X.O.

X.O. comes from the same group as Carmen and sits on the same block in El Poblado. Rob Pevitts opened it with the first two cooks he hired for Carmen, Mateo Ríos and Sebastián Marín. In 2023 it ranked 27th on the Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants list.

You eat at a counter facing the kitchen, with a long tasting menu. The idea is to cross Colombia from north to south and west to east: each route inspires a menu, so the dishes change from season to season. One course arrives on a map of Colombia.

They buy from small-scale fishermen, farmers and artisans, and run their own lab, the BioLab, where they try to use every part of an ingredient. They say themselves they want a fun dinner, not a solemn one.

It's open Wednesday to Saturday, with service at 7:00 p.m. You book on its website.

What to see

• The counter facing the kitchen, where you watch each dish being made.
• The course served on a map of Colombia.
• Regional fruits and ingredients you rarely see in the city.
• The kitchen team, who explain the dishes at the counter.

Getting there

• Carrera 36 #10A-45, El Poblado, a few steps from Carmen restaurant.
• By taxi or on foot from Provenza.

Tips

• Book early: it only opens four nights a week and the counter has few seats.
• If you have a dietary restriction, mention it when you book; in past years they had vegetarian and pescatarian versions.
• For a drink before, Bar Carmen is on the same block and is in the 50 Best Discovery guide for 2026.