I have lived in Guatemala for many years and have taken the time to explore it. Most of my readers know this, so I get tons of emails every day asking for all sorts of tips and recommendations. One of the most common questions is, where do I go for a good meal?
So I created this list of twenty-three restaurants in five of the main destinations of Guatemala that I have visited with my family and liked.
Table of Contents
- 23 Restaurants in Guatemala
- Restaurant in Guatemala City
- Restaurants in Panajachel
- Restaurants in Antigua
- Restaurants in Flores, Peten
- Restaurants in Xela
23 Restaurants in Guatemala
Restaurant in Guatemala City
1. La Fattoria – Guatemala City
A long time ago a close friend was what you can call old-school Italian. Her mom’s food was simply the best I had ever tried. But then I started traveling and ended up living in Guatemala. Since then, I haven’t met any “real” Italians. Until I heard about La Fattoria and felt like I had to go for a visit.
The first thing that I loved about it is that kids under 12 years old eat free.
The owners are Italians and prepare everything they use in their dishes and even import most of the ingredients. I absolutely loved their pizzas and pasta. Their desserts are also unlike anything else I have tried in Guatemala.
La Fattoria is definitely a place you must visit if you enjoy pizzas, pasta, and everything Italian.
2. Pizza Grizzly – Guatemala City
If, on the other hand, you are looking for something like a themed restaurant where your kids can run around, have tons of fun, and enjoy tasty pizza definitely check out Pizza Grizzly. I first heard of it from my husband, his parents used to take him there as a kid. After some research, I found out that it was still in business and decided to take my boys there for lunch.
This is much more than another pizza joint. The first thing we saw when we arrived was a cowboy that escorted us right to jail (our table). The whole place is designed in the Wild West style. Old-styled saloons outline the walls with tables. To top it all they have a playground.
It is a great place for a family afternoon.
3. Kloster Restaurant – Guatemala City
Kloster is a mini-chain Swiss food restaurant in Guatemala City, it’s mainly focused on fondues but one of the most remarkable dishes is its Caesar salad, it’s a whole experience and makes it worth it.
Once you order the salad, instead of just giving you the salad they give you a show. They bring all the ingredients of the salads to your table and prepare it right there. The portions are quite big too.
We go to one that’s located in Ciudad Cayala, it’s an incredibly worth it experience.
4. Flor de Lis Restaurant – Guatemala City
If you want to learn more about the Mayan culture, then, Flor de Lis is the right restaurant for you, It’s mainly focused around the Mayan “bible”, the Popol Vuh. So, you can expect true traditional Mayan cuisine and a nice experience.
You can get an 8 or 10-food course focused on Mayan cuisine, which is a dish that has a different story or background and the chef or waitress comes to tell you about it. Each dish is made in a super unique way.
5. Salvaje Restaurant – Guatemala City
Salvaje Restaurant is actually an international chain, the one in Guatemala is an Asian fusion cuisine that focused on Japanese food. The menu is really big, you can find an entire sushi menu and many cocktails. The restaurant itself has incredible decorations, it really stood out.
It’s on the pricey side but everything is so well done, the food and desserts are good and presented in unique ways but one of the biggest draws about the restaurant is the experience. Every ten minutes or so, the DJ starts the music and some dancers show up. It’s a show that adds a unique feeling to it, everything is Salvaje.
6. Saul Restaurants – Guatemala City
Something interesting about it is Saul Mendez started (and still is) a designer, one of the best in the country but they expanded to a full chain of Saul restaurants with different types and locations. You can find bistros, crepes and a Oesteria.
The crepe restaurants are vans, it’s cool and the products are high quality. Saul Bistros are high-end restaurants with a huge menu, the food is tasty and offers vegan options.
7. San Martin – Guatemala City
Another local chain is San Martin, but it’s not cheesy at all, it’s actually high-end. They started off as a small bakery that gained a lot of popularity and it’s now considered one of the in the country, and grew up to be a full restaurant and local chain.
