Guatemala Guide
The western highlands
Eating
1 Al Andalus 2 C 14 Av A–30 Spanish place with authentic tapas, mains including paella, sangría and wine, and you dine in a pleasant courtyard setting. Some evenings there's live jazz, bossa or soul music.
2 Bake Shop 18 Av and 1 C, Zona 3 Mennonite-run bakery famous for its wholewheat bread, cakes, glazed donuts and pastries. Open 9am–6pm Tues & Fri only.
3 Café Baviera 5 C 12–50, a block from the plaza Old-school coffeehouse, with plenty of period photos of Xela's local notables on the walls. There's also a selection of teas, as well as cakes, sandwiches and soups, plus a no-smoking area and wi-fi.
4 Cardinali's 14 Av 3–41 Long-running Italian place with gingham tablecloths and Chianti flasks on the walls. Good for pizza or pasta with huge portions at (fairly) moderate prices.
5 Casa Babilón Opening time: Closed Sun13 Av and 5 C There's far too much on the menu at this café, with everything from sushi to Thai to Middle Eastern food. Best to stick to what they do best: filling sandwiches and salads.
6 
El Cuartito Opening time: Closed Tues13 Av 7–09 Xela's hippest little café has a shabby-chic appeal with lighting made from old beer bottles, live chillout DJs and acoustic music. Offers a simple menu of falafel, cheeses and snacks plus good espresso and wine by the carafe. Wi-fi.
7 Dos Tejanos Inside the Pasaje Enríquez, 4 C 12–33 Price: Mains cost US$8–16The "two Texans" is an elegant restaurant with delicious Tex-Mex dishes like garlic grilled fish, barbecued ribs and lomito a la diablo. Open for breakfast.
8 La Luna 8 Av 4–11. Opening time: Mon– Fri 9.30am–9pm, weekends 4–9pm onlyCrammed with curios and antiques, La Luna has seven different varieties of drinking chocolate, though the food is mediocre.
9 Memories 15 Av & 3 C Part civilized café, part toy museum, this quirky café is good for sandwiches, cakes (try the pay de queso), and fine coffee, which is roasted out front. All the collectible model planes, helicopters and dolls are showcased in cabinets.
10 Panorama south of 11 C Opening time: Open Wed– Fri 5–10pm, weekends 1–10pmA 20min walk south of the plaza, this villa restaurant overlooks the city from a lofty position. It's Swiss owned, and the menu is European based.
11 Portofinos 12 Av 10–21 Friendly, family-run place where the chef, Daniel, cooks up fine pasta and gnocchi. Also doubles as a low-key bar and has two pool tables.
12 Royal Paris 14 Av A 3–06 Large upper-storey restaurant with authentic French and some Italian food at moderate-to-high prices. A nice atmosphere on Wed, Fri and Sat nights when there's live jazz, rumba or accordion music.
13 Sagrado Corazón 1 14 Av 3–08. Run by a formidable señora, this small, informal place is a great spot to try Guatemalan specialities like pepián or jocón (meat cooked with peppers and tomatillos).
14 Sagrado Corazón 2 9 C 9–00. Modest, inexpensive little comedor with good-value breakfasts, a huge US$2.75 set lunch and friendly service.
15 La Taquería 8 Av & 5 C Tasty Mexican food, moderately priced and fairly authentic.
16 Ut'z Hua 12 Av & 3 C Diners sit under a palapa roof at this intimate, busy place specializing in Guatemalan cuisine. There's an excellent choice of mains, including jocón, quichóm, local sausages, mojarra fish and seven kinds of soup.