The Superb Seafood of Providencia and San Andrés

Colombia’s Caribbean islands of Providencia and San Andrés take full advantage of the azure seas surrounding them. We feasted on magnificently fresh seafood in casual and upscale restaurants alike. I particularly enjoyed the mixed seafood plates some of the restaurants offer, which allowed us to sample a range of delicacies caught just that day.

On Providencia, we lunched at El Divino Niño, relaxing at a table on the sands of Southwest Bay beach in the shade of an almond tree. The $16 mixed platter for one person overflowed with more than enough seafood for the two of us, including tender conch, a perfectly cooked lobster tail, sweet shrimp and a delectable whole red snapper. Although we sat at a simple plastic table and chairs, it was bliss to dine on such fresh seafood mere feet from the water’s edge. Indeed, some fellow diners had waded ashore from our hotel's motorboat, taking a break from their circumnavigation of the island.

On San Andrés, I had my favorite meal at La Regatta, a more formal overwater restaurant near the marina of San Andrés town. With three of its sides open to the sea, the restaurant presented mesmerizing views from its nautically themed interior, and at lunch, we had no problem securing a window-side table. What a pleasure to sit in the light Caribbean breeze, contemplating the tempting menu while sipping a restorative cocktail of fresh watermelon, mint and gin. I opted for an appetizer of succulent local black crab served in its shell, and the “Fiesta Náutica Sea Flower,” a mouthwatering plate of fresh lobster tail, mussels, crab claws, baby octopus, squid and shrimp served with coconut rice. The calamari and octopus were a little overcooked, but the fish and crustaceans were expertly prepared. With its fine seafood, comfortably casual atmosphere and yacht-harbor views, La Regatta should make the itinerary of anyone who visits San Andrés.