Antigua has so many great bars, coffeeshops and restaurants that it may be difficult to decide where to go first. I’ve spent quite some time in the city, wandered all of the Calle Orientes countless of times and drank loads of coffee at its charming coffee bars.
Based on my own experiences, these are my favourite places in town!
*( I updated this article in December 2018 – after my third visit to Antigua )*
Porque No –
Oh such a lovely cafe!
Porque No is squeezed at a tiny corner and yet it’s incredible how many people it can host. Apart from people, this place is stuffed to the rafters with accessories. Grab the rope and explore the attic and see if there’s still a spot left somewhere on the wall where you can leave your mark (yes, literally).
The menu is small, but personally that’s exactly what I like; you just know these dishes are the chef’s favourite. I only ate here once (the vegetarian lasagna, which was really nice), but I’d also recommend you to visit this place just for a drink! ↓
Cafe Sky –
This place – a sky bar, at least as good as it gets in Antigua – is perfect to start your evening. Watch sunset with views all around, drink a beer or cocktail and snack upon a bowl of nachos.
If you’re running out of time at the end of the day, lunch is a good idea up here too. The staff is very friendly and professional and always in for a chat. The crowd is a fine mixture of locals and tourists. Be in time if you want to see sunset and bring a sweater, it can get quite chilly by nightfall up in the ‘sky’.
Here you can see the bar at the end of the street. ↓
And with a view from the bar itself ↓
Toko Baru –
This little restaurant near the Iglesia Escuela de Cristo was my favourite restaurant of them all in Antigua. Why? Mainly because of the wide variety of comfort foods they offered and their very low prices.
I hadn’t had a proper satay in months and I basically went nuts when I saw it was one the menu, for so little GTQ. The falafels, pitas and curries are spectacular too. There might be a bit of a queue if you arrive after 7pm, but the staff is happy to provide you some (special) beers and sweet potato chips in front of their place too.
A whole lot of fun, also if you’re on a tight travel budget!
Amanecer –
The best juice bar of Antigua. Period. And a new addition to this 2017 list.
On top of the delicious and giant drinks that are served in here, Amanecer has a friendly staff, a cute interior and fast wifi. Combine your drink with a delicious sandwich and you only have to pay 20 GTQ for the drink. You even get an extra salad on the side.
Amanecer is especially popular around noon. With a location right across Bigfoot Hostel you can’t expect otherwise anyway. So brace yourself, also for the sound of blenders. ↓
Cafe No Se –
This cafe is close to both Cafe Sky and Toko Baru and really a hidden gem. As you enter the bar, you’ve got the feeling you step into a 19th century Bohemian cafe, since the bar is lit by candles.
Inside you’ll find the coolest people in town, both locals and travellers, and the best indie bands that perform live from time to time. If you’re looking for a more quieter place, the bar has several little rooms and nooks to hang out.
When I left the cafe late in the evening, the entire city was deserted and the weather was very cold; I just had the feeling I walked out of another century and continent. ↓
Patata Frites –
What’s in a name… this place sells fries! All kinds of them. I visited this place a couple of times when I was in for a snack. Choose the type of fries you want, followed by the sauce top it of with some meat. A small size of fries was enough as an ‘in betweener’ for me!
I snacked my fries at the nearby square of the Iglesia De La Merced, but just so you know, there’s also both indoor and outdoor seating upstairs. ↓
Rainbow Cafe –
A fine little spot to hang out for a while, if you’re tired of the buzz of the city. The patio has been eclectically decorated and there are many books to lend in case you want to linger a while. Not the best place to catch on on your emails though.
Sometimes they also have lectures or live music in here. Expect decent food, not high end, for reasonable prices and with fresh ingredients. From 12 to 2 pm they have a lunch combo: a soup and a sandwich for 35 QTZ. Not bad.
Also a great place to diminish that hangover. ↓
Samsara –
This was the first place I spotted, while still in a minibus, and it the food was just as magnificent as I hoped it would be. Samsara is cosy and small and offers a big menu with lots of veggie, vegan, and gluten-free options.
All dishes are fresh and light, even though the portions are big. Prices are pretty okay too. I loved the hummus over here and I’d also recommend their ‘special’ smoothies (at the end of the menu) with turmeric and ginger. Great coffee too. ↓
Fernando’s Kaffee –
This cute cafe is situated on a corner near the Iglesia la Merced. The patio has a nice ambiance and usually there are some women over here at work, making traditional cloths. ↓
I heard mixed reviews regarding the breakfast. Had myself a nice lunch in here, empanada with spinach, but I guess the best reason to go here is because of the coffee and the chocolate desserts. Everything is home made, even the coffee is freshly roasted. Browse the arts and crafts they have on offer while enjoying your cup and a piece of chocolate, cookies or the meringues.
Strong wifi in here too. In fact, I’m writing this article here right now!
Ganache –
A very nice French bistro with a lovely decor. The cafe has a very friendly service, good sandwiches and delicious desserts such as brownies and sandwiches. Those two are indeed sold everywhere, but these are just extremely delicious.
If you’re not in a mood for sweet you can try the combination deal with half a sandwich and soup, perfect around noon. The cafe’s not the cheapest, but consider it a bon splurge!
Saberico –
If you’re looking for a quick (European style) sandwich, this is your place to go. This take away cafe sells a lot of fine desserts and chocolates in the back as well. But you can also decide to settle down for a while, as Saberico features a beautiful garden too with a lot of quaint art.
Going here is a good choice on one of those hot afternoons; the tables are all located in the shade of the trees plus the singing birds will keep you company over there too. ↓
Y tu piña tambien –
This little cafe on the corner close to Cafe No Se, Toko Baru and Cafe Sky is a cute edition to this list. Not sure where the name comes from, but it may just be derived of that coming-of-age movie of Alfonso Cuaron (Y tu mama tambien :).
The meals and drinks aren’t the cheapest, but my salad and smoothie were both very tasty and I though the interior was quite quirky. Moreover the brownies (15 GTQ) were made of beans and cacao and although that may sounds a bit weird, it was delicious!
I also just loved their initiative of ‘postponed coffee’. I’ve seen this before in Europe and the USA, but never in Central America, so hear hear!
Choco Museo –
As soon as you step into this museum/shop (situated at two locations in the centre), you’ll be welcomed by a very rich cacao smell. Now what more would you wish for? Free entrance to the museum perhaps? It’s all yours.
Learn inside all about how chocolate is created from bean to bar. In the shop you can buy some local produced bars or drink a cappuccino or a hot chocolate. If you’re really interested in the chocolate process and want to see how it’s mastered in real life, you might want to join a workshop too. Be warned though: you probably won’t be able to eat anything else afterwards.
No images attached
Luna de Miel –
The name of this place near the Parque de la Merced literally means ‘honeymoon’ and indeed, everything they serve in here is pretty sweet.
The specialty of the restaurant are the crêpes and it’s difficult to decide which one to choose, since they are all very good. Luna de Miel has crêpes for every moment of the day. The service in here is good, the kitchen is fast and the restaurant has a wonderful terrace if you’d like to cool down a bit. Sometimes there’s a waiting line, but don’t let that scare you away as it all goes pretty fast in here. ↓
La Casaca –
This bar is situated at the western side of the Parque Central, next to the BAC bank. The place is tiny, but they have the biggest juices in town!
You can opt whatever fruit you like and mix it up with water or any kind of milk. Hang out with that giant juice in the park next doors, but sip slowly.. I’ve experienced multiple brain freezes at La Casaca! ↓
You’d like to see your favourite place in this list too? Let me know what it is!
Here’s where to find my hotspots ↓
