2 Best Restaurants in The Highlands, Guatemala

Hummingbirds dart among flowering vines at this romantic eatery just up the street from the lake. Enter through an iron gate that leads into a garden hidden behind a low wall. There are outside tables and a pair of intimate dining rooms. All the delicious Italian food, from the tasty bread to the fresh pasta, is homemade. Two standout specialties are the fettuccine arrabiata (with a slightly spicy tomato sauce), and the steak au poivre (cooked in a wine sauce and black pepper) served with fresh vegetables.

An eclectic collection of local handicrafts brightens the walls of this excellent second-floor steak house. The chef, formerly of the Hotel Santo Tomás, grills up a great steak, but there are plenty of other options, including a delicious longaniza (a spicy sausage similar to chorizo). Music and a full bar keep things lively, but not intrusively so.