17 Best Restaurants Not to Miss in Antigua Guatemala

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From Guatemalan street food and hole-in-the-wall cafes to upscale French bistros and rooftop bars, there are many drool-worthy places to eat in Antigua, Guatemala.

The restaurant scene in Antigua is arguably the best in the country; there’s just about every flavor to fit any preference and budget.

In fact, the incredible restaurants here made being a digital nomad in Antigua even more satisfying! During the one month we spent in Antigua, we made sure to eat out as much as we could and take advantage of the city’s myriad restaurants, bars, and cafes.

This guide will help you discover the best places to eat and drink in Antigua, Guatemala, on a short or extended itinerary.

While most locations offer budget-friendly eats, some restaurants have prices you’d expect to see in cities across Europe or North America.

Nonetheless, here are our favorite places to eat, drink, and be merry in Antigua! Note — all prices are estimations and aim to give you an idea of the price per person, considering food + drink combined.

Best Restaurants in Antigua Guatemala

1. Caoba Organic Farms

• Prices: $$+ | Q100–200 ($15–25+ USD)
• Menu: Organic farm-to-table brunch-style fare
• Location: 5 Avenida Sur Final (south of Antigua – directions)
• Hours: 8–5 pm (closed Monday and Tuesday)

Caoba Farms is one of the best restaurant experiences in Antigua if you enjoy a sustainable, farm-to-table meal! 

They serve organic breakfast and lunch right at their farm. The tables are on a bed of straw surrounded by plants and greenery, making the atmosphere welcoming and friendly.

Beyond the farm-to-table experience, Caoba Farms boasts a weekly flea market, sunrise yoga and aerial classes, a butterfly sanctuary, and an on-site organic shop where you can buy all the fresh vegetables, fruits, plants, and seeds grown on the farm. 

You are also free to explore the farm and the nursery before or after you eat!

Many travelers are unaware of the Caoba Farms Café, yet it remains popular among locals and expats. 

If you want to step beyond the downtown touristy zone in Antigua, walk 20 minutes to Caoba Farms or hop in an Uber. 

2. Kombu Ramen Shop

• Prices: $$ | Q75–150 ($10–20 USD)
• Menu: Japanese-Inspired, Locally-Influenced
• Location: 1a Avenida Sur 19C (directions)
• Hours: 12–3 pm and 6–9 pm Wed–Fri, 12–4 pm and 6–9 pm Sat & Sun, Closed on Mon & Tues

For AUTHENTIC Japanese ramen, head to Kombu! Kombu Ramen Shop whips up the best Japanese ramen and gyozas this side of the Pacific. 

Everything about the Kombu Ramen Shop — from the dim, cozy lighting to the kitchen-front bar, and, of course, the food itself — was delightful. Come hungry, leave happy. That’s basically Kombu Ramen Shop in four words.

As Guatemala’s first and only ramen shop, you can’t miss out on a meal at Kombu. The owners lived in Japan, learning culinary techniques and mastering several dishes, before coming back to Guatemala and merging their passion for both cultures together.

My only regret is that I didn’t come here more often!

Tip: Go early to snag a spot! Seating is limited, so you may have to wait outside until a table or space at the bar clears up.

3. Hector’s Bistro

• Prices: $$+ | Q100–200 ($13–25 USD)
• Menu: French & International
• Location: 6a Calle Poniente 24 (directions)
• Hours: 7 am – 10 pm (open ’til 11 pm on weekends)

Hector’s Bistro is the restaurant to go to in Antigua Guatemala for a special night out!

Headed by a Parisian-trained chef, Hector’s is a French-inspired bistro tucked off the street in Antigua with a hidden inner courtyard and trickling fountain. There is an attached craft microbrewery as well — Cerveceria 14 — where you can order drinks to go with your meal (separate tickets).

When we went, Paul ordered the fresh fish of the day. It came beautifully plated on a bed of cauliflower purée with roasted veggies drizzled with reduced balsamic vinaigrette. It was so scrumptious, I envied his meal! 

