Guatemala City (Zona 4) Guidebook!
Zona 4 Eats
This is our favourite local cafe! The food and the coffee are both amazing. The wifi is also good.
I recommend the Torito Avocado Toast from the menu the most.
12 Onzas
This is our favourite local cafe! The food and the coffee are both amazing. The wifi is also good.
I recommend the Torito Avocado Toast from the menu the most.
Miettes is located literally directly under the bedroom of our apartment. We can smell the croissants starting at 5am in the morning. The smell drives us crazy!
The owners of Miettes are Guatemalan and French. Their pastries are all with a sourdough base, extremely delicious. We recommend the Ham and Cheese Croissant (heat it up), the Cashew Cream Croissants, and the brunch plates. The Bread Pudding is also great. Honestly, it's all good. Their sourdough is off the hook if you want to make sandwhiches at home. They also have a small sort of artesnal market of food items, like nice cheeses.
9 locals recommend
Miettes
Miettes is located literally directly under the bedroom of our apartment. We can smell the croissants starting at 5am in the morning. The smell drives us crazy!
The owners of Miettes are Guatemalan and French. Their pastries are all with a sourdough base, extremely delicious. We recommend the Ham and Cheese Croissant (heat it up), the Cashew Cream Croissants, and the brunch plates. The Bread Pudding is also great. Honestly, it's all good. Their sourdough is off the hook if you want to make sandwhiches at home. They also have a small sort of artesnal market of food items, like nice cheeses.
This place is a hidden gem. Amazing natural/ biodynamic wines at very reasonable prices. The owner Andy (who is a friend of ours), also hand makes pottery, and great bread/ pizzas/ cheese plates. This is a great spot to meet locals and get a bit tipsy, it's basically right below our apartment on the other side of the lane!
¨La Petrona¨ Vinos Naturales
This place is a hidden gem. Amazing natural/ biodynamic wines at very reasonable prices. The owner Andy (who is a friend of ours), also hand makes pottery, and great bread/ pizzas/ cheese plates. This is a great spot to meet locals and get a bit tipsy, it's basically right below our apartment on the other side of the lane!
The pizza at L'apero is probably the best I've ever had, and they're pretty cheap too. If you get a margarita pizza just add a bit of salt and you're going to be in heaven! This is right beside Miettes, under the apartment, and is owned by the same couple.
34 locals recommend
L' Aperó
Ruta 2The pizza at L'apero is probably the best I've ever had, and they're pretty cheap too. If you get a margarita pizza just add a bit of salt and you're going to be in heaven! This is right beside Miettes, under the apartment, and is owned by the same couple.
Another pizza place that also on uber eats offers pretty good Indian food!
7 locals recommend
Quino's Pizzeria
1-17 Via 4Another pizza place that also on uber eats offers pretty good Indian food!
San Martin is a Guatemalan chain that does consistently good food and cakes. This one is located by Quo, it's new and nice! Their carrot cake is amazing.
33 locals recommend
San Martín zona 14
San Martin is a Guatemalan chain that does consistently good food and cakes. This one is located by Quo, it's new and nice! Their carrot cake is amazing.
This burger place is on the corner across from our apartment. They do good burgers - and the convenience factor is high - I love their chicken burger.
Opíparo
5b 6a Avenida NorteThis burger place is on the corner across from our apartment. They do good burgers - and the convenience factor is high - I love their chicken burger.
Decent vegan place nearby! They do sort of modern vegan, so a lot of vegan burgers etc. Their spring rolls are great.
Moonrise Comida Vegana
3-30 Via 6Decent vegan place nearby! They do sort of modern vegan, so a lot of vegan burgers etc. Their spring rolls are great.
I don't know how to pronounce the name of this place, but it's in Quo (five minute walk away), and they have a great selection of craft beers both to drink there and take-away.
Øl: Centro Cultural Cervecero
4-20 Via 7I don't know how to pronounce the name of this place, but it's in Quo (five minute walk away), and they have a great selection of craft beers both to drink there and take-away.
This place is considered one of the gems of the Guatemala Culinary Scene. The prices are reasonable, the service is generally pretty bad, but the food is great - especially the fish, which is extremely fresh.
15 locals recommend
Mercado 24
Via 5This place is considered one of the gems of the Guatemala Culinary Scene. The prices are reasonable, the service is generally pretty bad, but the food is great - especially the fish, which is extremely fresh.
Owned by the same people who made Mercado 24, this place does great raw fish tostadas!
