I love food, and I particularly loved the food in Antigua. Eric and I both agree that we pretty much ate our way through our time there thanks to these awesome recommendations of the best places to eat in Antigua. A local in Antigua gave us this list ahead of time, and we just had to try them. Now, I can tell you all about these amazing places, and trust me, the food is LIFE-CHANGING.
The Breakdown of the Best Places to Eat in Antigua
L’Osteria
L’Osteria was easily one of the best places to eat in Antigua and really all of Guatemala! This amazing restaurant features the gastronomy of Guatemala combined with a non-profit background. The food is delicious, but the atmosphere of the restaurant is what really makes this place amazing. L’Osteria is located next to the Good Hotel in Antigua, and it has an open-air design with modern furniture and books everywhere.
It is is the kind of place that you would want to spend all day relaxing at with a good book. On top of all that, they support local Guatemalan business people and have a gallery of photographs of locals who have created their own businesses. This is a MUST for anyone’s trip to Antigua.
Tres Tiempos
Tres Tiempos is located on the famous street with the arch in Antigua. Its central location makes it the perfect place to stop during a busy day. This restaurant offers authentic Guatemalan cuisine and a view of the city center. The interior features a central open-air garden, and a second floor. The food was some of the most local-based and authentic food that we got to try in Guatemala.
One thing that I enjoyed about this restaurant, besides the delicious food, was the fact that it served the most authentic Guatemalan food that we ate during our stay in Guatemala. Some of the recipes that they use are incredibly old. Sitting and eating the local cuisine while watching the Semana Santa parade outside our window was a truly authentic experience.
O’Tapas
After living in Spain for a summer, I am truly a sucker for anything that involves tapas (Multiple small plates that are often shared). When we were recommended a place that serves tapas, we obviously had to go check it out. We were not disappointed by O’Tapas, but the funny thing was, we only ordered one tapa! When we arrived at this Spanish style restaurant, we were immediately told that it they offered 2 for 1 paellas every Sunday. We quickly decided to go with the seafood paella, and we were more than pleased by it.
Not only was the paella delicious, but it was also so affordable with their Sunday deal! The chef had studied culinary arts in Spain and made a truly authentic Spanish paella. Plus, our croquetas were delicious too.
7 Caldos
By far my favorite restaurant in all of Guatemala was 7 Caldos. Famous for their local Guatemalan soups, this restaurant has an extensive menu of amazing and authentic local foods. Aside from having the usual interior open-air garden, 7 Caldos features a roof-top deck where customers can see the surrounding volcanos bubbling out lava in the night. We ate dinner there at sunset. Experiencing the sunset, the volcanos, the food, and the alcohol all at once was a truly unbelievable experience.
The food at 7 Caldos was pure gold. My meal was lemon chicken that was recommended by a waiter. It was honestly the best meal that I have ever had in my entire life. Zero exaggeration. I spent all of my time in Guatemala scheming and attempting to fit an opportunity to go back for another meal into our schedule. We almost drove two hours out of our way to eat there again because the food was that good.
Your trip to Antigua would not be complete without experiencing this restaurant.
Read more about awesome things in Antigua: The Most Unique Place to Stay in Antigua
Other Honorable Mentions:
- Roots (Healthy/ mediterranean)
- La Esquina (Latin America Fusion)
- Epicure (Italian/French)
- Luna de Miel (Mexican)
- Hector’s (French Bistro)
Shout out to Michelle for all of the awesome recommendations when we went to Guatemala.