ElCielo Medellin

The Lowdown.

ElCielo’s creator-in-chief, Juan Manuel Barrientos, was the first to put Heston Blumenthal and Ferran Adrià-style molecular tricks on the menu in Medellin when he unleashed his heavenly fine-dining experience on El Poblado in 2006.

Since then, Barrientos' kitchen is one of the best alternatives to eat well in Colombia. His culinary reputation has only grown since he debuted in Medellin at the ridiculous age of 23, exporting his successful formula to Miami, Washington, and Bogota in the following years.

ElCielo’s signature tasting menu experience has become one of the main standard-bearers of haute cuisine in Colombia. The courses of this menu are 18 in total if you go for the full experience, each one inspired by one of Barrientos’ journeys across Colombia.

Borrowing avant-garde kitchen techniques from his heroes, Iwao Komivama and Juan Mari Arzak, the menu is a tribute to Barrientos’ imagination with inventive sensorial treats that repurpose Colombian classics like pork and beans into ultra-Instagrammable moments that will stay with you throughout your trip.

After 15-years of picturesque plating just off Parque Lleras, the original restaurant moved in 2021, to become the star attraction of Barrientos’ latest venture, Elcielo Hotel, in upscale Astorga. Reservations only.