You can find anything, from salads, soups, and bread to local coffee, sandwiches, and even pizzas. The most important part is, San Martin still has the local feeling to it, the products are local and very fresh.
The menu is really huge and the portions are great too, they also have playgrounds which makes it really family friendly.
8. Cafe Barista – Guatemala City
We can safely say that to some extent, Cafe Barista is the local version of Starbucks, although you can only find them in Guatemala. This country is well known for its coffee and this local chain is taking advantage of that.
The coffee, all of it, comes 100% from the country, and the popularity of the place has grown so much, you now can find a whole menu there. They offer different types of breakfast, sandwiches, and salads, also, they have a wide range of pastries to choose from.
Related Read: Best Street in Food in Guatemala You Need to Try
Restaurants in Panajachel
9. Restaurante Hana – Panajachel, Atitlan
This one might sound a little unusual but if you suddenly feel like having some sushi while visiting this lake Restaurante Hana is the place to go. One of the owners is a native Japanese woman, so you will actually be getting authentic Japanese food instead of just some rolled-up rice from someone who doesn’t know the traditional ways of preparing it.
The food is great, and the restaurant is located in a building with a large garden where kids are allowed to have fun.
They even have a movie night on Wednesday where Japanese movies are shown with subtitles.
Restaurants in Antigua
10. Sobremesa Restaurant – Antigua
Sobremesa is one of the most unique restaurants that I have visited in Antigua Guatemala. The owner’s name is Alex, he is an artist who paints, writes and creates amazing food combinations. The dishes here are the result of a delicate mixture of exotic flavors.
Aside from its delicious food, the restaurant is well known for having weird and simply amazing ice creams made of the most unexpected ingredients. Plus, the restaurant is also one of the most well-known art galleries in town. All of the paintings are available for sale and some of them even have stories on the back.
As if that wasn’t enough, he is the author of ten novels.
Visiting this place is definitely a must, and if you’re looking for high-end French cuisine, head to Hector’s Bistro.
11. La Escalonia Café – Antigua
I would dare to say that there are at least a hundred cafes all over Antigua. But what makes La Escalonia stand out from the rest is that in it you get to have your coffee and chat in the middle of a garden. It is also a relaxed environment where you can shop for ornamental and medicinal plants as well as gardening supplies.
They serve the regular: sandwiches, desserts, coffee, smoothies, chocolate, nothing out of the ordinary. But the real reason to come here is to experience the relaxed ambiance that it offers.
12. Hobbitenango – Antigua
Have you ever watched The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings movies? Well, this restaurant located on top of a mountain looks like a hobbit home, it’s really cool. Not only that but getting there is part of the experience, once you are at the main lot, you buy the entrance ticket, and from there you take a ride to the top of the mountain.
The menu in Hobbitenango is pretty big and it’s constantly changing, the portions are decent and the price is ok. The main attraction is the area and the decoration making it super worth it.
13. El Comalote – Antigua
A good option to get a taste of traditional Guatemalan food is El Comalote, a color restaurant that focuses on the root of the country’s cuisine, the corn. You can find a ton of dishes with different types of corn, but the biggest draw about it is experience.
It’s an interactive dining experience, meaning you will be learning and cooking. She will bring everything you need, and tell you the history of the food and dishes. It’s a 4 or 5 five-course meal and you can choose for vegan option if needed.
14. Once Once Restaurant – Antigua
If you’re looking for a completely vegan restaurant, your best option is Once Once. It’s probably the only restaurant that’s truly 100% vegan in Antigua, the food is made with super fresh ingredients and is very tasty.
The way everything is done is top-notch and flavorful, the menu is wide and also offers wines, beers, and nice Guatemalan drinks.
The location is stunning as well and how the restaurant is decorated gives you good vibes.
15. Ta’Cool Restaurant – Antigua
One of the best places to get tacos in Antigua is Ta’Cool Restaurant, it’s so popular you actually have two locations a couple of blocks from each other. Tacos are well known across the world but this place took it to another level.
