How to open a restaurant in Colombia: design and build

Planning to open a restaurant in Colombia? See what to check before leasing, from kitchen layout and permits to facade design and construction.

If you want to open a restaurant in Colombia, design starts before the first drawing: check whether the space can accommodate the business you have in mind. Then come the kitchen, the facade and a fast build: every closed week still costs rent. Here is what I check when someone brings me a space to open or remodel, with examples of restaurants I designed and managed.

What to check before leasing a space to open a restaurant in Colombia

There are two questions to resolve before signing the lease.

The first is land use. Planeación Municipal (the municipal planning office) can tell you whether a restaurant, bar, or the type of business you have in mind is allowed at that address. If it is not, the space will not work, however appealing it looks.

The second is whether the space can meet sanitary requirements. Food establishments in Colombia are governed by the Ministry of Health's Resolution 2674 of 2013, which sets conditions for their spaces, surfaces, and sanitation. This is a national regulation. The Bogotá city government's guide summarizes it well; the concepto sanitario is issued by the municipal health office or, in smaller municipalities, the departmental one (the health inspection approval). A space where the kitchen cannot be ventilated, or where separate work areas will not fit, can be expensive to adapt.

If construction will affect the structure or facade, you will also need a permit from the curaduría (the private licensing office that issues building permits) or, where there is none, the municipal planning office. Exterior signs have their own municipal rules. Check those before designing the sign.

Designing the restaurant kitchen

In a restaurant, the dining room is designed around the kitchen. The first thing I draw is the workflow: where deliveries come in, where cold and dry goods are stored, where food is prepared, how finished dishes go out, and how dirty dishes come back. If those routes cross, service gets tangled during peak hours.

Once the kitchen layout is settled, the building systems come next. These are the most expensive things to move later:

• Smoke and odor extraction, with the exhaust outlet positioned to avoid problems with neighbors.
• A walk-in cooler or refrigerators, with space and electrical connections included in the plans.
• Gas lines.
• Electrical circuits for equipment, designed to comply with RETIE (Colombia's technical regulations for electrical installations).
• Drains with a grease trap.
• Restrooms for staff and, depending on the regulations and size, customers, with access for people with reduced mobility.

The facade helps sell the restaurant

People often choose a restaurant from the sidewalk. The facade is the business's first sign, and its design needs to account for the people looking at it: which street they approach from, how far away they can read the name, and what it looks like at night.

At Restaurante Antojao, a two-story, 110 m² corner space we remodeled in 2022, the name appears on both facades. One has a circular logo, the other a vertical sign, and a covered terrace gives passersby a view of the activity inside. The work used black perforated panels, exposed brick, and illuminated signs.

At JD's Factory, a two-story, 381 m² restaurant we built in 2021, the facade is a brick and perforated sheet metal volume topped by a chimney visible from a distance. These two restaurants share an approach: the building itself acts as the sign. At El Faro, another restaurant in the portfolio, the approach is different. The dining area sits beneath a tree, with an illuminated bar and a glass facade, so what people see from the street is the interior.

Retail spaces and commercial buildings

Not every commercial project is a restaurant. I have managed buildings with retail units, including Locales Amanda, with 245 m² across two floors and floor-to-ceiling storefront glazing facing the street, and Edificio Delta, with 353 m² across three floors. At a larger scale, the commercial base of the Popayán Trade Center sits beneath 12 floors of offices.

For a building with retail units, the questions change: how many units will fit, how storefronts and entrances should be arranged, and how to lay out utilities so each tenant can fit out their space without affecting the neighbors.

Keeping construction on schedule

While the space is under construction, you pay rent without making sales. That is why I finalize the design, budget, and schedule before work starts. When kitchen plans and building systems are defined, construction does not have to stop while decisions are made.

At Antojao and JD's Factory, I handled the design and project management as well as the delegated management of the work. Under that arrangement, I coordinate suppliers and construction, so the owner does not have to be on site every day.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to open a restaurant in Colombia?

A space where restaurant use is permitted; a fit-out that meets the sanitary requirements of Resolution 2674 of 2013 and the concepto sanitario from the relevant health office; a permit from the curaduría or planning office if construction affects the structure or facade; and business formalities such as registration with your city's chamber of commerce and the concepto de bomberos (fire safety inspection). Confirm the current list with each authority before opening.

How much does it cost to fit out a restaurant space?

It depends on the condition of the space, the size of the kitchen, and the building systems. As a reference, the remodel of Restaurante Antojao, with 110 m² across two floors, had a construction cost of about COP 290 million in 2022.

Do I need an architect for a small commercial space?

If construction affects the structure, facade, gas lines, or electrical systems, you need technical designs and, in many cases, a permit. Even in a small space, kitchen and building systems design is where the greatest savings come from.

How long does restaurant construction take?

It depends on the scope and whether a permit is involved. Decisions made halfway through the work cause the biggest delays. With the project fully defined before construction starts, work moves forward with fewer interruptions.

If you have a space, or are about to lease one, contact me with the city, address, floor area, and the business you want to open. You can browse all services or request a quote.