Le Pub Bar Restaurant: Colombian Comfort Food in Paramaribo
A colorful slice of Medellín tucked into Maretraite, where bandeja paisa meets Suriname's easy tropical evenings.
Why Go
Suriname is famous for its Javanese, Creole, and Chinese cooking, so stumbling on a proper Colombian kitchen in a residential Paramaribo neighborhood feels like discovering a passport stamp you didn't know you had. Le Pub is small, friendly, and unabashedly Paisa - the kind of place where the arepas hit the plancha the second you order and the staff pours you a Colombian soft drink you've probably never tried.
The Experience
Le Pub sits on Jozef Israelstraat in Maretraite 5, a quiet residential pocket north of Paramaribo's centrum. The dining room is bright and casually decorated in the reds, yellows, and blues of the Colombian flag, and there's a breezy outdoor terrace for when the heat softens after sunset. Service is warm and unhurried - expect the owner to swing by your table to explain the menu if you look uncertain, and don't be surprised if reggaeton or cumbia is playing at a conversational volume. It's a locals-and-regulars spot rather than a tourist hangout, which is exactly why the food tastes like someone's abuela is running the pass.
What to Try
Order the bandeja paisa - the full-monty Colombian platter of grilled steak, chicharr├│n, chorizo, red beans, rice, fried egg, sweet plantain, arepa, and avocado. It's the house benchmark and easily feeds one very hungry traveler or two curious ones. Beyond that, the arepas (try them stuffed with cheese or shredded beef) and the empanadas are excellent bar snacks, and any daily special chalked up on the board is usually a home-cooked stew worth asking about. Wash it down with a Colombiana soda or a cold Parbo beer.
Insider Tip
Weekends fill up fast with Paramaribo's Colombian and Venezuelan diaspora, so call ahead (+597 456-350) to reserve a terrace table on Friday or Saturday night. Weekdays are quieter and the kitchen has more time to talk you through off-menu specials - that's when to come if you want to eat like a regular.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Jozef Israelstraat 35, Maretraite 5, Paramaribo. Roughly a 10-minute taxi from the historic centre - easiest to arrive by cab or rideshare as street parking is limited and the neighborhood is residential. Hours are generally 11:00-21:00 Monday through Saturday (closed Sunday, but confirm by phone as hours can shift). Cash (SRD) is king; card acceptance is inconsistent, so bring Surinamese dollars. Prices are gentle by international standards - a full bandeja paisa with a drink typically lands in the mid-range for Paramaribo.
Pair It With
- Fort Zeelandia & Waterkant — Spend late afternoon walking the historic riverfront and old fort, then cab north to Maretraite for a Colombian dinner as the heat drops.
- Palmentuin (Palm Garden) — A shady stroll through the royal palm grove pairs well with a hearty bandeja paisa lunch afterward - both are relaxed, unhurried Paramaribo experiences.
- Parbo Bier tasting at a local warung — Do a Surinamese-Javanese lunch of bami or nasi at a warung earlier in the day, then swing to Le Pub at dinner to bookend your day with two very different immigrant cuisines shaping modern Paramaribo.
- Commewijne plantation bike tour — After a sweaty morning cycling old coffee and cacao estates across the river, Le Pub's chicharr├│n and cold Colombiana soda are a well-earned reward.