In this article, we cover what we believe are the best arepas in Medellin.

Now, before we start diving into the list of best arepas in Medellin, we must dive a bit deeper into what an arepa is for many Colombians.

Or click on the following link you want to go straight to the recommendations.

 

 

What is an arepa for Colombians?

 

An arepa is part of Colombian cuisine often as a side dish.

For example, a typical breakfast option in Colombian cuisine is scrambled eggs, cheese and plain arepa.

You can even order a plain arepa with your steak. It’s best to compare it to what Europeans have with boiled or fried potatoes (although Colombians love potatoes too) but it can be made (even) more delicious in certain ways, like deep-frying or simply adding more ingredients to it.

The point is that arepas come in many forms, with each Colombian region its own type of arepa.

 

 

 

Purpose of this article

 

To make an article about the best arepas in Medellin, we as TravelFoodExpert have to recommend arepas that are different from regular arepas.

So the purpose of this article is to recommend unique and exciting arepas in Medellin that obviously taste delicious.

This is not an article about which restaurants serve the best arepas with some of their dishes.

With that cleared out, let’s jump to what we believe are the most unique and best arepas in Medellin.

 

 

 

The best arepas in Medellin are:

 

1. Arepa Ranchera (16,500 COP) – Mi Arepa

 

Mi Arepa is a popular restaurant in town that offers some of the best arepas in Medellin. What makes Mi Arepa so special is that they bring regular arepas to the next level by adding all sorts of Colombian specialities inside the arepa, such as chicharron, chorizo, Colombian beans and many more.

The menu consists of fourteen different arepas with the Arepa Ranchera and the Arepa A La Casa as highlights. The Arepa Ranchera (14,500 COP) is a meat feast with shredded meat, chorizo, bacon and cheese as richly filling.

The Arepa A La Casa (16,500 COP) includes a variety of meats, beans, cheese, avocado and homemade sauce. Make sure you visit Mi Arepa with an empty stomach as these arepas are huge. Mi Arepa also offers a wide variety of patacones, which also are richly topped.

Mi Arepa has three different branches in Medellin. 

 

Tip: Mi Arepa is also listed in our article about the best Colombian restaurants in Medellin. You can check out that article if you want to see more recommended restaurants in Medellin that serve amazing Colombian food.

 

Arepa Ranchera (14,500 COP) at Mi Arepa Medellin 

 

Enormous arepas at Mi Arepa in Medellin!

 

 

 

2. Arepa Desmechada (13,900 COP) – MAO 33 Arepas Rellenas

 

MAO 33 Arepas Rellenas is yet another arepa restaurant that is located in Belén, a neighbourhood in Medellin.

This restaurant is decorated in an American 60’s style, which we love, and the restaurant mainly focuses on serving tasty arepas, although there are a handful of other options available on the menu as well.

We highly recommend you try one of their fifteen arepas, ranging from simple chicken and mozzarella fillings, which is called the Amanda (9,900 COP) to crazy creations such as the Paisita (13,900 COP), which is filled with all sorts of Medellin specialities.

Our personal favourite is the Desmechada (13,900 COP), which is filled with pork, chicken and hogao, which is a Colombian creole sauce.

Like most restaurants listed in this article about the best arepas in Medellin, MAO 33 Arepas Rellenas serves typical Medellin arepas, which are made with white corn flour.

 

Arepa Paisita (13,900 COP)

 

Arepa Desmechada (13,900 COP)

 

 

 

3. Arepa de Chocolo (4,000 COP) – Las Chachas

 

For a more classic approach, one must definitely try the arepas at Las Chachas, which is specifically specialized in the so-called Arepa de Chocolo.

These typical darker yellow arepas are called chocolo and originate from the Antioquia region, meaning that they are a typical food from Medellin.

Contrary to the typical white cornflour arepa from Medellin, these so-called Arepa de Chocolo have more flavour.

After being shortly fried, the arepas are only topped with two slices of Queso Blanco, a typical Colombian cheese, that cover the whole Arepa.

These Arepas de Chocolo are much more simple compared to other recommended arepas in this article, but nonetheless really tasty and worth trying.

Yes, you can find these classic arepas everywhere throughout the city, but Las Chachas serves one of the best Arepas de Chocolo in the city.

Aside from the Arepa de Chocolo, Las Chachas also serves Arepa de Queso, which is a white arepa stuffed with cheese in it. Both arepas cost 4,000 COP per piece.

Las Chachas has several branches in the city. 

 

Arepa de Queso (4,000 COP)

 

Arepas at Las Chachas!

 

Arepa de Chocolo (4,000 COP)

 

 

 

4. Arepa Reina Pepiada (20,000 COP) – Los Chamos Arepas Venezolanas

 

Los Chamos Arepas is a restaurant located near La 70, which is an area where you won’t find many tourists and is hugely popular among its local citizens.

While there is a never-ending debate about where arepas originally come from – either Colombia or Venezuela – this place simply offers both: arepas in both Colombian and Venezuelan style, as well as typical Venezuelan specialities.

That’s what makes Los Chamos Arepas so special.

The menu is limited to twelve different arepas, six specialities and four typical Venezuelan specialities, but this is enough to keep the customers coming back on a weekly basis. We recommend you try their Reina Pepiada Arepa (16,000 COP), which is an arepa with a creamy, chicken filling.

Arepas are served with three different sauces which you can add to make the arepa even more delicious.

Although this restaurant is often recommended for serving the best arepas in Medellin, we do believe there are better options to be found.

But the arepas we tried were definitely tasty and when you notice how busy this place is during lunchtime, they obviously do their things right. 

 

Tip: for those with a large appetite, check out their Patacón with Chicken (20,000 COP). Not only is this patacone huge, but the shredded chicken is also nicely spiced!

 

Arepa Reina Pepiada (20,000 COP)

 

Patacón with Chicken (20,000 COP)

 

 

 

5. Arepa Con Camerón (19,500 COP) – Magica Cocina de Tradición

 

The following restaurant is not a restaurant that is specialized in arepas but serves a small variety of typical Medellin dishes, including Cazuela de Ajiaco (19,500 COP) and Cazuela de Frijoles (19,500 COP).

But Magica Cocina de Tradición also serves a few arepas including their the Arepa con Camarón (19,500 COP), a Medellin Arepa with garlic prawns, cheese and avocado.

With a bit of searching, you can find Arepa con Camarón at some other arepa restaurants in Medellin, but we were overwhelmed by its flavour that we have to recommend Magica Cocina de Tradición to our list of best arepas in Medellin.

 

Arepa con Camarón (19,500 COP)