Bigotes is a very popular chain of German pizzerias with two locations in Medellín and the Aburrá Valley. Bigotes is owned by a German expat.

Local Colombians living in the neighborhoods in the Medellín metro area with this pizzeria I have talked to consider Bigotes to have really good pizza. And I agree.

Bigotes specializes in German-style pizza, which is characterized by semi-thick crust and natural and artisanal ingredients including German ham and German bacon, which is made by the pizzeria chain.

Note the above photo of a pizza is courtesy of Bigotes.

Inside the first Bigotes in Carlos E. Restrepo

History of Bigotes

A German expat named Jens owns the Bigotes pizzeria chain. He opened his first pizzeria in the Carlos E. Restrepo neighborhood about five years ago in July 2013.

Bigote is Spanish for mustache and the name of the pizzeria comes from the German owner who has a white mustache that twists on both ends.

The German expat owner Jens is an engineer who first arrived in Medellín in 2010. He was looking to escape an economic crisis in Europe at the time. He moved from Tenerife, Spain, where he lived and managed five pizzerias with his brother.

The recipe for Bigotes’ pizza was brought to Colombia by Jens, who for more than three decades perfected, along with his brother, the traditional formula of artisanal German pizzas.

The ingredients of the pizzas at Bigotes are all natural. In addition, they grow their own tomatoes, make their own sauces and smoke their own meats.

Inside the Bigotes in Guayabal at lunch

The owner’s first pizzeria in Carlos E. Restrepo became very popular. So, in September 2017, a second location was opened in Guayabal. This second pizzeria quickly become popular with locals.

Also, Bigotes opened it’s third pizzeria in Sabaneta in December 2018, which is located two blocks from Parque Sabaneta. But this Sabaneta location closed in May 2020. And they opened a pizzeria opened in Parque Lleras in El Poblado in December 2019.

Inside Bogotes’ pizzeria in Sabaneta, which opened in December 2018 but closed in May 2020

Bigotes small pepperoni pizza with mushrooms and jalapeños

The Food Menu

Bigotes specializes in pizzas and there are 27 different pizzas on the menu. Also, the pizzas come in three sizes: small with four slices, medium with six slices and large with eight slices.

The small pizzas range in price from 18,500 to 22,000 pesos. The medium pizzas range in price from 32,000 to 43,000 pesos. And the large pizzas range in price from 54,000 to 71,000 pesos.

Here is a list of the 27 different pizzas on Bigotes’ menu:

1. Ham or salami or German salami or German ham
2. Pepperoni
3. Boloñesa
4. German – with German salami and German bacon
5. Hawaiian – with German ham and fresh pineapple
6. Zombí – with German ham and mushrooms or chicken with mushrooms
7. Cazador (hunter) – with pepperoni, onion and bell pepper
8. Perla (pearl) – with mussels and shrimp
9. Bigote – with German bacon, cream cheese and jalapeños
10. Deluxe – with salmon and dill cream
11. Atún (tuna) – with tuna, corn and onion
12. Capitán (captain) – with anchovies, black olives and cream cheese
13. Ludewico – with German ham, salami and cream cheese
14. Mexican – with ground meat, corn and jalapeños
15. Gréta – with ground meat, chilis, cream cheese and blue cheese
16. Chicken BBQ – with BBQ chicken, onion, corn and BBQ sauce
17. Atlántico – with sausage, mushrooms, corn and onion
18. Campesina (peasant) – with sausage, corn and onion
19. Rustica – with German bacon, sausage, bell pepper and onion
20. Taxista (taxi driver) – with German ham, German bacon, onion and eggs
21. Española (Spanish) – with ground meat, cream cheese, corn and olives
22. Hamburgo – with anchovies, green and black olives, bell pepper
23. Vegetable – with mushrooms, corn, tomatoes and onion
24. Jardinera (gardener) – with eggplant, corn, cream cheese and tomato
25. Four cheeses – with double cream cheese, cured cheese, cream cheese and mozzarella cheese
26. Alpina (Alpine) – with blue cheese, mushrooms and figs
27. Mike – with mushrooms, blue cheese, onion and tomato

Bigotes small German pizza with German salami and German bacon

And of course, you can add or subtract ingredients to any of the above pizzas. In addition, there are no other food items on the menu besides the pizzas. Bigotes is strictly a pizzeria.

The Drink Menu

The pizzeria chain has several drinks on the menu, including several sodas for 3,500 pesos each and wine (red, white or rose) for 6,500 pesos for a cup or 36,000 pesos for a bottle.

Also, there is the German Hofbräu München beer for 15,500 pesos. And they have six different 20Mission Cerveza Artisanal beers available for 7,000 pesos each.

In addition, they have sangria available for 8,000 pesos per glass or 39,000 pesos for a pitcher.

My Experiences at Bigotes

I have a friend living in the Carlos E. Restrepo neighborhood. And my friend first took me to Bigotes about two years ago.

Bigotes has some good pizzas in my experience. I normally prefer thin-crust pizza but the thicker crust pizza served at Bigotes is very good with it’s all-natural ingredients.

