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We've compiled the best of the best in El Peten - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
This secret garden with lake vistas is a veritable oasis, complete with butterflies and flowering vines. But don't forget the food: there is a huge menu ranging from smoothie bowls bursting with fresh fruit or waffles in the morning to pad Thai, salad, traditional Guatemalan food, or pizza at sunset, plus fresh cocktails.
If you've never eaten in an Italian grandfather's kitchen overlooking a beautiful lake here's your chance. This unfussy outdoor spot has a nice selection of pasta cooked to order in the open kitchen. They bake up homemade bread for the bruschetta, and the pizza is a treat with a glass of wine or a frosty Gallo. It's worth the drive after Tikal.
This cozy eatery has tasty brunch all day, with items like: shakshuka eggs, Flores skillet with egg, avocado, beans, and mushrooms, or chicken and waffles. Don't miss the famous milkshake: three scoops of vanilla ice cream, flavor of your choice (we suggest maple syrup and bacon), topped off with a delectable doughnut.
Grilled meats come piping hot off the parrilla (grill) and give this palapa restaurant swagger. Tacos with practically an artist's palette of sauces are also popular, and the steamed fish is excellent. Raíces is built over the water, so with friends, a margarita in hand, and the lake framing it all, you'll have a good time. You can also take a boat ride from the restaurant out to Raíces Del Lago for a special dining experience from another vantage point on the lake.
Combining a cultural and educational experience with good food, this restaurant is the creation of German architect Dieter Richter, who has worked on projects at Yaxhá and Naranjo. You can browse a collection of books, photos, maps, and other information about the Mayan world while you enjoy a hamburguesa or a Mayan dish such as Pollo Xni Pec (chicken in a chili sauce served with rice and yucca). You can also book tours to Yaxhá and elsewhere.
You'll feel appropriately cool chilling in a hammock or shooting the breeze with another wanderer in this leafy garden café, sipping lemonade or an iced latte. If you're bored by the national beers, Gallo in Guatemala or Belikin in Belize, this café serves real IPAs and a selection of imported craft beers. You can eat breakfast for under Q40, and light meals are served the rest of the day. There's free Wi-Fi.
If you're looking for delicious, authentic, homemade Guatemalan food at great prices, you've come to the right place. There's a good chance your whitefish was caught from the lake that morning, and the tortillas are homemade with pride. The grilled chicken is mouthwatering, and the soup is a must-try on a cooler day. The thatched-roof, open-air restaurant is nothing fancy, but you'll get attentive service—and breakfast, lunch, and dinner all hit the spot.
