LABRIEGO: IF YOU ARE GOING TO THE SALT CATHEDRAL IN ZIPAQUIRA, YOU SHOULD EAT HERE
The Cost - $8 per person
The Atmosphere – Located in the town of Zipaquirá, about an hour outside of the Colombian capital of Bogotá, Labriego is one of the only, if not the only, modernly decorated eatery around and opened in 2021. It is situated right off the Plaza de Independencia and is just a three-minute walk from its other main plaza. The restaurant also has free wifi for its diners. There is no way to make online reservations.
One of the most well-known attractions in Colombia is the Catedral de Sal, the Salt Cathedral. The functioning cathedral is set about 660 feet underground inside former salt mines and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. There aren’t good food options at the Salt Cathedral, so if you come all the way to Zipaquirá, you are likely going to want to have a meal and Labriego is one of the restaurants in town where you can do just that. The owners of Labriego, which means laborer, named the restaurant for their parents who were farmers for all of their lives. The food at Labriego is sourced from the region around it and the chef creates dishes that cross cultures all through his own interpretation.
The Order – Ceviche Clásico Peruano and Costillas de Cerdo.
The Fantastic – The Costillas de Cerdo were excellent. A half rack of slow-cooked pork ribs that are in a glaze made from panela, an unrefined whole cane sugar product popular in Latin and South America, and chiles, and topped with a panela barbeque sauce as well as black and white sesame seeds and scallions. The pork meat is juicy and tender and is easy to bite right off the bone and the sauce is absolutely delicious; it is sweet and just a touch spicy and there is plenty of it on the ribs. That is great because the entrée is also served with some very good french fries that you can dip into the excess sauce on the plate. This dish is a winner and at $9, an incredible value.
The Great – The Ceviche Clásico Peruano was a nicely done version of a typical Peruvian ceviche. Labriego uses fresh tilapia as the fish for the dish and marinates it in leche de tigre, which is not actually tiger’s milk but the substance that remains from everything that is placed into the ceviche like the lime, onions, chiles, salt, and the juices of the tilapia. In addition to the marinated fish with the onions, lime, and chiles, there are also toasted corn kernels, cilantro, and avocado which add freshness, crunch, and flavor. Overall, this ceviche was lovely and for $6 it’s an absolute steal.
The Verdict – If you find yourself in Zipaquirá, whether it is to see the Catedral de Sal or not, you should definitely head to Labriego for lunch or dinner – the food is excellent, and it will be one of the best value meals of your life.