Restaurant
Celele
Chef Jaime Rodríguez's acclaimed Getsemaní restaurant, reinterpreting the produce and traditions of Colombia's Caribbean region; No. 48 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025.
Juan del Mar
A long-running restaurant and pizzeria on the Plaza de San Diego, serving seafood, Cartagena-style dishes and thin-crust pizzas in a restored Republican-era house.
At a glance
- Type
- Seafood and gourmet pizza
- Area
- San Diego, Cartagena, Colombia
- Price
- $$$ · Upscale
- Official site
- juandelmar.com
Good to know
- Live music
- Pizzeria
- Delivery
- Online reservations
Why we recommend it
Juan del Mar is a fixture of the Plaza de San Diego in the walled city, and its own website calls it a well-known feature of the square. The restaurant occupies a restored house from the Republican era that keeps its original floors and walls, paired with eclectic decoration, and it combines a full restaurant with a pizzeria, so it can serve both a formal seafood dinner and a quick pizza. Its menu and booking pages are linked from the homepage, and the restaurant is on Instagram as @juandelmarcartagena.
The menu is built around seafood and fish, with dishes given a Cartagena touch. Highlights include a creamy rice with king prawns made for two, grilled white fish served on a creamy potato base, pasta with clams, tomato and white wine and the lomo a la cartagenera, grilled beef tenderloin with a fresh criollo sauce of tomato and onion. The thin-crust gourmet pizzas are popular, including a melanzane version with mozzarella, roasted aubergine, parmesan and basil.
There is live music and what the restaurant describes as a Caribbean atmosphere, which suits the square's evening mood. It works well for families, as the pizzeria side offers simpler choices for children, and for groups who want a mix of dishes.
Service is split into lunch and dinner. The website gives daily hours of 12:30 to 15:00 and 18:30 to 23:00, though another section says lunch runs until 15:30, so check if you plan a late lunch. Reservations are taken on +57 312 714 8778, and there is a separate delivery number, +57 320 447 7621, for pizzas and dishes to your hotel or apartment. Online booking and the menu are linked from the website.
The Plaza de San Diego is in the northern part of the walled city, close to Las Bóvedas, the walls and the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara. La Cevichería is a few steps away on Calle Stuart, Diving Planet, which runs dive trips to the Rosario Islands, has its office on the plaza, and the bars of the old town and Getsemaní are within walking distance. Allow around an hour and a half for dinner, longer if you stay for the music.
Juan del Mar FAQs
Where is Juan del Mar?
On the Plaza de San Diego, at N° 8-12, in the walled city.
What kind of food does it serve?
Seafood and fish dishes with a Cartagena touch, plus thin-crust gourmet pizzas.
What are the opening hours?
Daily from 12:30 for lunch and from 18:30 to 23:00 for dinner, according to its website.
How do I book?
By phone on +57 312 714 8778 or through the online reservation link.
Does it deliver?
Yes, there is a delivery line on +57 320 447 7621.
Is there live music?
Yes, the restaurant offers live music in a Caribbean atmosphere.
Is it good for families?
Yes, the pizzeria menu offers simpler options alongside the seafood dishes.