Santa Cruz La Laguna
Up in the village, this brilliant community project comedor is run by local students who are learning to make traditional Guatemalan dishes to global…
Must-see restaurants in Guatemala
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Antigua
The restaurant of the exclusive B&B Mesón Panza Verde dishes up divine continental cuisine in an appealing Antiguan atmosphere. The menu features an…
Guatemala City
Set under a thatched palapa roof with a soft marimba soundtrack, this is Zona 10's best comida típica (regional food) restaurant. The atmosphere and food…
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Antigua
Front of house at this restaurant looks just like the early-20th-century general store it once was, but with the walls racked with a rather more…
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Chichicastenango
This charming cafe is tucked into the outside corner of Centro Comercial Santo Tomás and is a gem if you want to step back from the bustle of the market…
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Guatemala City
As the prices may suggest, this is some of the city's finest dining, with a wide-ranging menu offering some good fusion dishes, leaning heavily on…
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Restaurant Cerro San Cristóbal
Guatemala
Contender for the slow-food star of the Antigua area, this restaurant puts its own organically grown produce on the table. Giant salads are loaded with…
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Quetzaltenango
This charming upstairs restaurant refreshes palates with generous plates from around Asia – Chinese dumplings, Indonesia satay, pad thai, Vietnamese…
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Guatemala City
This tiny hole-in-the-wall eatery serves up excellent 'modernized' versions of classic Maya dishes. The menu is impressively wide – featuring beef,…
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Antigua
Loungey Luna de Miel offers dozens of savory and sweet variations on the classic crepe – try the chapín version stuffed with avocado, cheese and fried…
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Antigua
Dedicated to the eponymous artist, this brightly colored and ever-busy bar-restaurant has an enormous range of tasty Mexican fare, including some of the…
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Antigua
This intimate, candlelit salon across the way from La Merced has just a few tables, with the kitchen behind the bar. Hector, who hails from Guatemala City…
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Antigua
This courtyard restaurant is always packed with locals who know a good thing when they see it. If you don't come for the huge Guatemalan breakfast, make…
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Antigua
The bright 'Andy Warhol does Zapata' wall mural at Cactus gives an idea of how it mixes up traditional and new-wave Mexican food, with superb salsas…
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Quetzaltenango
This simple but cheerful dining hall is a good place to savor Xela home cooking, with daily specials like jocón (stew with tomatillo and cilantro) and…
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Quetzaltenango
Authentic south Indian fare is whipped up here by a fellow from Kerala. Servings are huge; the thalis – platters of curried veggies, chicken or beef – are…
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Panajachel
Behind the swinging doors, Circus Bar has a cabaret atmosphere, with live music nightly from 7:30pm to 10:30pm. There is good pizza and even better pasta,…
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San Marcos La Laguna
This cheerily painted clapboard canteen serves up big healthy portions of Guatemalan food according to a changing daily menu to help support a wider…
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Cobán
Cobán's dining scene has improved dramatically over the years and this is part of the finer dining scene. The surrounds are refined yet relaxed, the menu…
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Guatemala City
This upscale bistro is in one of Guate's ritziest shopping malls. It has an inspiring range of salads on offer and some very good Japanese and Thai…
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Panajachel
This is a locally popular joint for lunch; the front terrace makes an obvious meeting place. Try to make it for Monday lunch when everyone chows down on…
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Guatemala City
Interesting breakfasts, soups and pastas. The list of sandwiches is impressive and there's a beautiful little courtyard area out the back.
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Caribbean Coast
The town's most enjoyable restaurant is on a thatch-roofed, open-air platform right over the water about 1km north of the town center. Locals and visitors…
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Antigua
This homey spot run by natives of El Salvador serves authentic pupusas – thick tortillas stuffed with cheese or chicharrónes (fried pork fat) and…
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Caribbean Coast
Down a laneway opposite the Litegua bus office (200m up the main street past the end of the bridge), this open-air riverfront bar-restaurant makes…
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El Petén
Almost hidden in the forest, a 10-minute walk along the north shore from the Tikal junction, is this marvelous open-air dining hall. The genial Italian…
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Cobán
The perfect place to take a breather or while away a whole afternoon, this beautiful, artsy little cafe has a lush garden out back. Some interesting…
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El Petén
On Jobompiche Rd, this peaceful palm-thatched affair is the French jungle bistro you've dreamed of. Try the lake white fish or the big ensalada francesa …
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Panajachel
All the perks of a US diner are here in abundance, including buttermilk pancakes, great omelets with hash browns or country biscuits on the side, and free…
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Chichicastenango
The three dining rooms at Chichi's classiest hotel feature colonial-style furnishings and canvases by renowned painter Humberto Garabito. Waiters wear…
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Panajachel
Serving authentic Japanese cuisine, Hana is ensconced in the serene courtyard of the Casa Cakchiquel, graced by hanging plants and a gallery of photos of…
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Panajachel
Usefully located in the nightlife zone, Chero's can get pretty lively, with beer-drinking patrons gathering around simple wood tables as tuk-tuks zip by…
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Antigua
The restaurant in this popular hostel whips up authentic Israeli fare. Nosh on falafel, kebabs or sabich – a wrap stuffed with hummus, eggplant and salad…
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Quetzaltenango
An alternative cultural center focusing on the economic reintegration of returning migrants, La Red Kat also provides grants for young chefs in training,…
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Antigua
A hole in the wall if there ever was one, this eatery behind a 'mom and pop' store consists of two tables and a dining room behind the counter. Just a…
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Quetzaltenango
This cute bistro just off the central plaza is liberally decorated with printing paraphernalia – the owner's great-grandfather ran Xela's first printing…
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Quetzaltenango
For breakfast and lunch on weekdays, la nicaragüense owner has a simple setup with a sunny patio and alternative vibe. You'll find creative variations on…
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Antigua
Long a draw for coffee and chocolate mavens, this friendly corner cafe also bakes an array of fine pastries, including some delightfully gooey cinnamon…
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Quetzaltenango
This centrally located branch of the city-wide bakery chain is worth stopping into just to admire the fancy pastries on display, or to grab a bag of fresh…
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Antigua
Baked goods – pies, cakes, quiches and house-baked whole-wheat sandwich bread – are the strong suit at this grand old cafe set around the patio of a 16th…
