Guidebook for Guatemala
Food Scene
A fun, reliable, hipster hangout that is open to the street. You might see the owner and her dog, Chata.
25 moradores locais recomendam
Karma, Gastro-Bar
Via 5A fun, reliable, hipster hangout that is open to the street. You might see the owner and her dog, Chata.
Easily one of the best restaurants in the country. Fresh local ingredients, simply prepared. The flavor combinations are inventive, balanced. Don't miss it. Chef Pablo Diaz Quiñonez knows his stuff and has a great future.
15 moradores locais recomendam
Mercado 24
Via 5Easily one of the best restaurants in the country. Fresh local ingredients, simply prepared. The flavor combinations are inventive, balanced. Don't miss it. Chef Pablo Diaz Quiñonez knows his stuff and has a great future.
Fish and Rogelio make a mean cup. Ask them to talk about their craft, and don't show up in a hurry; they will take care of you. They source from local farms, and roast their own. You might just want to save some extra space in your suitcase and take some home. Tell them I sent you.
7 moradores locais recomendam
Rojo Cerezo Coffee
Via 4Fish and Rogelio make a mean cup. Ask them to talk about their craft, and don't show up in a hurry; they will take care of you. They source from local farms, and roast their own. You might just want to save some extra space in your suitcase and take some home. Tell them I sent you.
A cafe in lush tropical surroundings. You can walk around a working orchid nursery while you wait for your meal. The kind of place you really should bring a book to.
Cafe Mimi
A cafe in lush tropical surroundings. You can walk around a working orchid nursery while you wait for your meal. The kind of place you really should bring a book to.
This tiny place serves up some great dumplings and "Sopa mein."
9 moradores locais recomendam
Juancho Ming
3-23 Via 6This tiny place serves up some great dumplings and "Sopa mein."
Set in a historic covered arcade full of jewelry shops, the helpful staff here can recommend just the right infusion to match your mood.
9 moradores locais recomendam
Caravasar Té y Infusiones
Set in a historic covered arcade full of jewelry shops, the helpful staff here can recommend just the right infusion to match your mood.
Arts & Culture
If you are interested in Guatemalan textiles, you shouldn't miss this one. The university campus nearby is also a pleasant place to wander around. They are both in a sort of verdant gulch slightly below city level; very secluded.
37 moradores locais recomendam
Museo Ixchel del Traje Indigena
6A CalleIf you are interested in Guatemalan textiles, you shouldn't miss this one. The university campus nearby is also a pleasant place to wander around. They are both in a sort of verdant gulch slightly below city level; very secluded.
Parks & Nature
A selection of nothern and southern hemisphere flora. Only open during weekdays, and closed at lunchtime, oddly.
19 moradores locais recomendam
Botánico, Guatemala Garden
0-63 Avenida La ReformaA selection of nothern and southern hemisphere flora. Only open during weekdays, and closed at lunchtime, oddly.
Drinks & Nightlife
Unchanged since the 90s, everybody knows your name at Esperanto. Decorated with music posters you might have had in your dorm room. Victor and Nestor are fixtures of the GC night, make sure to meet them.
You can order a pizza at Pecorino's next door, and they can bring it out to the bar for you. The beer is cheap and always cold.
7 moradores locais recomendam
Esperanto
3-36 11 CalleUnchanged since the 90s, everybody knows your name at Esperanto. Decorated with music posters you might have had in your dorm room. Victor and Nestor are fixtures of the GC night, make sure to meet them.
You can order a pizza at Pecorino's next door, and they can bring it out to the bar for you. The beer is cheap and always cold.
The after-hours location of choice. Music until 6am several nights a week. Sometimes there's live music and local DJs. The place used to have a nice garden and lived up to its name; it's now semi-indoors, but you won't regret that if it starts raining.
The Secret Garden
6A Avenida AThe after-hours location of choice. Music until 6am several nights a week. Sometimes there's live music and local DJs. The place used to have a nice garden and lived up to its name; it's now semi-indoors, but you won't regret that if it starts raining.
Sightseeing
Well before shopping centers came to town, sexta avenida (sixth avenue) was the city's shopping destination of choice. Back then, you could find imported fabrics, housewares, and tailored suits. Now it's gone downmarket - you're more likely to find tupperware than Vuitton - but it's all the more entertaining for that.
The longest pedestrian thoroughfare in Central America, "La Sexta" runs north-south for a few km. along zones 1 and 2.
6A Avenida (Paseo de la Sexta)
6A Avenida (Paseo de la Sexta)Well before shopping centers came to town, sexta avenida (sixth avenue) was the city's shopping destination of choice. Back then, you could find imported fabrics, housewares, and tailored suits. Now it's gone downmarket - you're more likely to find tupperware than Vuitton - but it's all the more entertaining for that.
The longest pedestrian thoroughfare in Central America, "La Sexta" runs north-south for a few km. along zones 1 and 2.
Shopping
This is very much a traditional village market, transplanted right into the center of a largeish city. Right next door is cornucopia of trad handicrafts. (They are offered at a price premium to foreigners, but you can compensate by haggling.)
65 moradores locais recomendam
Mercado Central
This is very much a traditional village market, transplanted right into the center of a largeish city. Right next door is cornucopia of trad handicrafts. (They are offered at a price premium to foreigners, but you can compensate by haggling.)