Prepare for the food in Antigua to absolutely surprise you (in a great way). I ate some of the best meals in all my travels while I was here. In my opinion, Antigua is home to some of the best restaurants in Central America and is particularly great if you are vegan or vegetarian. In 2022 I spent two months living in Antigua, and during that time I ate out a lot (it’s hard not to when the food around you is so good!) (Check out my Ultimate Budget Travel Guide for Antigua.) This post will go through my absolute favourite budget-friendly restaurants in Antigua – all of which have great vegetarian and vegan options (please note that Guatemala is not as cheap as other countries in Central and South America, but you will still pay less than you would in most places in Europe!
1.ONCE ONCE
ADDRESS: 2a Calle Oriente #22, Antigua Guatemala, Guatamala
CUISINE: International, Vegan
Once Once (meaning Eleven Eleven) is my favourite restaurant in Antigua, and the best meal I ate in all my travels. The restaurant is all vegan, but honestly, I have been here with lots of meat eaters and they all loved it. It also has a really amazing atmosphere, making it feel like a very fancy night out, but at a fraction of the cost. I highly recommend the pulled not-pork sandwich and the BBQ cauliflower wing sandwich. The main courses are approximately 70Q (€8.80). If you order a bottle of wine they also give you a free tapas plate which is to DIE for. In my opinion, this is one of the BEST restaurants in Antigua, Guatemala.
2.WACHUMA
ADDRESS: 5a Calle Oriente 12, Antigua Guatemala, Guatamala
CUISINE: Healthy, vegan
Wachuma (named after the sacred Andean cactus) is another vegan restaurant. It is extremely affordable with big bowls for 40Q (€5) and burgers for 50Q (€6.30). On Tuesdays, if you eat in you can also get two burgers for the price of one. This is a great spot to come to buy raw snacks and kombucha also.
3. MR. TACO
ADDRESS: Cjón. del Sol 12, Antigua Guatemala, Guatamala
CUISINE: Mexican
Mr. Taco is a hidden gem that most people do not know about. I was recommended it by my Mexican friend, so you know it’s good! Incredible food for SO cheap. They make huge big burritos (Al pastor, chicken, and also VEGGIE SOYA MEAT!) for 20q (€2.50). They also deliver for 15Q! The best part of Mr. Taco is all their homemade sauces – raspberry, pineapple, passionfruit, and Picante. Make sure you try all of them!
4. KOMBU RAMEN SHOP
ADDRESS: 1a Avenida Sur 19C, Antigua, Guatemala.
CUISINE: Japanese
This place does AMAZING ramen. One of the best meals I had in my two months in Antigua. My biggest regret is not going right until the end of my time there, otherwise, I would have been there all the time. It’s a little on the expensive side, at 70-80Q (€9-10) for a bowl of ramen, but it is so worth it! This is for sure one of the best restaurants in Antigua, Guatemala.
5. AM BKFST
ADDRESS: 3 AVE NORTE #20 A ANTIGUA GUATEMALA Antigua,
CUISINE: American, Breakfast/Brunch
AM BKFST is a yummy all-day breakfast/brunch spot that does customizable waffles and croissants. Most meals cost about 50Q (€7) and include a drink. This is a great place to stop on your way to walk to Cero de la Cruz viewpoint, as it is located very close to the entrance of the walk.
6. RINCÓN TIPICO
ADDRESS: 3a Avenida Sur, Antigua Guatemala
CUISINE: Guatemalan
Come here for a cheap, huge meal of typical Guatemalan food. Included is your soup, main course, sides, and dessert for 35Q (€4.50). There can be a huge queue out the door, especially on weekends, so try to head there early. This is the place to go to try typical Guatemalan food with a great atmosphere.
7. UNION CAFE
ADDRESS: 6 Calle Oriente # 6 Antigua Guatemala.
CUISINE: American, European, Brunch
Yummy brunch spot with an amazing breakfast and coffee selection. This is one of my favourite places to come for breakfast or lunch, have a few coffees and work on my laptop for the day.
8. GET STREET FOOD AT IGLESIA LA MERCED
ADDRESS: 1a Calle Poniente & 6a Avenida Norte, Antigua, Guatemala.
CUISINE: Guatemalan
The cheapest meal you will get in Antigua! On Weekends, they have a huge food market but you can get street food there any day. A meal will set you back 15Q (€2). You can try all sorts of local food, drinks and desserts here.
9. MI VIETNAMESE KITCHEN
ADDRESS: 3a Avenida Sur 1A, Antigua, Guatemala.
CUISINE: Vietnamese
In Mi Vietnamese Kitchen, the most delicious Vietnamese food is served on a terrace looking out at the whole city. Get everything from pho to banh mi. On a Wednesday, they do a 2-for-1 Banh mi deal for dine-in (you can just eat one of them in and take the other to go if you’re alone!) for 45Q ( €5.5).
10. TOKO BARU
ADDRESS: 1 17″A”, 03001, 1a Avenida Sur, Antigua
CUISINE: India, The Middle East and Indonsesia
This is a small, amazing restaurant, with a lot of heart. I personally love their hummus and falafels. All the meals here are around 50Q (€6) which makes it a super affordable option. It’s really small and you can’t reserve so I recommend going early in case you have to wait a bit!
If you’re looking for more things to do while in Guatemala check out my other posts:
