4 Best Restaurants in Guatemala City, Guatemala

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.

The menu here is one of the country's most original, combining flavors from both sides of the Atlantic: you can enjoy such Spanish traditions as paella and roast suckling pig or more local offerings like robalo with a mushroom sauce. During its 25-plus years in business, the restaurant has built a much-deserved reputation for impeccable service.

Located in the Plaza Fontabella shopping center, this upscale Chinese restaurant is decorated in a contemporary Asian theme, with slate floors, black booths, and painted murals. Through a picture window you can watch your food being prepared in the spotless, state-of-the-art kitchen. Or if you'd prefer to sit outside, there's a pleasant row of tables with the feeling of a sidewalk café. The menu is an eclectic mix of classics such as Peking duck and beef with ginger, as well as owner/chef Jake Denberg's special creations, like crab wontons and shrimp with chile sauce. The barbecue ribs make a great way to start the meal, and the fried plantains with homemade ice cream are the perfect ending.

Located in the heart of the Zona Viva, this popular eatery feels more like the beach, thanks to its setting in a huge palapa surrounded by tropical plants. At dinner the soft lighting and candles on the tables make for a romantic atmosphere. Although the menu includes a good selection of meat and fish, the specialties of the house are national dishes such as jocón and pepián; Kacao is also one of the best places in town to try an assortment of Guatemalan tamales. Waiters wear traditional dress, and to complete the effect, lively marimba music plays on the stereo.