Travel is something that does not cease to amaze me. I’ve been to over 130 countries. I often think I know what to expect when I explore a new place, and actually 9/10 my gut is right. However, every once in a while a place pops up that defies my preconceived notions and surprises me. Guatemala is officially on my list of pleasant surprises. I would go as far as to say that it’s on my list of top places to travel in Central America. Of course, a big part of the culture for me is food, and we had a lot of it during our trip. So, this is my personal list of where to eat in Guatemala.
A Note about the Recommendations
I think it’s always good to level-set. This list of where to eat in Guatemala is not about fine dining or Michelin stars. We tried an experimental place, and like my experience at Flor de Lis, I’m still scratching my head. Instead, this list of where to eat in Guatemala is about keeping it real. That’s actually the beauty of Guatemalan food, where they have tamales to battle royale with its neighbor Mexico.
Guatemala City
Mercado 24
Cuisine: Seafood and Ceviche
Run, don’t walk to Mercado 24, which is one of the top meals in Guatemala. This casual, unassuming restaurant is where to eat in Guatemala for the most fresh fish in town. Whether you go for the ceviche or whole grilled fish, their preparation is just on point. I suggest that this be your first stop when you arrive from the airport. It’s so good it can also be your last top when you head home.
Address: Via 5 2-24, Cdad. de Guatemala, Guatemala
Skip:
Gusina Garifuna. The ceviche was not fresh during my visit and there’s little atmosphere. This makes other publications’ where to eat in Guatemala, but not Galavante’s list.
Ristorante Flor de Lis. I applaud them for their courage to experiment and do something different. This reminded me of Mugaritz in San Sebastian; you either think it’s brilliant, or you can’t un-taste the oddity of the entire meal. For my last meal in Guatemala, I could have gone to a more lively and fun place in this cool neighborhood.
Antigua de Guatemala
I stayed at Villa Bokeh, which is on the outskirts of the old city. The food there was beautiful, especially the breakfasts. I still dream of the pupusas (cheese-filled corn tortillas) and their light-as-air black beans. Their cuisine is modern Guatemalan, and if you don’t stay at the hotel, you at least have to eat there for dinner. There are as many locals as there are tourists who come to Villa Bokeh for a special meal. I especially enjoyed the ceviche, served with light-as-air homemade rice crackers.
The point though is to get out in the world, and Antigua de Guatemala is packed with restaurants and lively during the weekends. The weeknights can be quiet though, as you don’t have the locals from Guatemala City to fill the restaurants. This is our list of where to eat in Guatemala, of the dozens of dining options in town.
Saberico
Cuisine: Organic, local cuisine
Saberico is a gem of a spot, that’s a grocery, chocolaterie, and restaurant. You will want to get an extra suitcase to bring home the special jams, sauces, pastas, and prepared foods. This is where to eat in Guatemala for both comfort food and a beautiful setting. Their garden at night is a romantic place to have dinner, where they take extra special care to present the food. The roasted salmon is served with polenta and a cream sauce, garnished with sauteed vegetables and edible flowers. They have a comfort food platter, that has beautiful tamales, chiles rellenos, mini enchiladas, and tostadas, topped with seasonal ingredients.
Address: 7 6a Avenida Sur Antigua, Guatemala 03001, Guatemala
Santo Spirito
Cuisine: Italian
Santo Spirito reminds me of Casa Tua Miami, where it doesn’t really matter what they serve you to eat. The space is beautifully lit at night, and they hit all the right vibes in decor. Like many of the best places in Antigua de Guatemala, this is an open-air restaurant, set around the prettiest courtyard in town. It does feel like Miami, with the white couches and lanterns strung through the trees. The food is also special; you can feel the care that’s gone into even the basic bread served with burrata. The pastas would make Italy proud, and the service was flawless.
Address: 5a Calle Oriente 8, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Tartines
Cuisine: French
This place doesn’t look like much from the ground floor, but then you climb the stairs and immediately get it. Overlooking ancient ruins in the heart of the Old Town, Tartines is a favorite of those in the know. You’ll get the best scene of locals here any evening, who partake in classic French dishes, from soufflé, onion soup, and crepes. They shine, though, in their steaks, which are prepared in six different ways. You can go with a traditional bernaise, or mix it up with blue cheese. Either way, do not skip the French fries.
Address: 4 Calle Oriente #1C, 4a Calle Ote. 1C, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Fonda de La Calle Real
Cuisine: Traditional Guatemalan
You know a place is good when you’re the only tourist. Also, a strong indicator is when you see a Mayan woman hand-making the tortillas, which are served to you fresh. They’ve been able to perfect their craft at Fonda, which has been around since 1975. The restaurant is open-air and the best seats are on the ground floor in the courtyard. Hands down, these were some of the best tamales of my life, which were actually vegetarian. Where they shine though at Fonda are the chicken dishes. The arroz con pollo caldo is a nourishing soup, along with a chicken and rice that are the locals’ favorite.
Address: H748+X69, 3a Calle Poniente, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Hugo’s Cevicheria
Cuisine: Local + Ceviche
This is everything you want out of a no-frills, authentic, and local experience in Antigua de Guatemala. Set on a side street, this is another open-air restaurant that’s centered around a bare-bones courtyard. It’s quiet at lunch, and lively at dinner, but the ceviche is good always. The shrimp ceviche is paired best with their Picosita, which is a beer topped with spices and shrimp. Even if you don’t drink beer, you’ll make an exception for the Picosita.
Address: Alameda de Santa Lucia 19, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
La Bruha
Cuisine: Vegan
Surprisingly, Guatemalan food can also be effortlessly vegan. Tostones, which are green plantain, zucchini carpaccio, and empanadas are just a few of the local dishes. La Bruha has a lovely garden where locals like to nosh on vegan burgers, which are offered in at least 6 iterations. The menu continues to get creative with “gyros”, sushi, and tacos. The pizzas are also impressive because you can choose from gluten-free or sourdough dough crust, and tofu or cashew cheese.
Address: 4 ta calle Oriente dentro del CC La Fuente, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Bars + Nightclubs
Generally, the scene is on the weekends, when locals drive in from Guatemala City. These are two places though where the locals who actually live in Antigua frequent. Lava is more of a nightclub, and El Barrio is where the 20s to 30s crowd Brooklyn-type crowd hangs.
Lava
Address: 4 Avenida Sur 3, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
El Barrio
Address: 4 Avenida Sur 3, Antigua Guatemala 03001, Guatemala
Las Vibras
Address: 5a Avenida Norte, Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Shopping
Nativos
Beautiful textile store with high-quality wares.
Address: 5 Av. Norte 25B Antigua, Sacatepéquez 03001,Guatemala
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