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
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Quetzaltenango
This charming upstairs restaurant refreshes palates with generous plates from around Asia – Chinese dumplings, Indonesia satay, pad thai, Vietnamese…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Guatemala City
Interesting breakfasts, soups and pastas. The list of sandwiches is impressive and there's a beautiful little courtyard area out the back.
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…
Antigua
This homey spot run by natives of El Salvador serves authentic pupusas – thick tortillas stuffed with cheese or chicharrónes (fried pork fat) and…
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
Chichicastenango
The three dining rooms at Chichi's classiest hotel feature colonial-style furnishings and canvases by renowned painter Humberto Garabito. Waiters wear…
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…
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…
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…
Quetzaltenango
An alternative cultural center focusing on the economic reintegration of returning migrants, La Red Kat also provides grants for young chefs in training,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
