How to use Cali GastroWeb
A quick guide to finding what to eat in Cali, where to try it and how to get there. If something isn't working, check the FAQ; if you don't know a word, look it up in the glossary.
Getting started
The site follows a visitor's journey: what to eat → where to eat it → how to get there → why it matters. You can jump into any section from the menu at the top; the logo always takes you back home.
🍲 What to eat
Cali's traditional dishes with their history, ingredients, preparation and a video. Tap “See full dish” to open the details.
Go to What to eat →📍 Where to eat
Restaurants, market halls and food stalls with price lists, neighborhood and a “Get directions” button. Filter by area, dish or budget.
Go to Where to eat →🗺️ Map
All the places on one map. Tap an icon to see what they sell and their prices, or pick a place from the list.
Go to the Map →🎭 Culture
Why each dish matters: salsa, the Petronio Álvarez festival, the Feria de Cali and the neighborhoods where Cali's cuisine was born.
Go to Culture →🎬 Library
Videos, audio and readings about the food of the Valle del Cauca, organized in tabs.
Go to the Library →Searching for dishes
In What to eat, type the name of a dish or an ingredient in the search box (“Search a dish or ingredient (e.g. lulo)”). The list updates as you type, and above it you'll see how many recipes match.
By name
Accents and capital letters don't matter, and small typos are accepted.
Examples: “champus”, “pan de bono”, “sancoho”, “arroz atoyado”.By ingredient
Type something you have or something you like and you'll see the dishes that use it.
Example: “lulo” shows the lulada and the champús.With categories
Combine the search box with the Traditional, Drinks, Bakery, Desserts or Favorites buttons. If there are no results, we suggest some dishes and a button to start over.
Where to eat and prices
Filter
Choose area, dish and budget ($ budget, $$ moderate, $$$ high). Above the list you'll see how many places match your filters; “Clear filters” shows them all again.
Near me
Sorts places by distance. Your browser will ask for location permission; we only use your location on your screen and never store it.
Share a search
Your filters are saved in the page address (for example ?zona=Granada&plato=lulada). Copy the link to come back to the same search or send it to someone.
Reading prices
Each card shows the first 3 prices; tap “View N more prices” for the full list. Each price says whether it's verified, when it was checked and where it came from.
Favorites and “Got it”
❤ Favorites
Tap the heart on a recipe to save it; a confirmation message appears with a link to your favorites. To see them, use the “Favorites” button in What to eat.
✓ Got it
In a recipe's details, check off the ingredients you already have. You'll see “You have 3 of 8”, and your checks stay even if you close the page. “Uncheck all” resets them.
Where it's saved
Everything stays in this browser: there are no accounts or passwords. If you clear your browser data or use another device, you start from scratch.
Accessibility
Tap the round accessibility button at the bottom left of every page to:
Make text bigger
Choose A (normal), A+ (large) or A++ (extra large). The whole page adjusts.
High contrast
Darkens text and button colors and makes underlines stronger for easier reading.
Keyboard and screen readers
You can navigate with Tab, Enter and Esc. Images have alt text, and prices are never shown by color alone: they always have an icon and text.
Frequently asked questions
How are prices verified?
We check them on official menus, the places' social media and delivery apps, and each price shows the date it was checked and a link to its source. Prices at the place may vary.
The tags mean: verified (checked on the date shown), reference (data from previous years, for guidance only), event (official price at a festival), estimate (range based on reviews) and no published price (ask at the place).
“Near me” isn't working. What should I do?
Make sure your browser has location permission for this page (in the padlock next to the address) and that your phone's GPS is on. If you'd rather not share your location, filter by area.
Where are my favorites saved? Can I see them on another phone?
They're saved in the browser you're using, so they don't carry over to another device. We don't ask you to sign up, so you can use the site without giving any personal data.
How do I get to a place?
On the place's card or in its pop-up on the map, tap “Get directions”: the route opens in Google Maps from wherever you are.
I can't find a dish in the search
Try spelling it another way or search by an ingredient. Keep in mind that the guide covers Cali's traditional food, so dishes like pizza or hamburgers aren't included.
Is the site available in Spanish?
Yes. Use the ES | EN button in the menu. The site opens in English automatically when your phone or browser is set to English, and it remembers your choice. Dish names stay in Spanish; that's what the glossary is for.
A video or the map won't load
Videos come from YouTube and the map from OpenStreetMap, so they need an internet connection. While the map loads you'll see the message “Loading map and places…”; if it takes too long, check your connection and reload the page.
Do restaurants pay to be listed?
No. This is an academic project of the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente; places were chosen for their connection to Cali's traditional cuisine.
Cali food glossary
Food words from the Valle del Cauca that you'll see on the site, explained in one line.
- Aborrajado
- A slice of ripe plantain stuffed with cheese, battered and fried. See dish
- Ají
- A spicy sauce of chili pepper, onion, cilantro and lime served with empanadas.
- Arroz atollado
- Creamy rice with pork, chicken, ribs, papa criolla (small yellow potatoes) and hogao. See dish
- Champús (champuz)
- A cold drink made with corn, lulo and panela, with cinnamon and cloves. See dish
- Chicharrón
- Pork crackling: pork skin or belly fried until crispy.
- Cholado (cholao)
- Shaved ice with chopped fruit, syrups and condensed milk; it was born in Jamundí. See dish
- Chontaduro
- Peach palm fruit from the Pacific coast; eaten boiled, with salt or honey. See dish
- Cuajada
- Fresh, soft curd cheese; a key ingredient of pandebono.
- Galería
- What people in Cali call a market hall (Alameda, Santa Elena…).
- Hogao
- A sauté of tomato and green onion that flavors many dishes.
- Lulo
- A tart fruit with orange skin and green pulp; the base of lulada.
- Lulada
- A drink of mashed (not blended) lulo with ice, lime and sugar. See dish
- Manjar blanco
- A thick sweet of milk, sugar and rice cooked for hours in a paila. See dish
- Marranitas
- Balls of fried green plantain stuffed with chicharrón. See dish
- Paila
- A large, open copper or iron pan for slow-cooked sweets.
- Pandebono
- Baked cheese bread made with cassava starch, cheese and cuajada. See dish
- Panela
- A block of unrefined cane sugar; it sweetens drinks and desserts.
- Sancocho
- A hearty soup; the Valle version is made with free-range hen, plantain, cassava and corn on the cob. See dish
- Valluno / vallecaucano
- From the Valle del Cauca department, whose capital is Cali.
- Viche
- An ancestral Pacific-coast spirit distilled from sugarcane; recognized as cultural heritage. Adults only.