Dinner with a view at restaurant La Octava Maravilla in Medellín
During one of our trips to Medellín, my Colombian travel partner wanted to surprise me with dinner at a restaurant in Medellín with the best view of the city. Where? I had no idea; the location was kept secret, right down to ordering the taxi to bring us to our destination. So: we got in the taxi and the surprise could begin!
From our hotel in el Poblado, we drove through Envigado to the suburb of Sabaneta and I really had no idea where we were going. Most of the famous restaurants are not in the suburbs, so I found this so strange! As the taxi climbed further up and the streets became narrower, I became more and more curious. We were now totally “off the beaten track.”
Even when the driver dropped us off at our end destination, -restaurant La Octava Maravilla- and we were greeted by two funny characters, I still had no idea. When we receive a bag of popcorn, I felt like we had entered a circus! With the bag of popcorn in our hands, we were guided toward a restaurant and there I got the real surprise, a fantastic, expansive view of Medellín! This was truly a surprise!
Now the meaning of the restaurant’s name also became clear to me; la Octava Maravilla=the eighth wonder of the world -:) The view was spectacular despite the clouds and I couldn’t get enough of taking pictures, from all angles.
After all the photographing, it was time for a drink. It became a piña colada, which was beautifully served in a pineapple.
We were not the only enthusiasts, as it was a coming and going of families and many couples, holding each other intimately, making it a romantic evening.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere was kept up by the entertaining staff. There was so much to see, that we almost forgot that we still had to eat! We ordered the churrasco and kept enjoying the ambiente. Although we ordered the steak tres cuatro (medium well), it was far too well done, but the delicious side dishes made up for a lot; nice potatoes and a salad with a delicious salsa of tomate de arbol.
After dinner we went for a final photo session. A photo with the the funniest staff member was not to be missed ofcourse!
While waiting for the taxi, we enjoyed one last view of Medellín as the line for the restaurant only grew longer.
The surprise was an enormous success!
Written by Jeanette
Travel date: June 2022
Tips and information
(Updated August 2025)
- Restaurante La Octava Maravilla is located in Sabaneta, a suburb of Medellín. That is why it is also called the Mirador Sabaneta. Come early because the restaurant is very popular with locals and you can’t make reservations.
- As a tourist, you can only pay in cash. Locals can also pay by bank transfer. Update August 2025: While we could only pay cash in 2022, the restaurant’s official site and several sources on the internet, mention that international visitors can now pay by Visa or Mastercard as well.
- A taxi from el Poblado via the InDriver App cost us COP20,000/$5 and the ride takes 30-40min. For the return trip, we paid COP25,000/$6. Expect to pay a bit more in 2025 for ta taxi/Uber to and from the restaurant.
Look here for even more great restaurants and bars in Medellín.
Find more info on fun things to do in Medellín and more, in our travel guide Medellín.
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