My pasta was delicious, but it couldn’t compare — so in case you go, get something you wouldn’t cook at home!

4. Samsara

• Prices: $+ | Q40-100 ($5-13 USD)
• Menu: Vegetarian & Vegan-Friendly
• Location: 7a Avenida Sur 03001 (directions)
• Hours: 8 am – 10 pm Wed to Sun, 8 am – 8:30 pm on Mon, 9 am –10 pm Tues

Right down the street from Hector’s Bistro, you’ll find one of the best vegan cafes in Antigua—Samsara.

We absolutely loved this quirky, cozy vegan and vegetarian cafe. It is earthy in all the ways you’d expect from a vegan-friendly cafe, with fresh juice, healthy bowls with seeds and superfruits, and a laid-back vibe. 

They serve everything from vegan pasta to hearty soups and homemade kombucha lemonade!

Moreover, Samsara is budget-friendly, and the meals are always huge. I don’t think we ever left feeling hungry. It was quite the opposite — we always left feeling energized and full of renewing plant-based foods. 

While we didn’t get the chance to try it, we were told by our vegan friends that their breakfast was killer!Not only is Samsara one of the best places to eat, but it’s also one of the cheapestrestaurants in Antigua, Guatemala!

5. Frida’s

• Prices: $$-$$$ | Q150-300+ ($20-40 USD)
• Menu: Upscale Mexican
• Location: 5a Avenida Norte #29 Calle del Arco (directions)
• Hours: 12–10 pm Mon–Fri, 12-11:30 pm Sat, 10 am – 10 pm Sun

Frida’s is undoubtedly one of the best places to eat Mexican-style fusion food in Antigua.

 It has been a traveler favorite for a while now, with mentions on several blogs. We ate here on two separate occasions (once when we first arrived and then again right before leaving) and always had a great time — BUT we always left feeling a little hungry.

As you might have guessed from its name, an homage to Frida Kahlo, Frida’s is a Mexican restaurant serving elevated traditional eats like tacos and enchiladas. 

The food is always fresh and delicious, and the ambiance is fun and modern. Frida’s definitely makes an impression. 

However, I will say that it’s a bit overpriced, likely because it’s located just beside the famous Santa Catalina Arch (one of the top sights in Antigua).

If you have extra funds, a meal (and a margarita!) at Frida’s won’t disappoint. But if you’re looking for a more laid-back Mexican taco experience, head south of town to Cactus Taco Shop (# 9 below).

6. La Bruja

• Prices: $$ | Q100-125+ ($12-15 USD)
• Menu: Vegan, Plant-based
• Location: 4ta Calle Oriente inside CC La Fuente courtyard (directions)
• Hours: 12–9 pm

La Bruja is an underrated little plant-based cafe inside a hidden courtyard, along with many other cool eats and finds! 

You’ll find it inside the Centro Comercial La Fuente courtyard — one of many “secret” courtyards tucked off the streets of Antigua.

Think creative vegan food at La Bruja. You can BYO a vegan burger with various plant-based protein choices such as tempeh, Beyond Meat, tofu, oyster mushrooms, eggplant, quinoa cakes, seitan, and more!

Inside this courtyard, there are several restaurants and shops, including a Danish tavern bar called Skal, which looks really neat! 

The atmosphere is cozy and super cute. Find it tucked away off Calle Poniente!

7. Antigua Brewing Company

• Prices: $$ | Q100-150+ ($12-20 USD)
• Menu: Gastropub snacks & plates
• Location: 3a Calle Poniente #4 (directions)
• Hours: 11 am–11 pm Mon–Fri, 8 am–11 pm Sat & Sun

Surprised that Antigua has breweries?! 

While Guatemala isn’t particularly known for its craft brewery scene, the city is slowly changing that. Several microbreweries exist in Antigua, including Antigua Brewing Company, Cervecería 14, and Antigua Cerveza. 🍻

Antigua Brewing Company is a particular favorite of ours! These guys have it all — melt-in-your-mouth fish & chips and specialty craft beer brewed in-house (I had an awesome sour!), an airy rooftop bar with a perfect view of Volcán Agua, and most importantly, a semi-secret speakeasy whose only entrance is through a red British telephone booth. 