The menu is huge, you have a big variety of tacos to choose from and the portion is big too. A good draw about this place is they have tacos of all kinds, for vegans or meat lovers, it doesn’t matter.
The place is cool and has great vibes, the music is always good and the drinks are tasty too.
16. Akai Sushi – Antigua
If you’re in the mood for some sushi, then Akai Suhi is the best place in Antigua to go for it. It’s one of the oldest sushi places in the area and they are really popular. One of the main points of this restaurant is the ingredients, they are super fresh.
You’ll find a ton of different types of sushi rolls and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, they have a special two-for-one type of offer which is good. They have veggie rolls for vegan people to enjoy, without losing the taste.
17. Alta Mira Restaurant – Antigua
Antigua is surrounded by mountains, volcanoes, and hills, thankfully some places have started to take advantage of it. Alta Mira restaurant is the best example of that, it’s located on the top of a mountain and it’s a stunning place to eat.
They have a restaurant and a bar, the menu are ok but the experience is excellent, they have different areas and trail to walk. You’ll find different structures made of wood that are amazing, definitely, word trying.
18. Samsara Restaurant – Antigua
Samsara is one of the first vegan restaurants in the area, and it’s delicious and very tasty. It’s an Indian and Arabic fusion, but the way everything is done makes it even more unique. They don’t have a lot of tables and it can get full really quick.
They have live music, like Indian or Arabic-style music and the vibes are amazing. The menu is great, with several dishes and drinks for you to offer and
19. Indian Accent – Antigua
Indian Accent is probably one of the best Indian restaurants in Guatemala, and it’s located in Antigua. It’s owned by a Guatemalan woman her husband, which is from India. The food is just delicious, it’s hard to get the Indian flavors right and here it’s perfect.
The menu is quite big and it offers, obviously, a lot of vegan options. The ingredients are fresh, and you can also get several different drinks and tea.
Related Read: Best Restaurants in Antigua, Guatemala
Restaurants in Flores, Peten
20. La Danta Restaurant – Flores, Peten
The menu at La Danta is extremely varied with good options for most people. It includes a fusion of different local resources and contemporary dishes. All of the ones we tried were delicious. They also make emphasis on using all natural ingredients and specialize in smoothies.
One of the main ingredients that they used is called Chaya or Maya Spinach which is delicious in their smoothies.
It isn’t the easiest to find because lately the levels of the lake are quite high, and you have to go through a small alley to get there, but it is worth it.
Restaurants in Xela
21. Mandarina Cafe – Quetzaltenango
In my opinion, Mandarina Cafe is one of the best and most delicious restaurants in Xela, it’s an outdoor vegan restaurant with a nice vibe to it. One of the biggest draws is it’s a pet-friendly restaurant, you can bring your dog with you.
The internet is really good too. When it comes to the actual food and menu, it’s really well diversified. It may be a vegan restaurant but they offer options with chicken and bacon. The food portions are huge, well sized and the price is great.
Also, the coffee is really good there but it’s only available during breakfast hours.
22. Floresta – Quetzaltenango
It’s not a restaurant itself, it’s a cool outdoor area like a park but you can find a ton of outdoor restaurants, the area is adorable. Another thing is, it’s not located in the main area of Xela. You can find a wide variety of different restaurants, 10 or more.
They have picnic tables and sometimes live music. As for the restaurants, you’ll find bars, food trucks, and upper-skill restaurants. From steak houses to Asian food, Italian and regular food.
The food in general in my opinion is not that good, it’s nothing remarkable but the places compensate for that.
23. Esquina Asiatica – Quetzaltenango
Getting to the restaurant is one of the coolest parts about it, it’s located on the second floor but it almost feels clandestine, you need to ring a bell so they can let you into the stairs and they close the door behind you with secrecy.
The restaurant itself is stunning and adorable, the decoration makes it special. The food is a mix of Thailand food and Chinese food, “vegan” as they say, but it’s not 100% vegan, since they don’t remove stuff like oyster sauces, for example. And they have food with chicken and stuff like that.
The portions are big and the food is ok, but the location makes it a great experience.
