A Guide to Eating and Drinking in Guatemala City
- Guatemala City Information
- Eating & drinking in Guatemala City
- Where to stay in Guatemala City
- Guatemala City street map
In many ways, eating in drinking in Guatemala City is a true traveler’s test. Easy routes to quality cuisine aren’t immediately obvious but good sustenance can be found, and it’s happily inexpensive too. You just have to know where to look…
Guatemala’s conveniently ever-present street vendors offer earthy, traditional food that’s cheap as chips. Local favorites include ‘shucos’ (hotdogs with guacamole, bacon and chorizo) and sliced mangoes covered in salt and lemon. Be sure to choose your stall carefully, however, as some demonstrate fairly poor levels of hygiene.
The Guatemalan diet is based on eggs, beans and maize, with tortillas an abiding mainstay. The main meal of the day here is eaten at lunchtime and it can be well worth heading to one of the many ‘comedors’ (cheap restaurants) come noon to sample the food and see the city at its liveliest.
Comedors are situated throughout Guatemala City, although the best are probably in Zone 1. For those who want to splash a little (or a lot) more cash, on the other hand, Zone 10 is undoubtedly the place to be. Here, you’ll find the city’s gourmet cuisine and its swankiest restaurants.
Zone 10, or the 'Zona Viva’, is Guatemala City’s equivalent of a playground for the rich and features slightly Westernized steak-houses and clubs playing music that borders on ‘house’. While not always the most edifying spectacle, Zone 10 does guarantee an energetic mix of locals and travelers letting their hair down collectively.
Away from here, budget travelers looking for a night out would also be advised to check out Zones 1 and 4. These two neighborhoods are a touch more authentic, offering a down-to-earth, studenty vibe and a slightly artsy bohemian feel respectively.
Most of Guatemala City sticks to beer and spirits when on a night out and you’d be advised to follow suit given the paucity of drinkable wine or cocktails. Gallo is the local beer, though if you can get your hands on a bottle of Montecarlo it’s probably worth the extra cash.
Rum is consumed on a widespread - and frankly impressive - scale, which is unsurprising, really, due to the proximity of the Caribbean. Another, less-identifiable, liquor named Aguardiente (which means ‘burning water) is also a favorite, though be warned: it’s fearfully potent to the uninitiated.
Travelers should take care as a rule, for the city isn’t always the safest for visitors. Having said that, as long as you retain awareness of your surroundings and use taxis late at night, the city should be just as accommodating as the next.