(Hint: the speakeasy is called Ulew Cocktail Bar!)

Great fun, food, and drinks all in one — what more could you need for a night out in Antigua?

8. La Cuevita de Los Urquizú

Photo by La Cuevita de los Urquizu via Facebook

• Prices: $$ | Q80 ($10 USD)
• Menu: Typical Guatemalan & Maya
• Location: 2 Calle Oriente #9 (directions)
• Hours: 7am–6pm (until 8pm S-S)

Though we didn’t get to try this one last one ourselves, La Cuevita de Los Urquizú is one of the most talked-about restaurants in Antigua if we were to judge by travel guides and books (it was even featured on the Andrew Zimmern show). The menu is traditional and unique with Maya stews that simmer in big earthenware pots, so, while it may have started as a very local hole-in-the-wall shop, it’s now a tourist’s hub.

That said, let’s just say this probably isn’t the best place to eat in Antigua for vegetarians — most of the stews do indeed contain meat, and I’m not just talking about chicken thighs. Look closely, and you’ll find pig head meat and hearts, too (one of the specialties).

If you’re feeling adventurous and curious, why not give it a go? (Let me know if you do come here — I didn’t try it because I no longer eat pork or beef!)

9. Cactus Taco Shop

• Prices: $$ | Q50-150 ($7-20 USD)
• Menu: Mexican-style street food & drinks
• Location: 6a Calle Poniente 21 (directions)
• Hours: 12–10 pm

Cactus Taco Shop is my favorite restaurant in Antigua, Guatemala, for comfort Mexican food! 🌮 They have delicious fish tacos (for non-pork eaters like me) with traditional al pastor seasoning, which is just scrumptious!

While you can’t compare to true Mexican street tacos, there’s come close! They’re everything you hope for and everything you didn’t know you needed when the craving for tacos hits.

True to style, Cactus Taco Shop is really only a hole-in-the-wall eatery; there are only a few bench-style tables inside, but they also have a cute outdoor garden for sunny days.

10. La Fonda de la Calle Real

• Prices: $$+ | Q150-200 ($20-25 USD)
• Menu: Guatemalan
• Location: 5a Avenida Norte #12 (directions)
• Hours: 9 am–9 pm

If you’re looking for typical Guatemalan food in an upscale setting, you might want to consider La Fonda de la Calle Real. 

They’ve expanded into three restaurants over the years. Still, the one we ate at on Avenida Norte is a former colonial home with a rich history, beautiful architecture, and decor.

La Fonda de la Calle Real has been a classic Antigua restaurant for a couple of decades now (founded 1975). As such, their reputation precedes them — even President Bill Clinton dined here in the 90s!

So, what’s on the menu? While there are grilled meats and other entrées, La Fonda is best known for its homemade caldo real, a hearty chicken broth stew, or its pépian, a traditional Guatemalan stew made from spicy chiles and pumpkin seeds. Both are popular choices and delicious!

Note — I believe La Fonda has seen better days, and their popularity may have detracted from what made them unique in the first place. Service is relatively slow and inattentive, but I’d like to give them another chance and avoid generalizing!

11. Once Once

• Prices: $$ | Q75-150 ($10-25 USD)
• Menu: Plant-based, Asian-Mexican-Italian fusion
• Location: 2a Calle Oriente #22 (directions)
• Hours: 12–3:30 pm, 6–9 pm

Once Once (11:11) is a 100% plant-based restaurant in Antigua, Guatemala, that combines fan favorites from Asia, Mexico, and Italy.

Their food is delicious whether or not you eat meat—think fried cauliflower tacos, fresh spring rolls, steamed dumplings, soy-based enchiladas with mole sauce, vegan alfredo ravioli with lemon, and loaded al pastor tacos. Simple and scrumptious, it’s perfect for lunch or a date night out!

