearty, balcony views, 45,000 COP.
Sogamoso's Trattoria Andina
Sogamoso's hidden gem at Carrera 14 #18-20 (noon-10 p.m., closed Mondays). Family-run with wild herb hogao. Amid miners' huilaches stomp, smoky guayacán beef, towering yuca, peppery salad. Owner's daughter sang rancheras—rowdy magic. 40,000 COP; slow service forgiven by flavors.
More Must-Try: Ráquira, Monguí & Lake Tota
- Ráquira's Casa del Alfarero (Carrera 3 #7-15, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.): Clay pots steam the plato. Post-pottery, artisan-spiced morcilla amid firuletes stalls. 32,000 COP.
- Monguí's Posada El Turista (Calle 5 #4-12, weekends noon-8 p.m.): Unchanged since 1800s, fire-grilled tradition. 28,000 COP.
- Lake Tota's Finca La Laguna (Vía Circunvalar #Km5, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.): Lakeside with trout add-on, misty sunsets. 50,000 COP—2026 dream.
Plato de los Montes Food Tours Boyacá 2026: Dive Deeper
For immersion, join Andes Trails tours (andestrails.co, 250,000 COP/group). Truck to fincas, milk cows, grill your own—epic, muddy fun. I did one last year; it'll elevate your 2026 trip.
These spots arm you for Boyacá's 2026 surge. Pack layers, appetite, zero diets. Plato de los montes isn't cuisine; it's communion. I'll be back, chasing that first bite high.
