El Rancherito is a very popular chain of restaurants with nine locations in Medellín and nearby. This chain serves good comida típica – traditional Colombian dishes.
Reportedly El Rancherito is the biggest restaurant chain serving traditional Colombian food in the Antioquia region. El Rancherito restaurants will normally be packed with Colombian families. And they tend to have a nice relaxed atmosphere and will sometimes even have live music in the evenings.
In addition, you can find most of the 15 traditional Colombian dishes we previously looked at on the menu at El Rancherito. Note the above photo is courtesy of El Rancherito.
History of El Rancherito
The history of El Rancherito goes back to June 1975, when one of the founders reportedly dreamed she was building a small ranch to sell fritters, empanadas, chicken cakes and hot chocolate.
So, with her husband they began to shape that dream and started with a wood stove cooking food typical of the Antioquenos. Cars started to line up for this cooking. And this was the beginning of the first El Rancherito restaurant that opened in 1975 in Amagá, which is located south of Medellín.
After the success of the first restaurant, they decided to open a second restaurant in nearby Caldas in 1981, which is also south of Medellín.
Since that time, the chain has continued to expand where El Rancherito now has nine restaurants in Medellín and the nearby municipalities. Also, they have a restaurant in Pereira.
Bandeja Paisa, a popular dish at El Rancherito
The Food Menu
El Rancherito has a huge menu of over 20 pages. It specializes in comida típica – traditional Colombian dishes.
On the menu you’ll find over 25 traditional Colombian dishes including bandeja paisa, mondongo soup, ajiaco soup, sancocho soup and many more. Prices for Colombian dishes range from 9,800 to 38,500 pesos. And the bandeja paisa is priced at 29,800 pesos or 27,500 pesos for a smaller size.
Cazuelita de frijoles – bean casserole, photo courtesy of El Rancherito
Also, there are several meat dishes on the menu ranging in price from 24,200 to 39,800 pesos. And there are several chicken dishes priced at 21,500 to 32,500 pesos.
Mix of fish with prawns, trout, fish fillet and calamari
In addition, there are 10 fish dishes priced at 25,500 to 45,500 pesos. Also, there are four vegetarian dishes priced at 15,900 to 19,700 pesos. Also, there are 11 appetizers priced at 8,700 to 32,900 pesos.
Furthermore, they also have a kids’ menu with six options priced from 11,500 to 21,400 pesos.
One of the desserts, photo courtesy of El Rancherito
Also, there are several desserts on the menu with prices ranging from 7,800 to 9,800 pesos. But I rarely have room for a dessert after eating one of the hearty meals at El Rancherito.
The Drink Menu
The El Rancherito restaurant chain has a fairly sizable drink menu. The drink menu includes 12 different beers for 5,900 to 8,500 pesos each. And there are several different wines on the menu for 19,500 to 89,000 pesos per bottle. Also, they have pitchers of sangria for 66,000 pesos.
In addition, there are several different cocktails for 16,000 to 18,000 pesos each. Also, they have several liquors on the menu like aguardiente, rum and whisky available by bottle, half-bottle or shot.
Furthermore, the menu includes several non-alcoholic drinks including sodas, water, lemonades and juice options for 4,500 to 8,000 pesos and 14 hot beverages for 2,600 to 3,900 pesos each.
My Experiences at El Rancherito
When I used to live in Belén I went to the El Rancherito restaurant in the Los Molinos mall many times. I also have been to their restaurant in Mercado del Rio several times.
It’s one of my go-to places for a great bandeja paisa and other Colombian dishes. They have very good Colombian food in my experience. So, the El Rancherito restaurants are popular and typically full of local Colombians.
Recently I went with a friend to the El Rancherito location in Mercado del Rio for lunch. He had the Pandeja Paisa and I wanted something lighter. So, I had the Ajiaco soup, which is a popular Colombian chicken and potato soup.
My friend said the Pandeja Paisa was very good and also that he was stuffed. And the soup I had was also very good. In addition, the total for the two of us with juices was 63,600 pesos ($21.90 USD), including tip.
How to Get to El Rancherito
El Rancherito has nine restaurant locations in the Medellín area and nearby listed below with the year each restaurant opened. Also, the restaurants are found on the map above. And each of the restaurants has different hours they are open, which are also listed below. In addition, some of these restaurants are large, with seating for 300 or more like the one in Rionegro with capacity for 350.
1. Amagá (1975): Vereda Salinas, Vía Amagá Km 6, 200 meters before the toll.
Telephone: +57 4 444 9576 ext. 207
Hours: Monday to Thursday: 7:15 am to 5:30 pm, Friday to Sunday: 6:15 am to 8:45 pm.