Plus, I love the ambiance inside this cozy, airy restaurant which is hidden in another one of Antigua’s hidden gems tucked off the street. You won’t find Once Once unless you know where to look! It’s inside the courtyard beside Wicho & Charlie’s, just a block from the 18th-century Convento Capuchinas.

12. Saberíco

• Prices: $$ | Q100-150 ($12-20 USD)
• Menu: Healthy comfort food | International & Guatemalan
• Location: 6a Avenida Sur #6 (directions)
• Hours: 8:30 am–8:30 pm

Saberíco is an unassuming little garden café serving fresh, healthy Guatemalan and international food. Many visitors describe Saberíco as an oasis in Antigua, and upon first impression, you’d likely agree!

Its inner courtyard is far from the street noise, making it perfect for a slow morning breakfast or brunch. 

Tables are spaced out under the green garden canopy, where you dine with parakeets chirping nearby. (However, I wish management would take better care of the birdies; the cages are empty with zero enrichment, and the water is often dirty.)

Saberíco has a welcoming, laid-back vibe, friendly service, and yummy food and drinks. I had a delicious kombucha margarita here.🍹 

They also have a healthy food market and deli with organic and artisanal products for purchase at the entrance.

If you’re looking for a calm and quiet place to eat in Antigua, check out this garden café!

13. Fernando’s Kaffee

• Prices: $+ | Q50-75 ($7-10 USD)
• Menu: Brunch, Coffee Roastery & Chocolate Factory
• Location: 7a Avenida Norte #43 (directions)
• Hours: 7 am – 6 pm (until 12 pm Sundays)

Fernando’s Kaffee is not exactly your typical restaurant, per se, as it’s more a café and chocolate factory offering workshops. 

Nonetheless, you can’t miss out on a simple, affordable brunch at Fernando’s in Antigua.

While their all-day breakfast and lunch menu offers the typical Guatemalan fare—eggs, beans, fried plantain—they also offer pastries and snacks, such as baked empanadas, side salads, and cinnamon-sugar churros.

Their coffee and hot chocolate, made with pure cacao, are highly recommended. Taking a chocolate workshop is one of many epic things to do in Antigua, Guatemala.

Side note — if you’re stressed, ask for Misha for some rejuvenating kitty snuggles. 🐈  

14. Vice Pizzeria Antigua

• Prices: $$+ | Q70-200 ($10-25 USD)
• Menu: Pizzeria, Craft Cocktails
• Location: 5a Avenida Norte #30 (directions)
• Hours: 5 pm-12 am Wed, 5-11 pm Thurs, 5 pm-12 am Fri, 12 pm – 12 am Sat, 12-11 pm | closed Mon-Tues

Vice is a rooftop bar, pizzeria, and club located on the bustling Avenida Norte beside the Santa Catalina Arch!

While I wouldn’t say we had our best meal here, Vice serves up some pretty nice pies (that is, pizzas) and is a fun hangout spot for a night out with friends. While they do have indoor seating, the garden rooftop terrace is where most people want to be. It’s loud and vibrant, so not quite the place for a quiet evening!

If you go during the day, you’ll have one of the best views overlooking Avenida Norte and the iconic colonial arch.

15. Pitaya Juice Bar

• Prices: $+ | Q75-150 ($10-20 USD)
• Menu: Healthy Breakfast & Brunch
• Location: 5ta Avenida Sur #19 (directions)
• Hours: 8am–4pm

Pitaya is another cute “off the beaten track” restaurant in Antigua Guatemala. And no, Pitaya isn’t just a juice bar! They also serve cocina saludable—healthy food!

From breakfast comfort staples like blueberry bowls and giant pancakes to wraps and veggies omelets. For brunch, they serve fresh wraps, salads, and specialty items such as pad thai, grilled salmon, and quinoa bowls. Of course, they also serve up fresh juices and smoothies (Q34-38).