Bigotes in Carlos E. Restrepo at night

Also, in my experience their location in Carlos E. Restrepo has become so popular it frequently gets packed at night with a line to enter. So, you may have to wait for a table.

In addition, the pizzas are reasonably priced. And they also serve craft beer with good prices.

How to Get to Bigotes

Bigotes has two locations in Medellín metro area listed below.

1. Carlos E. Restrepo: Calle 53 # 64A-39
2. Cristo Rey barrio of Guayabal: Carrera 52 # 3 Sur-88 (near Parque Cristo Rey)

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Bigotesmedellin/

Hours: Monday to Sunday: noon to 11:30 pm. And the Sabaneta location is open Monday to Sunday: noon to midnight.

The first Bigotes in Carlos E. Restrepo is located about a 15-minute walk from El Centro. I have done this walk several times with my Colombian friend who lives in Carlos E. Restrepo.

This pizzeria is located in an area with many local Colombian restaurants that is very popular, particularly on weekends.

The second location is in the Cristo Rey barrio of Guayabal. This pizzeria is located a short distance from Parque Cristo Rey where Iglesia de Cristo Rey is located.

One way to get to this second pizzeria is by using the Medellín Metro. To get there you would take Line A of the metro to the Poblado metro station. After arriving at the Poblado metro station, exit the station to the left. And there is usually a line of taxis. Also, it’s about a minimum fare taxi (5,500 pesos) ride from the station to the pizzeria.

Expat Businesses in Medellín

Several Medellin Guru readers have asked about expat owned businesses in Medellín. And we have now covered nine different businesses owned by expats in Medellín:

1. Pizza en Leña – a chain of two pizzerias in Sabaneta – owner is Dutch
2. Medellin Airport Transfer – an airport transportation business– owners are English and Dutch
3. Bigotes – a chain of three German pizzerias – owner is German
4. Medellín Scooter Rentals – a business renting scooters and motorcycles owned by an expat.
5. BaoBar – a Singaporean restaurant owned by an expat from Singapore and her Colombian husband.
6. Eden Bistro – a Korean restaurant owned by a Korean.
7. District 1 – a Vietnamese restaurant owned by an expat from the U.S. with Vietnamese parents
8. Korea House – a Korean restaurant owned by a Korean.
9. Oppa Asado Coreano – a Korean restaurant owned by a Korean.

We plan to cover additional businesses in Medellín owned by expats in the future.

The Best Pizzerias in Medellín

We have looked at 13 of the best pizzerias in the Medellín metro area in detail, which have very good pizzas.

1. Ammazza – a popular chain of three pizzerias in Medellín with excellent thin-crust pizzas.
2. Pizzeria Centro – a pizzeria in El Centro with very good thin-crust pizzas.
3. Café Zorba – a very popular pizzeria in El Poblado with very good vegetarian thin-crust pizzas.
4. Due Amici Pizzeria – a pizzeria in Suramericana with very good thin-crust pizzas.
5. Pizzería Olivia – a popular chain of nine pizzerias in Medellín.
6. Bigotes – a chain of three German pizzerias in Medellín – owner is German.
7. Pizza en Leña – a chain of two pizzerias in Sabaneta – owner is Dutch.
8. Ragazzi Pizzas Y Pastas – a chain with three pizzerias in the Medellín area.
9. Opera – a pizzeria in Laureles with good thin-crust pizzas.
10. Ná Pizza – a popular pizzeria in Envigado with very good thin-crust pizzas.
11. Pane y Pomodoro – a chain of two pizzerias in Medellín with good thin-crust pizzas.
12. Burro Pizzeria – a popular pizzeria in Envigado with good thin-crust pizzas.
13. Cavieli Ristorante Caffe – a popular pizzeria in Belén near Clínica las Américas.

All 13 pizzerias listed above in my opinion have better pizza than the pizza chains in Medellín like Domino’s, Jeno’s, Papa John’s, Pizza Doble Pizza, Pizza Hut or Pizzas Piccolo.

Also, we included Bigotes in our list of the best pizza places in Medellín.

In addition, in my opinion, Papa John’s has the best pizza out of the big pizza delivery chains in Colombia. But all of the above independent pizzerias we have looked at in detail have better pizzas than Papa John’s and the other pizza chains in Colombia.

A small pizza with German salami, mushrooms and jalapeños from the pizza chain

The Bottom Line – Bigotes

Bigotes’ first two Medellín pizzeria locations aren’t neighborhoods where there are many expats. So, customers are primarily local Colombians. But some expats have discovered this small pizzeria chain by word-of-mouth, as it has some good pizza.

Bigotes’ pizzeria locations are popular and successful. If you are looking for German-style pizza, Bigotes is recommended.

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Editors note: updated on April 7, 2019 to add Bigotes’ third location in Sabaneta and update the menu prices, which have changed.

Editors note: updated on January 5, 2019 to add Bigotes’ fourth location in Parque Lleras that opened on December 13, 2018.

Editors note: updated on June 9, 2020 to remove Bigotes’ Sabaneta location, which has closed.

Editors note: updated on August 15, 2021  to remove El Poblado location that has closed.