El chef Iván Cadena, quien pasó también por Central -la cocina del chef peruano Virgilio Martínez-, tiene un restaurante que combina lo mejor de la cocina bistró con las verduras de producción local. Esto le dio el puesto 99 de la Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021. En Mesa Franca debe sí o sí acompañar sus platos con uno de los cocteles experimentales de Tom Hydzik, de Polonia, y la propuesta de vinos de la sommelier María Paula Amador, más un buen corazón tierno de ternera con rábano, vinagre de guayaba, queso de cabra y crumble de manzana dulce y masa madre.

For a tasty dinner with great cocktails and general merriment before the real rumpus starts, I head to Mesa Franca. Tom Hydzik makes great cocktail specials with viche, an unripe sugarcane distillate from Colombia’s Pacific coast, and chef Ivan Cadena’s creative use of local ingredients in his dishes make every dinner here memorable. Thursday nights they invite a local DJ to spin salsa and Colombian music.

The brand new Mesa Franca is a true destination spot: Chef Ivan Cadena, who had worked with Michelin-endorsed Virgilio Martinez, has converted a derelict house IGNORE INTO this cozy restaurant. Try his steak tartare studded with granadilla seeds, or morsel-sized braised pork empanadas. Meanwhile, for classic, home-style Colombian dishes ideal for sharing, try Tábula.

The brand new Mesa Franca is a true destination spot: Chef Ivan Cadena, who had worked with Michelin-endorsed Virgilio Martinez, has converted a derelict house into this cozy restaurant. Try his steak tartare studded with granadilla seeds, or morsel-sized braised pork empanadas. Meanwhile, for classic, home-style Colombian dishes ideal for sharing, try Tábula.

I can never decide where to go, so I rotate between Mesa Franca and Salvo Patria. Both of these guys are in our neighborhood and always deliver quality, local-style dishes with a twist. For example, Mesa Franca might serve mussels with chicharrón, and on Thursday nights, it has a DJ play salsa while they roast suckling pig.

A longstanding favorite in the capital, Mesa Franca continues to do a roaring trade despite increased competition. The ambiance, knowledgeable staff, and attention to detail ensure that their guests return time and again. Refined yet convivial, it’s as good a spot for a business dinner as it is for a lunch with a friend.

Mesa Franca: Dirigido por el chef Iván Cadena, este restaurante y bar de autor presenta una cocina honesta y espontánea, con sabores criollos y técnicas tradicionales. Su propuesta rinde homenaje a las raíces de la gastronomía colombiana, valorando y celebrando la riqueza de sus tradiciones culinarias.

Opened in late 2016, Mesa Franca is already making a name for itself. A sort of Colombian bistro in the same vein as El Chato and Prudencia, the restaurant serves fish from the Pacific coast and house made pastas, plus a line of snacks like buñuelos and carimañolas to accompany their bar program.

Equally dedicated to elevating the profile of national cuisine is the elegant Mesa Franca. Dishes fuse international concepts with Colombian twists, making local produce like tropical fruits, root vegetables, seafood and salsas the chief protagonist. _restaurantemesafranca.com

Mesa Franca is as young and innovative as the chef that heads it up, Iván Cadena. The restaurant got started in 2016 and by 2022 placed No.49 in the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants awards. Also in the Chapinero Alto area, it took over one of the old houses in the area.

Red rice with tuna, tartar, sunflower seeds, cilantro and chives. Located in a converted mansion in Chapinero Alto, Mesa Franca embodies casual sophistication. Here, the focus is bistronomy: bistro cooking with gastronomic techniques.

The menu at this stunner in Chapinero is petite but covers the bases including an encocado soup and a seafood pasta which are top sellers.