5 Best Restaurants in Guatemala City, Guatemala

Arrin Cuan

$$

Ask locals to recommend a place to eat in the Old City, and chances are they'll send you to this spirited Guatemalan favorite. The decor couldn't be simpler—stone floor, small fountain, colorful fabrics, and vases of flowers on the tables. The flavorful cuisine, typical of the Cobán region, includes kaq'ik (a spicy turkey stew), gallo en chicha (chicken in a slightly sweet sauce), and sopa de tortuga (turtle soup). More adventurous types will want to sample the roasted tepezcuintle, a type of rodent.

Everyday at lunch and on Friday and Saturday night live marimba music fills the restaurant.

There's a branch in the New City, which dishes up the same regional cuisine from Alta Verapaz.

Casa Chapina

$$$

For an around-Guatemala tour of the country's cuisine, we like this down-home New City restaurant with its bright yellow walls and colorful textiles hung from the ceiling. The emphasis is on meat, including typical national dishes such as pollo loroco (chicken-and-vegetables), pepián (chicken fricassee in pumpkin and sesame sauce), and kaq'ik (a turkey stew from Alta Verapaz). Be sure to accompany whatever you order with the restaurant's warm homemade tortillas.

Jean François

$ | Zona 10

Set in a hacienda-style building, away from the bustle of the city, Jean François is one of the prettiest and most tranquil restaurants in town, with a lovely courtyard/garden and tables tucked under the surrounding arcades. If you prefer to sit inside, there's a charming dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows and a cozy fireplace. The food is equally impressive, mostly French classics with an occasional New World touch. For an appetizer, try the warm shrimp mousse wrapped in spinach, and for your main course beef with béarnaise or Gorgonzola sauce, or maybe grilled robalo with fresh tomatoes and basil. The french fries are top-notch, and for dessert our favorite is the wonderful, light mousse de chico (a type of tropical fruit).

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Pan American

$$

A longtime Old City favorite, this courtyard dining room brims with the charm of another era, from the wooden balconies hung with colorful huipiles to the traditional highland dress worn by the waitstaff. The menu has an extensive selection of both international and Guatemalan fare, and among the desserts the coconut cream pie is a standout. On Sunday there is a brunch buffet with live marimba music.

Tre Fratelli

$$

This big, raucous restaurant/bar in the Plaza Fontabella shopping complex is the Guatemalan outpost of the popular American chain. As the name implies, the food is Italian, with favorites including fettuccine frutti di mare (with seafood), ravioli alla Bolognese (with a variety of meats), and the quattro stagione (four-season) pizza. Top it all off with chocolate mousse, homemade ice cream, or a cappuccino or espresso brewed in an authentic Italian coffee machine.

It's a good place to bring kids if you're looking for familiar cuisine and surroundings.