We recently spent just over a week traversing Guatemala and I have to say that we ate exceptionally well all across the country. Over the course of 9 days we visited the Lake Atitlán area, Antigua, Guatemala City and El Remate (near Tikal), just scratching the surface of all Guatemala had to offer. In all of these locations we sought out traditional Guatemalan cuisine, which is a mix of Maya, Spanish, and other influences. On our trip, we appreciated the regional differences we encountered around the country, and loved trying foods and dishes that are relatively hard to find in the US. So what were some of our favorite foods in Guatemala? It was hard to narrow it down, but here are the top five:
1) Pepián, a rich, smoky stew that is considered Guatemala’s national dish. Pepián is usually served with chicken, but we even found a vegan version on our travels! The hearty stew, made with root vegetables and a tomato based sauce, gains its name from the gourd seeds that thicken it: pepitas. We found that this dish varied widely from restaurant to restaurant, ranging from more of a thin consomme broth to a thick, hearty stew. The vegetables varied among the versions, and the proteins ranged from cubed meat to a whole bone-in quarter chicken. We think our favorite version was at El Comalote (4a Calle Ote. 47, Antigua) in Antigua, though the vegan version at vegetarian-leaning Maria’s (Calle 8 Zona 2, San Pedro La Laguna) in San Pedro la Laguna on Lake Atitlán was also fabulous (Maria’s also has a chicken version available). We were excited to see pumpkin/gourd seeds featured again, as we had in the Yucatan in our favorite dip, Sikil Pak.
2) Jocón, a chicken stew with a green, mildly-spicy tomatillo- and cilantro-based sauce was another one of our favorites, found throughout the country (though it originated in western department of Huehuetenango). The name jocón derives from the Mayan K’iche’ word jok’on, meaning “to grind or mash.” We really enjoyed the version of jocón at Casa de las Sopas (7a Avenida Norte 5, Antigua) which was, rich, thick, and hearty. Jocón is a similar dish to pepián in style, and is also usually served with chicken. We also tried a more modernist take on jocón at Itzam (7a Calle Oriente 15-1, Antigua) in Antigua that consisted of jocón-style sauce poured over seared shrimp, and was also delicious.
3) Hilachas, is a delicious shredded beef stew in a hearty tomato sauce, found throughout menus in the country. This Guatemalan dish displays a larger Spanish influence, due to the addition of non-local beef. The name hilachas means “rags” and it is a similar dish to ropa vieja, found elsewhere in Latin American and the Caribbean. Again, El Comalote knocked this dish out of the park. We particularly loved the small, thick, round tortillas that came with these stews as well, and these were made fresh to order on the comal griddle (see last photo below), which made them even more delicious. We appreciated that the tortillas in Guatemala were a bit thicker, all the better to sop up the delicious soups and stews.
4) Jo’kom de Cacao is the most unique dish on our list, as we found it only at La Cocina de la Señora Pu in Guatemala City (6A Avenida A 10-16 Zona 1, Guatemala City), an outstanding but unassuming restaurant putting a contemporary twist on K’iche’ Maya-influenced dishes. M was completely enchanted with his dish, which was roast pork covered in a rich cacao mole sauce with a side of corn puree. The dish reminded us of a subtle and complex Oaxacan black mole, with a sweet/savory kick from the cacao, which is a native ingredient to Guatemala as well as Mexico. In addition to the jok’om, Señora Pu’s menu featured other dishes we had never encountered before, and an honorable mention was their Pisom, shrimp in a savory garlic-y tomato sauce served on Maxan / Mashan leaves.
5) Rounding out are top five are Plátanos en mole. This was a delicious sweet/savory dessert of fried plantains covered in mole sauce that we first sampled at Casa Don Cristobal Hotel y Restaurante (San Juan La Laguna, Zona 1, 04 CL) in San Juan la Laguna. Sometimes sweet/savory desserts can be a little odd, but this one absolutely worked. We were particular fans because we love all things mole, and the chocolate, sesame, and peanut in the sauce complemented the caramelized plantain beautifully.
We learned that some of the dishes we highlighted here, Pepián, Jocón, and Mole de Plátano, were named by the Guatemalan government as the “Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nation,” so we feel confident in our choices. Another honorable mention for our favorite Guatemalan dish goes to Chuchitos, mini corn tamales stuffed with a red sauce and steamed in dried corn husks, a great appetizer to share with friends. We were a little sad that we were in Guatemala a few weeks early to sample fiambre, their no-holds-barred charcuterie plate for Dia de los Muertos/Dia de Todos Santos. And of course we can’t forget to mention Guatemalan horchata, which is not really a dish per se, but a delicious agua fresca drink. We are more familiar with Mexican horchata, a sweet drink made from rice and flavored with cinnamon, and this same base is also present in Guatemala. However, the Guatemala version also includes gourd seeds and sometimes peanuts either as a topping or blended into the drink, giving a deeper yellow/tan color. We absolutely loved it! This trip really opened our eyes to the diverse array of Guatemalan foods, and we hope this cuisine only becomes more popular in the US.
I am crazy about pupusas – it’s no secret! What could be better than a pocket of carbs filled with cheese and other fillings? Nothing, I tell you. When we heard that the pupusas were on point at Brianna’s Restaurant (4911 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60625) we knew we had to visit! Brianna’s advertises itself as having Salvadoran and a Guatemalan cuisine, with a small selection of Mexican dishes.
