Blue Angel Video Café
, 7 C 15-22, Zona 1. Intimate, friendly and popular gringo hangout with a daily video programme and great vegetarian food.
Café Baviera
, 5 C 12-50, Zona 1, a block from the plaza. Spacious pine-panelled coffee house, dripping with photographic nostalgia and serving quality cakes and decent coffee, though the set breakfasts are a little pricey.
Café Colonial
, 13 Av and 7 C, Zona 1. Large café-cum-restaurant with tasty barbecued meats, decent sandwiches and rich
licuados
.
Café El Mana
13 Av and 5 C, Zona 1. Tiny, very friendly family-run café with an excellent selection of inexpensive breakfasts - including
mosh
(highland porridge) pancakes and granola - lunches and real coffee. Closed Sun.
Cardinali's
, 14 Av 3-41, Zona 1. Without doubt the best Italian food outside the capital, at reasonable prices. Make sure you are starving when you eat here because the portions are huge. For a pizza delivery call 761 0924.
Deli Crêpe
, 14 Av & 3 C, Zona 1. Looks a bit gloomy from the outside, but wait till you try the
licuados
, pancakes and delicious sandwiches.
El Rincón de los Antojitos
, 15 Av and 5 C, Zona 1. Despite being run by a French-Guatemalan couple, this friendly little restaurant has a purely Guatemalan menu, with specialities such as
pepián
(spicy chicken stew) and
hilachas
(beef in tomato sauce).
La Luna
, 8 Av 4-11, Zona 1. Stylish new place, ideal for a relaxing cup of coffee and a yummy cake. They also do very fine chocolates.
La Polonesa
, 14 Av 4-55, Zona 1. Great little place with an unbeatable selection of set lunches (with daily specials), all under US$2, and served at nice solid wooden tables.
La Salida
, 9 Av and 10 Av Zona 1. Diminutive vegetarian café, with delicious food including tempe and tofu, Oriental treats like
pad thai
, wholesome soups, and lassis. No alcohol. Closed Wed.
La Taquería
, 8 Av 5 C, Zona 1. Best Mexican food in town, moderately priced and served in a pleasant courtyard patio setting - try the enchiladas or the
caldo Tlalpeño
soup, washed down with cheap litres of beer.
Pan y Pasteles
, 18 Av and 1 C, Zona 1. The best bakery in town, run by Mennonites whose fresh pastries and breads are used by all the finest restaurants. Tues & Fri only, 9am-6pm.
Pensión Bonifaz
, in the hotel of the same name, corner of the plaza, Zona 1. Always a sedate and civilized spot for a cup of tea, a cake and the chance to rub shoulders with the town's elite, though the restaurant is expensive and overrated.
Royal Paris
, 14 Av A 3-06, Zona 1. Superb, moderately priced French-owned restaurant with a winsome menu of really flavoursome dishes including cassoulet and onion soup, plus snacks like croque monsieur. Special weekday lunches are a steal at US$2.
Sagrado Corazón
, 9 C 9-00, Zona 1. Excellent little comedor, with great-value breakfasts, filling meals and very friendly service.
