5 Best Restaurants in Antigua, Guatemala

This hot spot on the northwest corner of Parque Central hustles and bustles with all the commotion of a big-city café. Coffees, teas, chai, and hot chocolate are on tap, along with a good variety of panini and salads. It can be difficult to find a table during the day, especially on weekends. If you're here with someone else, have one person in your party grab a table the minute one opens up, while another orders at the counter. Things thin out a bit after 8 pm.

Breakfast starts at 7 am, and specials such as toast topped with strawberries, papaya, or mango, and omelets made with fresh vegetables will give you plenty of sightseeing fuel. (Breakfast is served all day if you like.) After such a big breakfast, don't count on eating much for the rest of the day. For lunch, try the quiche or the Brie plate; the homemade pies and pastries are also notable. You can eat in the café's airy dining room or grab a cappuccino and a sweet roll at Café Condesa Express next door. Either way, the location right on the Parque Central can't be beat.

This restaurant—named after the mistress of Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado—is something of a local institution; tables are scattered throughout a dozen rooms, but it's still not easy to get a seat. Early-morning specialties include fruit salad, pancakes, and very fresh bread (the bakery is right downstairs). Sandwiches and other light fare make for ample lunch and dinner options. The service can be slow, but the eclectic decor makes the wait pleasant. The bulletin board downstairs is an excellent source of information for travelers. Calling it “Doña Luisa” works too.

We could picture Che Guevara plotting the revolution in a corner of this café, a hangout of young expats in the heart of Antigua's language-school district. You'll find some meat on the menu, but vegetarian fare dominates. (We love the falafel and hummus dishes.) The place is immensely popular. Don't be afraid to ask if you can squeeze in if you see no available tables indoors or in the courtyard. There are lectures, in English, on some topic of political interest, each Tuesday evening, and live music many other nights.

The name is apt. Anything and everything in the bagel realm makes up the bulk of the menu in this place just around the corner from the Parque Central. You'll find an equally wide variety of smoothie flavors here as well as decaf coffee (a real rarity in this country). Stop by at 5:30 pm for the nightly screenings of late-run Hollywood films on DVD; there's a huge selection of those, too. Movie time occasionally varies but will always be announced that day on a board in the doorway.