And what dish? Drink?
**You can keep the pork dishes to yourself, I don't mess with that swine**
We enjoy some of the locals places on Alameda de Santa Lucia near the market, the pepián at La Fonda de la Calle Real (we like the one on 3a Calle Poniente), any soap at La Casa de las Sopas, and Hector's or Epicure for a nice meal out. Fernando's Kaffee and Dona Luisa Xicotencatl are our favorite breakfast spots.
There are plenty of good options, it depends on your tastes. I enjoy Samsara, Luna de Miel, Fernando’s, Hectors, Los Tres Tiempos, Rainbow Cafe, and a bunch I don’t remember the names of.
Samsara is vegan so for sure no swine there. But pork is the best meat to eat in Guatemala. The beef is no good at all. Chicken can be good. You can get most any kind of food you want in Antigua. Restaurants do close fairly early, and don't open up very early. You kind of have to eat from 8 to 8 or 9.
You didn't mention price range, so I'll stick to the middle. There are a lot of places to eat at in Antigua, but I usually find myself veering toward Luna de Miel for a large selection of tasty and reasonably priced crepes, La Casaca for coffee and decent sandwiches (and you can eat with a view of the Plaza from the rooftop), and Sabe Rico which I find to be kind of a cool place - most of the tables are hidden outside in what used to be the stables of a colonial palace. Reasonable prices for B/L/D and they have an interesting selection of old traditional Guatemalan hot chocolate recipes, made with different types of regional chocolate. I am not a particularly big hot chocolate drinker, but I always find myself trying a different one every time I eat there.
Some of the hotels have some pretty spectacular restaurants oozing historical ambiance (they are usually on the expensive side), and it is usually fun to try inexpensive local places that are not in the guidebooks (as JacksonBuenosAires said, don't order the beef at these no frills places but chicken is usually quite good).
For authentic food, I'll second La Fonda de la Calle Real on 3rd (next to the Subway). Nice contrast.
Thanks, I will look into all of these spots. I saw a Youtube video with delicious looking street food. I hope to find that too. Also, isn't there a great Thai place out there?
Samsara is my #1 choice. For street food: mostly we saw people sitting on corners and cutting up fruit for sale. You see lots of locals and tourists walking around eating fruit out of those cups.
Um well there is a LOT more street food than just cut up fruit. You can go to the parks Tanque La Union on Calle 6 between Avenidas 2 and 3, or the one by the church on Calle 1 between Avenidas 5 and 6. That would be daytime or early evening street food. Then, on Avenida Santa Lucía in front of the market, so say between Calles 2 and 4, the street food comes out at night as the restaurants are closing. Or, you can get street lunches across from the gas station just east of Avenida 1 on Calle 4. There, you are right by Domino's Pizza in case you can't hack the street food, and there is also a good restaurant with an excellent 40 peso lunch whose name escapes me right now but it is just past where the ladies sell the street food on Calle 4, east of Avenida 1.
And then there are the guys selling ceviche out of the back of pick up trucks, in a couple of locations, but on Santa Lucía down by Calle 7 among other places.
If you like fried chicken, try Pollo Granjero (I don't like Pollo Campero and it is overpriced) on Santa Lucía between I think it is Calles 3 and 4. If not it is between Calles 2 and 3, on the east side of the street, not the side by the market. Or try the burgers from La Bodegona. They will make them just the way you want and the grilled onions are great. So is their hot sauce.
Thanks, JacksonBuenosAires!
I do like fried chicken, lol. And I've only had Pollo Campero here in L.A. once, I wasn't too impress (although not bad). It is overpriced here, but I'm sure it has to be cheaper there, lol. I will definitely try Pollo Granjero.
And sounds like you know your stuff about street food. I saw some great quesadillas.
Pollo Campero is overpriced in Guatemala too. Pollo Granjero is take out only. A breast is 9Q and other pieces are 8Q.