Guatemalan Cuisine – A Mix Of Mayan And

Spanish Influences

Cuisine Strong Mayan, Spanish and French influences

New Arrivals – Italian, Chinese, American

Cuisine is heavily influenced by domestic produce

An Overview

Abundance of cheap options for tourists including home run restaurants, shacks and local delies

High end restaurants present in certain touristy areas

Diverse, fascinating options for foreign travellers

Household Staples- Tortillas, fried eggs, beans, plantains and other locally available produce

Basic staples available in most local delis as well

Tropical fruits such as papaya, pineapple, guava, mangoes, bananas and avocados are consumed too

Coffee is a part of the breakfast meal in every household and Guatemala is renowned for its production of high quality bean

Breakfast In Guatemala

Staples- Rice, beans, cheese and meat Meat- Pork, Chicken, and beef Roast chicken comes with the feet attached in many restaurants

around the country, so be prepared The diet is very similar to that of Mexico with the only difference

being that it is comparatively cheaper Nachos, tamale and enchiladas are available in every street

corner and offer a cheap and light meal

The Meals

Chicken Pepian- served with pumpkin sauce and sesame seeds Chiles Relenos – stuffed with cheese, rice, and meat of your choice Kak’ik- A turkey soup which is a popular Mayan delicacy made with herbs and

spices including achiote, peppers and coriander Fiambre - A popular cold salad dish made during the Day of the Dead, and it may

contain up to 50 ingredients Jacon- A green chicken stew

Popular Lunch Dishes

Hilachas- Shredded beef served with a red sauce Estofado- A meat- vegetable stew (beef, carrot and potato) Pollo en Crema- A creamy chicken stew Pollo Guisada- Spanish stew made with chicken

Tacos- These are very popular and made with fried tortillas and an assortment of meat and vegetables

Yucca Con Chicharron- Fried pork chucks and boiled cassava Shucos – A popular guatamelan version of the hotdog usually containing

guacamole Enchiladas – These are available widely. Basically, fried tortillas containing

a variety of meat, peppers, cheese, vegetables and other ingredients

Street Food In Guatemala

Some of these delicacies are reserved for special days such as Day of the Dead, All Saints Day and other annual festivals

Ayote en Dulce- This is a squash made with a sweet sauce, usually syrupy Fiambre maybe red or white depending on the ingredients and is usually

served on November 1 and 2 Salpicon- A chopped meat dish served with herbs, and a dash of lemon Chojin- Similar to Salpicon but is made with the skin of pork The Guatamelan ceviche contains snails, shrimp, clams and fish

(sometimes more ingredients too)

Other Delicacies

Despite having a primarily meat based diet, Guatemalan food includes plenty of vegetables and vegetarian dishes too. The food options vary throughout the country and heavy traditional influences of the Mayans can be seen widely.

Authentic street food is available throughout the country and push vendors sell everything from nachos to grilled corn.

The best way to describe Guatemalan food is as follows: Cheap, tasty and absolutely fantastic

Riding The Guatemalan Food Wave