2. Caldas (1981): Kilometer 2 Vereda La Tolva.
Telephone: +57 4 444 9576 ext. 206
Hours: Monday to Thursday: 6:15 am to 8:45 pm, Friday to Sunday: 6:15 am to 9:45 pm.
3. Copacabana (1985): Kilometer 14 Vía Girardota, Vereda Noral.
Telephone: +57 4 444 95 76 ext. 202
Hours: Sunday to Thursday: 6:00 am to 10:45 pm, Friday and Saturday: 6:00 am to 11:45 pm.
4. Guarne (1987): Kilometer 30 Medellín to Bogotá highway, 500 meters before the entrance to San Vicente.
Telephone: +57 4 444 9576 ext. 204
Hours: Monday to Sunday: 6:15 am to 9:45 pm.
5. Las Palmas (1997): Calle 18 # 35 – 50, Kilometer 2 Vía Las Palmas, Medellín
Telephone: +57 4 444 9576 ext. 201
Hours: Sunday to Wednesday: 6:30 am to 9:45 pm, Thursday to Saturday: 6:30 am to 11:45 pm.
6. Rionegro (1999): Vereda Sajonia, diagonal to the Texaco station, 500 meters before the airport.
Telephone: +57 4 444 9576 ext. 203
Hours: Sunday to Thursday: 6:15 am to 9:45 pm, Friday and Saturday: 6:15 am to 10:45 pm.
El Rancherito in Los Molinos Mall
7. Los Molinos Mall (2010): Calle 30A # 82A–26, Local 3281, Belén barrio of Medellín.
Telephone: +57 4 444 9576 ext. 205
Hours: Sunday to Thursday: 6:15 am to 8:45 pm, Friday and Saturday: 9:00 am to 10:00 pm.
El Rancherito in Mercado del Rio
8. Mercado del Rio (2016): Carrera 48 #26-1, Medellín.
Telephone: +57 4 444 9576 ext. 209
9. Viva Envigado Mall (2018): Carrera 48 # 32B Sur-139, Envigado.
Hours: Sunday to Thursday: 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, Friday and Saturday: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.
You can call to make reservations at any of these restaurants except on Sunday or holidays. You’ll need to call at least two hours in advance for reservations.
Also, El Rancherito offers domicilio (delivery) services from all of the above locations except its location in Amagá. Note that domicilio services start later and end earlier than the listed hours the restaurants are open.
In addition, El Rancherito has a 10th restaurant, which is located in Pereira that opened in 2017. It’s located at kilometer 18 on Vía Pereira to Cartago.
Website: https://elrancherito.com.co/
The Best Colombia Food (Comida Típica) in Medellín
On the Medellin Guru site we have looked at eight of the best Colombian food restaurants in Medellín metro area with good comida típica – traditional Colombian dishes:
- El Rancherito (with nine locations)
- Hacienda (with six locations)
- Hato Viejo (with four locations)
- Mondongo’s (with two locations)
- El Viejo John (with one location in Sabaneta)
- Ajiacos y Mondongos (with one location)
- La Hija de Stella (with one location in Sabaneta)
- El Peregrino (with one location in Sabaneta)
The Bottom Line – El Rancherito
El Rancherito has grown to a chain of nine popular restaurants for a good reason. They have very good comida típica – traditional Colombian dishes.
That’s why on the weekends, this restaurant chain’s restaurants are usually busy. Also, it’s a good place to soak up the Paisa atmosphere. So, if you are looking for traditional Colombian dishes, El Rancherito is recommended.
The biggest competition to El Rancherito is Hacienda and Hato Viejo, which are two other chains that also have very good traditional Colombian food in my experience.
Sign up for the Free Medellin Guru Newsletter – You can see all of the previous Medellin Guru weekly email newsletters and sign up here.
Editors note: updated on October 6, 2018 with a new El Rancherito location in the new Viva Envigado mall.
Editors note: updated on August 12, 2019 with updated menu options and prices.
5 thoughts on “El Rancherito: A Popular Chain of Colombian Restaurants in Medellín”
how many universities are in Medellin and college
Here is a list – https://www.unipage.net/en/universities/medellin and another list with rankings – https://www.4icu.org/co/antioquia/
Thanks, very nice review. I tried Rancherito today at Los Molinos mall based on this article and the bandeja paisa was delicious. I was so full but had to also try a dessert and had the Tiramisu that was excellent.
Hi Richard, thanks, glad you liked it. And yes the bandeja paisa is very filling.
This place is a must visit. El Rancherito has typical Colombia cuisine that is very good and the restaurants have a nice rustic charm. The Bandeja Paisa is amazing and they have a huge selection of other Colombian dishes on the menu and the portions are generous.