La Puerta Falsa Restaurant — Restaurant in Bogota, Capital District

La Puerta Falsa (Calle 11 No 6-50), in Bogota’s historic La Candelaria District, is one of the oldest and most traditional restaurants in the city: it dates back to 1816, and, without wanting to make the place sound too old-fashioned, you can definitely tell! In spite of it’s position just off the Plaza Bolivar, in the main tourist hub of the city, La Puerta Falsa doesn’t feel overly touristy, and has a regular and loyal clientele who seem to come back time-and-again.

This, it seems to me, is for two principle reasons: the first is the excellent food. La Puerta Falsa is the place to go in Bogota for delicious, traditional Colombian food. What especially stands out are the ajiaco (a hearty soup of potatoes, chicken, cream and capers) and the tamales (which some claim are the best anywhere in the capital). It’s also the place to visit for an unusual Cundinamarca specialty: hot chocolate with cheese. Sounds weird, right!? However, in the hands of La Puerta Falsa, it’s a delight: rich, steamy chocolate combined with thick, gooey cheese makes for a heart-warming combo on a cold Bogota day.

hot chocolate cheese bogota Hot Chocolate and Cheese in la Puerta Falsa

The second reason is surely the old-world charm and atmosphere of the place. It seems especially popular with See Colombia’s team (possibly because we seem to be mostly comprised of flat-cap aficionados and therefore fit in pretty well with the wood-paneled walls and 1800s atmosphere), and is a lovely place to relax with some delicious food. It’s a little cramped, so don’t expect to be able to fit a large party in here, but as small restaurants go, it’s a real treat.

So, there you have it: there are other places in Bogota that are hipper, where the food is more contemporary, or where the staff are more glamorous. However, if given a choice, I will always take a lazy Sunday in la Puerta Falsa, a steaming bowl of ajiaco in front of me, and a mug of hot chocolate and cheese...

I wanted to try this place because i read alot of good reviews all over the internet .it was a total disapoinment .i feel they gave them a discount or free food in order to speak so highly about it. The following day i tried the other small restaurants maybe a few steps away on the opposite side and had better taste and flavor and price was more cheaper as i thought this place was over charging too i guess because its " popukar". i tried they traditional hot chocolate it tasted watered down and had slight chocolate flavored (i had better from street vendors) the chese that came with it it was good but had a finger indented on it like someone picked it.i also tried they tamal it was good but it had more dough then meat and veggies compared to what i saw on the internet but the dough tasted good with the little chicken it had. I also had the agua de panela it was slighty flavored did not have a strong taste none of the hot drinks i tried were exciting very disapointed. I also bought the egg with mixed meats the egg was not well cooked and the meat was not cooked at all i just ate it to avoid confrontations and i promised myself to make a real review .over all i paid a little over $15 us dollars .the food is basic and pricey like i mentioned the other neighboring places were more exciting which i enjoyed theycfood more and the prices were more about right.i would not recommend to come for the hype they have on the internet theres other smaller places thay offer the same traditional food for a better price!! Dont...

There is no better way to experience a country than through its food. La Puerta Falsa delivers that experience through every bite!

Come hungry as the dishes are so filling and delicious with a large portion sizes. We tried all different types of their local cuisine, but it was the tamale that stood out from the crowd.

The first reaction is that it was a huge tamale wrapped in plant leaves compared to a traditional corn husk tamale. This created a beautiful aroma on the nose while allowing the chicken to remain decently moist, falling off the bone with every bite.

The restaurant is small and charming. If you have trouble with stairs, try to get a seat on the first level as the stairs can feel a bit steep. We did not experience the shoulder to shoulder eating as we came near closing, but with no doubt when the restaurant is rocking, serving out tasty meals, expect to be shoulder to shoulder eating history.

Come through and be the judge for yourself, and look forward to trying one of the oldest restaurants in Bogota. I would recommend to any...