New bars and restaurants in trendy El Poblado are elevating an already superb dining scene.

Mamba Negra

There are foods that have defined Medellín , like the national dish that hails from here, bandeja paisa (a plate stacked with beans, plantains, chorizo, a fried egg, avocado, and chicharrón) and steaming bowls of hearty sancocho, or stew. But the city's kitchens today hum with something new, thanks to a wave of creative energy that has reshaped the Colombian city over the past decade.

A cocktail at Mamba Negra

Mamba Negra

A dish at Test Kitchen Lab

Test Kitchen Lab

Much of that has been concentrated in El Poblado, long a trendsetting neighborhood, whose dining scene is now made up of tasting menus, fermentation labs, and cocktail dens. The newest addition is Wake Medellín , a $65 million endeavor with a 128-room wellness-focused hotel and some of the city's most exciting restaurant openings coming this summer.…