The traditional gastronomy of Pamplona and Chinácota: a journey of flavors

The mute: a comforting tradition

One of the prides of the nortesantandandereana cuisine is the mute santandereano, a thick soup prepared with peeled corn, beef, pork and sometimes chicken, accompanied by chickpeas, potatoes, carrots and fresh seasonings. Served hot in the cold Pamplona weather, it is one of those meals that comforts the body and soul.

To try a mute in Pamplona is to understand that traditional cuisine is also a form of resistance: a dish that has survived the changes of the times and still retains its place in family kitchens and typical restaurants.

Arepas and almojábanas: breakfast with identity

No less important is the region's baking tradition. Pamplona and Chinácota are known for their almojábanas and arepas, which are a must at any breakfast. The almojábana, with its soft texture and slightly sweet flavor, made from curd and corn flour, is the perfect accompaniment to a freshly brewed coffee or a hot chocolate on cold mountain mornings.

For their part, arepas, especially those filled with fresh cheese, are proof that the simple can become a delicacy when made with quality ingredients. In many homes, the preparation of arepas is almost a ritual: they are kneaded with patience and shared with the family, turning an everyday food into a symbol of union.

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The sweet taste of the mountain

Pamplona's sweet universe also has a prominent place. Artisanal sweets, such as guava, milk and demora, are made following traditional recipes that seek to preserve the flavors of fresh fruit and local products.

Buying a sweet in Pamplona or Chinácota is not simply acquiring a dessert: it is taking a little piece of packaged history, a way of preserving the collective memory in every bite. Many travelers cannot resist taking these products as souvenirs, as they become gifts that transmit the most authentic aspects of the region.

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Chinácota: flavors with hospitality

In Chinácota, gastronomic tradition is combined with hospitality. Its mild climate invites you to walk around the town and stop at one of its cafes or restaurants to taste typical dishes accompanied by fresh juices or a cup of mild coffee, grown on the nearby hillsides.

There, homemade empanadas, tamales wrapped in banana leaves and traditional soups such as cuchuco are part of the experience that no visitor should miss. Chinacotense cuisine has that taste of home, that touch that makes the traveler feel that he is eating at the table of a family friend.

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Chocolate and coffee: aroma of tradition

It is impossible to talk about the gastronomy of Norte de Santander without mentioning the importance of coffee and chocolate. In Pamplona, drinking a cup of Santander chocolate, frothy and accompanied by cheese or bread, is a custom that connects the present with the colonial past.

Coffee, on the other hand, has become an experience that goes beyond simple consumption: it represents the peasant culture, the work of coffee growing families and the pride of a product that conquers palates inside and outside the country.

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Parties, tables and collective memories

The relationship between gastronomy and festivities is also key in Pamplona and Chinácota. During Holy Week, patron saint festivities or family celebrations, the table becomes the main stage.

Abundant dishes, traditional recipes and shared flavors reaffirm that eating in this region is not a solitary act, but a collective experience. Food is an excuse to get together, to give thanks and to strengthen bonds.

Hotel Cariongo: where tradition is served at the table

For visitors who come to Pamplona or Chinácota looking for relaxation, the Cariongo Hotel is an ideal place not only to stay, but also to experience this gastronomic tradition. In its venues, guests can enjoy a cuisine that respects local recipes, that offers dishes prepared with fresh products from the region and that rescues the value of food as a fundamental part of the tourist experience.

The hotel's cuisine is not limited to reproducing recipes, but seeks to create a bridge between tradition and modernity. Thus, visitors can have breakfast with arepas stuffed with cheese in the traditional style, but also find proposals that combine local ingredients with a contemporary touch.

To travel is also to taste

To talk about tourism in Norte de Santander without mentioning its gastronomy would be to leave the story incomplete. Those who visit Pamplona and Chinácota not only walk through its colonial streets, nor only enjoy its climate and landscapes: they also savor its culture.

So if you are planning a visit, don't let the experience be limited to touring landscapes or admiring monuments. Give yourself the opportunity to sit at a table, order a mute, taste a freshly baked almojábana, sweeten your trip with a guava sweet and close the day with a cup of well-prepared coffee or chocolate.

At Hotel Cariongo, both in Pamplona and Chinácota, we understand that gastronomy is a fundamental part of tourism. We invite you to discover with us this journey of flavors, to let yourself be surprised by the richness of a cuisine that is, at the same time, tradition and present.

Because in the end, traveling is also about eating, and in these mountains full of history and tradition, every bite becomes an unforgettable memory.

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