On a chilly Bogotá morning, a street vendor presses corn cakes onto a small grill, flips them with her fingers, splits one open and tucks in a slab of white cheese that starts to melt straight away. It is breakfast, snack and comfort food in one.
Arepas are round cakes of pre-cooked corn dough, grilled, baked or fried, eaten across Colombia and Venezuela. In Bogotá the classic is a thin, grilled arepa with butter and melting cheese, sold by street vendors and bakeries, alongside sweeter regional styles such as corn-kernel arepa de choclo. In 2026 an arepa costs roughly COP 3,000–15,000 depending on fillings. Plain arepas with cheese contain no pork; some fillings (chicharrón, ham) do.
This guide covers the styles, what to put in them, how Bogotá eats breakfast, where to find arepas, halal tips, prices and phrases.
Colombian arepas: many styles
| Arepa | Where | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Arepa asada | Bogotá and the Andes | Thin grilled corn cake, with butter and cheese |
| Arepa de choclo | Andean regions | Sweet corn arepa, thick and soft, folded around fresh cheese |
| Arepa boyacense | Boyacá | Sweet, with cheese inside, often made with some wheat flour |
| Arepa de huevo | Caribbean coast | Fried arepa with an egg cooked inside it |
| Arepa paisa | Antioquia | Plain, thin, eaten with almost every meal |
Venezuelan arepas are thicker and split to hold fillings like a sandwich; see our guide to Venezuelan arepas and pabellón.
What goes in or on them
| Topping | Halal check |
|---|---|
| Butter and salt | Fine |
| Fresh white cheese (queso campesino, quesillo) | Usually fine; rennet varies |
| Scrambled egg with tomato and onion (huevos pericos) | Fine |
| Shredded chicken or beef | Meat not halal unless the seller is |
| Chicharrón (fried pork belly) | Pork: not halal |
| Ham and cheese | Pork: not halal |
Breakfast, Bogotá style
- Arepa with cheese and butter, plus huevos pericos.
- Hot chocolate with cheese – a Bogotá custom: drop chunks of cheese into your hot chocolate and scoop them out soft and melted.
- Changua – a milk soup with eggs, spring onion and coriander, served with bread.
- Almojábanas and pandebono – small cheese breads.
Halal note: plain arepas with butter, cheese or egg contain no pork, but some vendors cook on the same grill as chorizo or chicharrón, and some fry in lard. Classic Colombian dishes such as bandeja paisa are pork-heavy, and ajiaco (Bogotá’s chicken and potato soup) uses non-halal chicken. Bogotá has a small Muslim community and a few halal restaurants. See our halal food travel guide.
Where to find them in Bogotá
- Street vendors – especially in the morning near markets, transport stops and universities.
- Bakeries (panaderías) – arepas, cheese breads and hot chocolate.
- Paloquemao market – Bogotá’s big food market, with breakfast stalls.
- La Candelaria – the historic centre, with traditional cafés serving chocolate with cheese.
Bogotá sits at about 2,600 metres, so evenings are cool. Hot food is most welcome early and late.
What it costs (2026)
| Order | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Street arepa with cheese | About COP 3,000–8,000 |
| Arepa de choclo | About COP 5,000–10,000 |
| Filled arepa at a café | About COP 8,000–18,000 |
| Hot chocolate with cheese and bread | About COP 8,000–18,000 |
Plan your budget with the Colombia food budget calculator and check tipping in Colombia.
Spanish phrases
| Say | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Una arepa con queso, por favor | An arepa with cheese, please |
| ¿Tiene cerdo? | Does it have pork? |
| Sin cerdo, por favor | Without pork, please |
| ¿Es halal? | Is it halal? |
| ¿Cuánto vale? | How much is it? |
Frequently asked questions
What is a Colombian arepa?
A round cake of pre-cooked corn dough, grilled or fried, eaten plain or with butter, cheese or egg.
What is the difference between Colombian and Venezuelan arepas?
Colombian arepas are usually thinner and topped; Venezuelan arepas are thicker and split to hold fillings.
Are arepas halal?
Plain arepas with cheese, butter or egg contain no pork. Avoid chicharrón and ham fillings and ask about shared grills.
How much is an arepa in Bogotá?
About COP 3,000–15,000 in 2026.
More from South America: empanadas across South America and ceviche in Lima. See all Latin America food guides.
Sources
- Colombia Travel – official tourism site.
- Arepa.
