Hitting restaurants is definitely a fun thing to do in Guatemala. I have mentioned before how small Antigua Guatemala is. But for those who don’t know, it is a teeny tiny colonial city with only 10 square blocks. Sometimes people think that because of that Antigua has nothing to do or see but old buildings. Well, that is not the case at all. It is filled with tons of hotels, restaurants, bars, stores, and anything you might need. What we have explored the most with my family are the restaurants and after visiting many of them I came up with a list of the best restaurants in Antigua for kids, take a look:
Antigua is definitely one of the best places to visit in Guatemala, you can find a huge variety of fun and family-friendly activities to do here in Antigua.
I avoided adding fancy restaurants like Sobremesa Antigua, but if you want to take a look at it, I have a full blog post about it, make sure you read it.
My Family’s Favorite Restaurants in Antigua Guatemala
Hotel Casa Santo Domingo’s Restaurant
The main restaurant area of this hotel is pretty formal but there is also an outside area with some plants great for kids. This restaurant is in the middle of the ruins of what used to be a convent in the colonial days of the city. The ruins are the perfect setup for my son’s exploring adventures in fact his exact words were: I felt like an explorer. Plus the food is delicious. What more could a parent want?
Related Read: Hotel Casa Santo Domingo, Antigua: More Than Just a Hotel
Hotel Porta Antigua’s Restaurant
This hotel is just a 3 block walk away from Antigua’s Central Park and is where we like to go almost every weekend with our boy. That is because it became my favorite kid-friendly restaurant. Here you can have a great meal in a garden and a great playground. Also, for a small extra fee, you can use their pool.
On Sundays, you can also take your kid to their kid’s club. it is a dream world for kids because it’s filled with toys and fun things. My son and his little partner loved it.
Related Read: Porta Hotel Antigua, Guatemala: Most Complete Option
Gaia
Gaia is a beautiful Mediterranean-style restaurant where that serves delicious food. You can come here for lunch, dinner and for some drinks with friends at night. You will find it in one of Antigua’s most popular streets: Calle del Arco just half a block away from the arc.
Escalonia Cafe
The first time I visited this restaurant, I fell in love with it. The tables are in the middle of a beautiful garden. It is located on what used to be a coffee farm. But it’s not just a restaurant, in it, you will find books, ornamental plants & local handicrafts for sale. This is also one of the favorite restaurants of my son because he gets to run around as we wait for our food.
As you can see I love open places where my son can run around without bothering the rest of the people in the restaurant. Well this is another one of those! Here the tables are in the middle of a garden, separated enough to give you some privacy with enough space for my explorer to play in.
Related Read: Escalonia Cafe, Antigua: Nursery and Coffee Shop
Monoloco
This is a great family restaurant during the day and a fun bar at night. My son’s favorite thing about this place is the monkey they have in their logo. So you can imagine what happens when we walk across their gift shop (where the monkey is in everything). All over Antigua, this restaurant is known for having great food but my kid’s choice is the nachos. They serve a big plate filled with nachos, lots of cheese guacamole, beans, and beef or chicken. The second best thing about this place according to my son is their pizza.
Related Read: Monoloco Restaurant, Antigua: Best Sports Bar and Party Place
Chateau DeFay
This is the first and only vineyard in Guatemala. Here you can take a tour along the vineyard, spend some time playing mini-golf, or eat at their small restaurant. Before you go home you might even want to buy some of the cheese or wine that they offer. It is located 10 min away from Antigua in a tiny, old, indigenous town.
Kabuki
If your kids are into trying new things and if they have already developed a taste for Japanese food your family will love Kabuki. This is one of the few authentic Japanese restaurants in the city. Most of the others are US-style, which isn’t bad, but if you want to try the real thing Kabuki is where you should go. However, I recognize that this might be more for older kids.
Cafe Condesa
This is a restaurant located in what used to be a house back when families had 10 or 12 children. You will find it right on the Central Park. It is known among locals as the place where you can have the best coffee in Antigua, I think it is great! The entrance is a book store with some great options. Then you get to a beautiful garden, if you keep on walking you will find 3 more rooms with tables for you to choose from.
Some honorable mentions go to: Hobbitenango and Cervecería 14 or Luna de Miel. They have a lot of space where kids can play safely while you relax with good food. Cuevita de los Urquizu is also a good idea if you are looking for traditional Guatemala food.
Conclusion
There are many things to do in Antigua Guatemala, it might be a tiny city, but it is filled with a lot of culture & history. It is also a place filled with great restaurants & bars for all tastes & budgets. I have made it my task to explore the many restaurants it offers.
This has been an incredible adventure, and even though many of them are great, there are five that stood out.
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