Celele

Cartagena

A colourful Caribbean spot celebrating native ingredients and the communities that produce them

From the cheerful blue of the exterior walls to the staff’s warm welcome, Celele has a friendly, relaxed vibe which belies its seriously impressive credentials. Since opening, the team has racked up a stellar array of accolades, including being No.6 on the 2024 Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list and earning  the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award, as part of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021 to name just two. Now, thanks to its exceptional commitment to the environment, local communities and ethical sourcing, Celele is the well-deserving winner of the Sustainable Restaurant Award 2025.

“We particularly loved Celele’s dedication to native ingredients and native partnerships,” says Juliane Caillouette Noble, managing director of The Sustainable Restaurant Association. “The team purchases directly from farmers and fishers to guarantee fair and stable income, as well as deliberately supporting sustainable operations – like those using traditional fishing methods that protect local stocks and ecosystems

They also buy fresh flowers and vegetables from the Granitos de Paz community, an initiative that creates urban gardens in vulnerable areas of the city, generating opportunities and improving quality of life for locals. Colombia is richer in biodiversity than any nation in the world, with the highest density of species per square metre, and we’re so impressed with how Celele's practices and policies are helping to protect that biodiversity.”

Clever waste reduction schemes help Celele minimise its environmental impact, such as a dishwashing system which incorporates water recirculation and a “seed-to-shell” ethos which helps dramatically reduce food waste by incorporating more than 90 per cent of all agricultural inputs in their entirety. The team also collaborate with a company to recycle materials like glass, cardboard and outdated electronics.

Education is also key to Celele’s sustainable practices, with the team conducting ongoing research into local ingredients and culinary techniques and sharing its findings in order to expand collective knowledge.

The team also facilitates projects with international journalists, introducing them to the region’s gastronomic culture and biodiversity, as well as training staff on responsible fishing practices, enabling them to educate customers about the origins of the seafood served.

Celele’s commitment to its core values starts at home, with a strong emphasis on team well-being and development, with schemes such as an interest-free loan fund which can be used by employees who wish to improve their housing conditions. Despite its success, the team is sticking to its core values and ethical principles by focusing on internal growth and operational improvement rather than expanding in size or scale.

The Sustainable Restaurant Award is given to the restaurant that achieves the highest environmental and social responsibility rating as determined by 50 Best’s audit partner, the Sustainable Restaurant Association. All restaurants on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 1-100 list were invited to enter the award via self-nomination and each entry was assessed across three main pillars: sourcing, society and environment.

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