The north side of Bogotá has long boasted the Colombian capital’s see-and-be-seen neighborhoods, and hillside Chapinero Alto is the latest to have its moment. A hub for LGBTQ+ nightlife, the area has in recent years filled with galleries, cafés, and shops that celebrate the country’s biodiversity and pre-Columbian cultures in fresh ways. Here are six spots to visit in the city’s newest El Dorado.
Ora: The Floral Agency
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Colombia is the world’s second-largest exporter of flowers, and visiting this floral design studio is like stepping into a haute couture flower salon. The interior is festooned with colorful floral sculptures artfully arranged by owner Juliana Bustillo. “You can choose each individual stem here,” she says, “and I’ll show you native Colombian flowers you didn’t even know existed.”
Alharaca
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Sculpt your own bowls, vases, cups, and mugs from Colombian clay at this new pottery studio. Nonartistic types, meanwhile, can simply purchase from the one-of-a-kind pieces by artist founder Laura Nieto El’ Gazi. “Chapinero has it all,” Nieto El’ Gazi says of her location. “It is the neighborhood that represents diversity and tolerance, which is core to Alharaca.”
Hab Hotel
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This stylish 57-room boutique hotel features a café that sources most of its produce from its own organic farm just outside the city. (If you wake up with altitude sickness in 8,661-foot-high Bogotá, order a mambe latte, made with pulverized coca leaves.) “Our concept is fun, warm, and uncomplicated,” says cofounder Nicolás Vergara, “which are also characteristics of our neighborhood.”
Mistral
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Locals and visitors alike gather at this traditional French bakery just a couple of blocks from Hab Hotel for the best viennoiserie in Bogotá. Offerings range from beautifully laminated croissants and vegan muffins to single-origin bars of Cacao Disidente artisan chocolate. Strong coffee—this is Colombia, after all—and speedy Wi-Fi also make this a favorite workplace for digital nomads.
Leo
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A fixture on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, this spot focuses on native Colombian ingredients. Leo moved into a new location last year, adding a lounge where chef Leonor Espinosa’s daughter, Laura Hernández Espinosa, pours spirits inspired by the country’s biodiversity. “In Chapinero,” Hernández Espinosa says, “you see the transformation of the city.”
Amor Perfecto
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At this cozy café, guests can take a cupping class with reigning World Barista Champion Diego Campos, the first Colombian to hold the title. “Good coffee starts at the farm,” says Campos, who grows his own beans. “It’s our job to capture all of the natural flavors and aromas. In many ways, the flavors of coffee are as unique as those of wine.”