Dora La Tostadora
Owned by the same people who made Mercado 24, this place does great raw fish tostadas!
Useful things
La Torre is the closest big grocery store, it's about a 6 minute (safe) walk away, in the Quo complex. Good spot to stock up if you're staying for a longer time.
La Torre Quo
4-25 7 AvenidaLa Torre is the closest big grocery store, it's about a 6 minute (safe) walk away, in the Quo complex. Good spot to stock up if you're staying for a longer time.
La Torre Express
3-81 Ruta 1This is a mini La Torre where you can get basic things!
This is a good spot for COVID tests and also some medical care. It's very modern, clean, easy to use. It's about a ten minute uber from the apartment. They also do house visits (you can text their whatsapp and they'll send someone to the house).
Blue Medical
17-78 Avenida Las AmericasThis is a good spot for COVID tests and also some medical care. It's very modern, clean, easy to use. It's about a ten minute uber from the apartment. They also do house visits (you can text their whatsapp and they'll send someone to the house).
This mall is about 10 mins driving away and has all of the mod-cons you might need if you're on a long trip and won't be going back home soon. It has big department stores, Zara, a movie theatre, etc etc etc.
134 locals recommend
Oakland Mall
13-01 Diag. 6This mall is about 10 mins driving away and has all of the mod-cons you might need if you're on a long trip and won't be going back home soon. It has big department stores, Zara, a movie theatre, etc etc etc.
Sightseeing
La ERRE
2-60 Via 6This is an arts and culture exhibition! Highly recommend.
This is a museum located on the University Campus of Francisco Marroquin that has a huge amount of Mayan artefacts and cultural information.
22 locals recommend
Museo Popol Vuh
Final Diagonal 6This is a museum located on the University Campus of Francisco Marroquin that has a huge amount of Mayan artefacts and cultural information.
Other Guate City Eats
Nokiate it is probably the best sushi and thai in the city IMO. It's about a ten - fifteen minute uber away. Highly recommend all of their dishes. I don't recommend you eat at the sushi called SushiMon in Z4, it's pretty crappy.
8 locals recommend
Nokiate it
14-07 3 AvenidaNokiate it is probably the best sushi and thai in the city IMO. It's about a ten - fifteen minute uber away. Highly recommend all of their dishes. I don't recommend you eat at the sushi called SushiMon in Z4, it's pretty crappy.
This is my favourite place for cocktails in Guatemala City. The staff are amazing, the vibe and music is great, and the cocktails and food are all amazing. It's locally owned by a few guys we know, and their attention to details is 10/10 every time.
Minerva Casa de Cocteles
This is my favourite place for cocktails in Guatemala City. The staff are amazing, the vibe and music is great, and the cocktails and food are all amazing. It's locally owned by a few guys we know, and their attention to details is 10/10 every time.
Neighborhoods
This neighbourhood is the historical neighbourhood in Guatemala City. It's safe to walk around during the day (though always be careful with your bags).
14 locals recommend
Zone 1
This neighbourhood is the historical neighbourhood in Guatemala City. It's safe to walk around during the day (though always be careful with your bags).
City advice
Customs and culture
Don't drink tap water unless it's been Filtered!
- Tap water can give you parasites
- Once it's been filtered through an Eco-filtro (like the one in our apartment), it's safe to drink.
- You should be fine to brush your teeth with tap water.
- If you get a parasite and it seems severe, go to any local clinic, get a stool test, and then get the right medicine to kill the parasite.
- If you just get a little bit of an upset stomach, give it about three days and see if it passes. The medicine to kill parasites can be hard on your system, so try to avoid taking it unless you're quite unwell.
Customs and culture
Don't Take Photos of Locals
- This is probably common sense, but as tempting as it is, particularly when you go to Antigua and the Lake (because everyone is so beautiful and dressed in colourful and unique textiles!), do not take photos of the locals and or their children unless you have their direct approval.
- There were many issues with child-human trafficking in years gone by, so it makes people nervous to see someone wielding a camera towards them. The indigenous people also have beliefs to do with their spirits and cameras.
Customs and culture
Be careful with your bags/ petty theft
Though Zona 4 is generally considered one of the safest zones, if you wander further afield by foot, be careful with your phone/ purse. Also be careful in an uber if you have the window rolled down, generally it's not safe. Lots of people get robbed at red lights if their window is rolled down. I've never been robbed in two years at the city but I have seen it happen.