Guatemala City Restaurants

1. Altuna

Waiters in white jackets and ties move briskly around the pleasant covered courtyard that serves as the main dining room, once the home of Guatemala City's German Club. Founded in 1948, the restaurant is still serving classic Spanish and Basque dishes such as paella, calamares en su tinta (shrimp in their own ink), and for dessert wonderful torrejas (crusty bread soaked in whole milk, evaporated milk, and condensed milk with a touch of anise). A branch in the New City maintains the old style and impeccable service of the original city-center restaurant.

2. Altuna

3. 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.

4. El Cafetalito

Satisfy your caffeine craving and sweet tooth at El Cafetalito, a European-style café whose Swiss owners serve up sophisticated coffees and pastries to an appreciative clientele.

5. 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.