Being vegetarian at a Medellín rooftop used to mean settling for the one salad on the menu while the rest of the table enjoyed dishes with identity. That reality is changing. Not because rooftops added a “veggie” section out of obligation, but because the most interesting ones discovered that vegetables, treated with the same seriousness as any protein, can be the most memorable thing on the table.
Etro Rooftop operates on that logic. Its vegetarian proposition isn’t a concession — it’s a conviction.
Conscious dining in a rooftop format
The concept of conscious dining goes beyond removing meat from the plate. It implies an intentional relationship with what you eat: where the ingredient comes from, how it was grown, what technique transformed it, and how it fits into an experience involving all five senses.
At a rooftop where views, music, and cocktails compete for attention, food needs to earn its place. For anyone on a vegetarian diet, this is especially relevant: it’s not enough for the dish to have no meat — it needs to have soul.
Colombia’s local vegetables offer a natural advantage here. The country’s biodiversity means access to fruits and vegetables that are exotic elsewhere but everyday here. Working with that produce, freshly harvested, with techniques that enhance flavor and texture rather than disguise shortcomings, is what separates a serious vegetarian proposition from an improvised one.
Etro: vegetables in a sharing format
Etro’s gastronomic proposition includes a variety of preparations based on local vegetables and fruits, worked with modern and fresh techniques. The sharing-plates format is the natural vehicle for this approach.
For a vegetarian, sharing plates eliminate the frustration of the “alternative menu.” There’s no individual plate marked as “the veggie option” — there are preparations that share the table with everything else and that any diner, vegetarian or not, can try and enjoy.
This format has a social advantage that shouldn’t be underestimated: at a table where some eat everything and others are vegetarian, sharing plates let everyone participate in the same experience. There’s no gastronomic segregation. The vegetable dish isn’t “someone’s” plate — it’s the table’s plate.
And when the vegetable dish is the one everyone wants to try first, the proposition is working.
The Binn ecosystem: La Makha and root cuisine
Within Binn Hotel, the vegetarian proposition extends beyond the rooftop. La Makha, the complex’s restaurant, works with an approach of Colombian craft cuisine and responsible agriculture that produces vegetarian dishes at an exceptional level.
Two examples that illustrate the standard:
Roasted watermelon ceviche. A reinterpretation where the fruit assumes the role normally occupied by fish. The roasting technique transforms the watermelon’s texture, creating a consistency that surprises the palate. It’s not a substitute — it’s a proposition that exists in its own right.
Stracciatella with smoked peas. Smoking, a technique typically associated with animal proteins, is applied to peas to create a deep, complex flavor profile. The stracciatella provides creaminess. The result is a dish that doesn’t need meat to have body, character, and memory.
These aren’t improvised dishes created to “have something vegetarian.” They’re creations by Chef David Suárez Estrada that demonstrate plant-based cuisine can be the most interesting part of the menu when approached with the same ambition as any other line.
For diets beyond vegetarian
The base of local vegetables and fruits, combined with modern techniques, facilitates adaptations for different dietary needs:
- Vegans will find dishes that don’t rely on dairy or animal derivatives. Inquiring when booking allows the team to prepare specific suggestions.
- Celiacs or gluten-intolerant guests benefit from a cuisine centered on fresh produce where flours aren’t protagonists. Indicating the restriction when booking is recommended.
- Dairy-free diets find natural options in Etro’s seafood and vegetable proposition that don’t require modifications.
The general recommendation is to communicate any needs when booking. Not to limit the experience, but so the team can enhance it with thoughtful preparations rather than last-minute adaptations.
Reservations
For those whom conscious dining is an important part of the experience, booking in advance and indicating preferences allows the team to prepare a table that doesn’t feel like a reduced version of the menu, but a complete and designed one.
Reservations are managed through the official channels of Binn Hotel and Etro Rooftop. When booking, you can check the updated menu, ask about specific vegetarian options, and request recommendations for non-alcoholic cocktails or those with local ingredients that complement the gastronomic experience.
Frequently asked questions
Does Etro have a vegetarian menu?
The menu includes preparations based on local vegetables and fruits designed with the same seriousness as the rest of the proposition. It’s not a separate menu — it’s an integral part of the full offering.
Are there vegan options?
Yes. Within Binn Hotel’s ecosystem, both Etro and La Makha offer dishes that work for vegan diets. Checking when booking is recommended.
Can dishes be adapted for gluten-free diets?
The fresh-produce base facilitates adaptations. Indicating the need when booking allows the team to prepare optimal options.
Does the sharing format work for mixed groups?
It’s ideal. Sharing plates let vegetarian and non-vegetarian diners enjoy the same table without separate menus.
Book your vegetarian experience through the official channels of Binn Hotel / Etro Rooftop.