Pitaya also has another location south of town with a mini-golf course and restaurant where you can order heartier meals like pasta and pizza! Plus, they’re pet-friendly! 🐾

16. Rainbow Café

• Prices: $+ | Q50-100 ($7-13 USD)
• Menu: Breakfast & Lunch
• Location: 7a Avenida Sur (directions)
• Hours: 8 am–9 pm

We discovered Rainbow Café one morning when looking for the “best brunch food” in Antigua, Guatemala. So, does it live up to the hype? Not particularly, but it’s definitely been a traveler’s hotspot since its foundation in 1992.

I will say that the space is super inviting and cute, with a library in its entrance and a sunny, open-air terrace in its inner courtyard! The food itself is simple yet filling.

Many travelers come to Rainbow Café after returning from a sunrise hike on Pacaya Volcano or overnight trek up Acatenango — I can’t blame them! Here, you can rest and relax, plan your Lake Atitlán itinerary, or read a good book.

17. Luna de Miel

• Prices: $+ | Q50-100 ($5-13 USD)
• Menu: French crêpes (savory & sweet)
• Location: 6a Avenida Norte #40 (directions)
• Hours: 11 am – 9pm 

Luna de Miel is one of Antigua’s most popular restaurants. The line is almost never ending here! 

This French-Chapin crêperie is basically a homegrown factory; crêpes are flying off the griddles at nearly all hours of the day. There’s also plenty of space to spread out, with a large covered rooftop terrace.

The crêpes are yummy and filling (about the size of your head, literally), well-portioned, and cheap, but overall, nothing to rave about! 

They have “classic” savory and sweet crêpes, but also some very interesting specialty crêpes like their Luna Atrevide with chicken curry, mango, and jalapeños or their Luna Llena with goat cheese, pear, bacon, arugula, and honey. Pair it with a fresh fruit smoothie, and voilà! 

We would often take our sweet crêpe to go and sit down for a savory meal. For dinner (once you get a table, that is), you can be in and out within 20-30 minutes because service is typically fast!

18. Cafe Sky 

• Prices: $$ | Q50-100 ($6.50-13 USD)
• Menu: Mix of American, Mexican, and Guatemalan 
• Location: 1a Avenida Sur 15 (directions)
• Hours: 8 am – 10 pm 

Located inside a periwinkle blue building on the outskirts of downtown Antigua, Cafe Sky has one of the best rooftops in Antigua – hence their name! 

Sip a cocktail, beer, or glass of wine from their extensive bar menu, surrounded by mountain scenery on the terrace or even from some of the interior tables on the second floor. 

The menu here is simple with a mix of American dishes like BLT’s and a fusion of Mexican and Guatemalan dishes like burritos and lomito antigueno. They also have a nice selection of yummy coffee and juice drinks if you want to hole up here and work with a view for a while!

Keep in mind that if you come during the day, there isn’t much shade on the rooftop patio! Although, it is one of the best spots in town to watch the sunset. 

19. Sobremesa 

• Prices: $$$ | Q155-380 ($25-50 USD)
• Menu: Italian 
• Location: 4a Calle Ote. 4 (directions)
• Hours: 9 am – 10 pm Mon-Fri, 8 am – 10 pm Sat-Sun

An art gallery, ice cream parlor, and fine dining Italian restaurant wrapped into one, Sobremesa offers delicious food and even better views.

Tucked away just off Parque Central, expect a romantic atmosphere, both on their beautiful rooftop with panoramic vistas and in their main dining room. This is the perfect spot for a fancy night out or special date night in Antigua!

The menu here is actually a mix of Italian and French food, an homage to owner Alexander Ferrar’s heritage. You’ll find both French classics like ratatouille alongside pizza and homemade pasta. 

They also serve a small, all-day brunch menu and offer vegetarian options as any of their more meat-heavy dishes can be swapped out for eggplant. 

If you have a sweet tooth, you’re in luck! Choose from affogato, profiteroles, or the pecado split, although you can also pop in to their exotic ice cream shop that has 132 flavors to choose from.

Feel free to add to this list of places to eat in Antigua! Know of some cool spots not featured in this post? Drop the name below! 👇

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