Santa Marta, Colombia’s Best Burger
Playa Alta in Taganga is the best burger on the Colombian Caribbean Coast.
Imagine biting into a juicy, flavor-packed burger with the perfect amount of crunch and a delcious, savory house sauce. You’re sitting on a rooftop balcony, watching the sun set over one of the most stunning bays on the Colombian Caribbean coast.
No, it’s not a dream. While most people would be surprised such a luxury burger dining experience exists in Colombia, this is no joke.
Welcome to Playa Alta, the best burger on the Colombian Caribbean Coast.
Location: Rooftop Balcony With a VIEW.
Playa Alta is perfectly situated on a mountainside in Taganga, a little fishing town right next to Santa Marta. From the rooftop balcony, you get absolutely spectacular views of the green mountains that border the turquoise bay filled with sailing and fishing boats.
Oh, and Santa Marta has the best sunsets in the whole world. Really. So come prepared to snap that perfect photo of your burger, cocktails, and friends with a divine purpley-pink sunset background.
Food: Champion Burgers like La Perla.
The champion of the 2023 Burger Master competition, La Perla is a burger you will dream about—for years to come. On your flight home, you’ll remember this burger and your mouth will water. You’ll book a trip back to Colombia just to eat here one more time.
It’s that good.
Juicy, flavorful, burger meat is just the beginning. This work of art combines Philadelphia cream cheese with crunchy bacon and blue cheese for a creamy base of delicious sabor. Then, it’s topped with sweet uchuva jam—made from exotic yellow-orange cherry fruits. That surprise hit of sweetness combines magically with the salty bacon and meat.
But they didn’t stop there. They added a perfectly toasted parmesan cheese disk to add a little crunch—and then a little more cheese, too. Finally, they topped it off with the special house sauce. That’s a winner—literally.
Oh, and that’s just one of over twenty burgers you can choose from on the menu. All burgers are served with fries. And they’re fantastic too—thick rustic fries with a stunning house sauce that you’ll definitely ask for more of. *drool drips onto keyboard*
Drinks: 10/10
As if creating the perfect burger wasn’t enough, Playa Alta decided to show everyone up with amazing drinks as well. From mocktails to milkshakes, this place has got it all.
I’m particularly keen on the frutos acidos michelada Soda Hatsu. With mango, passion fruit, lime, and spicy tajin, this drink is full of fruity goodness and combines fantastically with any burger.
They also have happy hour from 5-8 pm for their cocktails—get two for 35mil COP, (about $8.00).
Price: Under $40 Dinner for Two
The burgers here all come with fries, and are very reasonably priced, from 30-55 mil COP, or about $7-$13. Add a few drinks and an appetizer or a dessert, and you can easily spend less than $40 for a meal for two.
Playa Alta: Santa Marta’s Best Burger
Now, I know burgers aren’t a traditional dish from the Colombian Caribbean coast. But the combination of uniquely-Colombian ingredients like uchuva jam in La Perla burger, grilled costeño cheese in the Taganga burger, and sweet plantains in the Costeña burger makes this burger joint distinct—and memorable.
Make the trip to Taganga, and after a day of snorkeling, hiking, or relaxing at the beach, this is the burger place you absolutely must enjoy.
But be warned, you might start craving these burgers back and home and have to book a trip back to Colombia just to eat here again.
Playa Alta Burger Information*
Address: Vía Sta. Marta - Taganga, Taganga, Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia (click here for the exact Google maps location)
Website: https://playaaltaburger.com/
Operating Hours: Monday to Friday 6-11pm, Saturday to Sunday 5-11pm
Average Cost Per Person: $ 15-20
*This information is accurate as of May 2026. Make sure to double-check the website to find the latest details and possible changes.
Special thanks to my friends at Playa Alta Burger for sharing their incredible photos with me!
Disclaimer: The first two photos featured in this article are property of Playa Alta Burger and have been reproduced with permission.