Plaza de Mercado La Perseverancia

La Perseverancia is one of Bogotá's district markets, and its cooked-food stalls have become a destination for anyone who wants to eat traditional Colombian food at market prices. The market was founded in 1940 by families who came to the capital from different regions of Colombia, in a neighbourhood that began as an informal settlement, and that mix of origins is still reflected in what the kitchens cook.

The food spans the country. The city's market information lists seafood such as prawns, octopus and fish ceviche, alongside regional dishes including mazamorra, arroz con coco, plátano en tentación, sancocho de pescado, cocido boyacense and chanfaina. The ajiaco santafereño cooked by Luz Cogollo is well known, and there are desserts and drinks such as aborrajados, tamarind juice and strawberries with cream. One of the best-known kitchens, Tolú or Mamá Luz, was recommended by chef Álvaro Clavijo of El Chato for its prawn ceviche, goat stew and ajiaco.

According to the city's information, the market opens from 8:00 to 16:00 on weekdays and from 6:00 to 17:00 on Saturdays and Sundays, but hours for individual kitchens vary, so aim for lunchtime when every stall is cooking. Weekends are the liveliest days. The market also has a children's reading corner run by the city's IPES agency, open on weekday afternoons from 14:00 to 16:00, which is handy for families. Bring cash in small notes, be ready to share a table, and ask the cooks what is good that day.

The market suits budget travellers, food lovers and anyone who wants a meal with local families rather than in a tourist restaurant. Come hungry, try a regional dish you will not easily find elsewhere, and finish with a juice.

The market is at Calle 30A No. 4A-06, in the La Perseverancia neighbourhood next to La Macarena, a short distance north-east of the Museo Nacional. It combines well with a morning at the Museo Nacional. As with any market, keep your belongings close, and take a taxi if you are unsure of the route. A visit here gives a clear sense of how the families who founded the market brought the cooking of their home regions to the capital.