Traditional Guatemalan Food — 12 Dishes You Must Try

Guatemalan food remains one of Central America’s best-kept culinary secrets. Built on a foundation of Maya tradition and shaped by Spanish colonial influence, Guatemalan cuisine offers rich stews, hand-made tortillas, and street food that rarely makes it onto international “best of Latin America” lists — which is exactly what makes discovering it on the ground feel like a genuine find.

Whether you’re planning a trip to Antigua, exploring the highlands around Lake Atitlán, or simply curious about what to eat in Guatemala, this guide covers the traditional dishes worth seeking out — from the national dish you’ll find on every menu to street snacks only locals usually know about.

1. Pepián — Guatemala’s National Dish

If you try only one dish in Guatemala, make it pepián. Widely considered the country’s national dish, pepián is a thick, deeply spiced stew made with chicken or beef, simmered in a sauce built from roasted tomatoes, chiles, and toasted seeds — typically pumpkin and sesame — ground into a rich, reddish-brown base. The roasting process is what gives pepián its distinctive smoky depth, setting it apart from other Latin American stews.

Pepián is believed to have Maya origins, predating Spanish colonization, and remains a dish prepared in homes across the country for special occasions as much as for everyday meals. It’s typically served with rice and warm corn tortillas — perfect for soaking up the sauce.

Where to try it: Traditional comedores throughout Antigua Guatemala and local restaurants citywide.

2. Kak’ik — Mayan Turkey Soup

Kak’ik is a traditional Maya dish that connects directly to Guatemala’s indigenous heritage. This aromatic turkey stew is simmered in a tomato and chili-based broth, seasoned with achiote, coriander, cumin, and oregano — giving it a distinctive red color and a flavor profile unlike anything in neighboring cuisines.

The dish is especially associated with the Q’eqchi’ Maya communities of the Verapaz region, though it has spread to become recognized nationally. In 2018, kak’ik became one of the first Guatemalan dishes to receive UNESCO recognition as part of the country’s intangible cultural heritage — a meaningful marker of its cultural importance.

Where to try it: Most prevalent in the Alta Verapaz region near Semuc Champey, though available in traditional restaurants throughout the country.

3. Tamales — A Guatemalan Staple

Tamales are central to Guatemalan food culture, eaten year-round but especially abundant during Christmas and Semana Santa. Made from masa — corn dough — filled with meat, vegetables, or cheese, then wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks and steamed until tender, Guatemalan tamales are notably larger and more elaborate than their Mexican counterparts.

A smaller, lighter variation called tamales de chipilín, made with chipilín leaves mixed into the masa, offers a slightly earthy, herbal flavor and makes for an excellent lighter snack between meals.

Where to try it: Local markets and family-run comedores, particularly around major holidays.

4. Chiles Rellenos — Guatemalan Style

Guatemala’s version of chiles rellenos differs significantly from the Mexican dish most travelers expect. Here, the dish typically consists of bell peppers stuffed with a mixture of ground meat and vegetables, battered in egg, fried until golden, and finished in a light tomato sauce — a comforting, home-style dish found in family kitchens across the country.

5. Chuchitos — Guatemala’s Answer to the Tamale, Smaller and Spicier

Chuchitos are a smaller, denser cousin of the tamale — corn dough filled with seasoned meat, wrapped tightly in a corn husk rather than a banana leaf, and typically served with a tomato-based recado sauce and a sprinkle of salty queso seco. They are a favorite afternoon snack throughout the country and a great introduction to Guatemalan corn-based cooking for first-time visitors.

6. Jocón — Green Chicken Stew from the Highlands

Jocón is a vibrant green stew, with chicken simmered in a sauce made from tomatillos, cilantro, and green chiles, giving the dish its distinctive color and bright, herbaceous flavor. It is especially popular in the highland regions surrounding Antigua and offers a refreshing contrast to the deeper, smokier flavors of pepián.

7. Fiambre — The Dish of All Saints’ Day

Fiambre is unlike anything else in Guatemalan cuisine — a labor-intensive, colorful salad made from dozens of ingredients: cold cuts, cheeses, pickled vegetables, and fruits, layered together and dressed in a tangy vinaigrette. Families traditionally prepare it together over days in the lead-up to Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints’ Day) on November 1st, when it is shared at family gatherings and at cemeteries while visiting deceased relatives.

If your trip happens to coincide with late October or early November, seeking out fiambre is one of the most culturally rich food experiences available to visitors.

8. Street Food in Guatemala — Shucos, Garnachas & Elotes Locos

Guatemalan street food deserves its own category entirely. A few essentials to look for while wandering the markets of Antigua or Chichicastenango:

• Shucos: Guatemala’s take on the hot dog — a grilled sausage in a toasted bun, piled with cabbage, avocado, mustard, and a spicy guacamole-style sauce.
• Garnachas: Small, crispy fried tortillas topped with seasoned ground beef, shredded cabbage, and a tomato-based salsa — a popular grab-and-go snack.
• Elotes locos: Grilled corn on the cob, dressed “crazy” with mayo, ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, and crumbled cheese — found at nearly every street corner and market stall.
• Tostadas: Toasted corn tortillas topped with refried black beans, guacamole, or a tangy tomato-based recado sauce, finished with crumbled queso fresco.

9. Chojín — Guatemala’s Radish Salad

Chojín is a crisp, refreshing salad made from finely diced radishes, mint, lime juice, and salt — often served with crispy chicharrones (fried pork rinds) mixed in for added texture and flavor. It works well as a light appetizer or a palate-cleansing side dish alongside heavier stews like pepián or kak’ik.

10. Rellenitos — Guatemala’s Signature Dessert

For something sweet, rellenitos are the dish to seek out: ripe plantains mashed into a soft dough, filled with sweetened black beans and often a touch of chocolate or cinnamon, then fried until the exterior is golden and slightly crisp. The combination of sweet plantain, rich beans, and a dusting of sugar makes for one of the most distinctive desserts in Central American cuisine.

11. Atol de Elote — A Warm Corn Drink

Atol de elote is a thick, warm beverage made from fresh corn kernels blended with milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, then cooked until smooth and creamy. It’s especially popular in the cooler highland evenings around Antigua and Lake Atitlán — a comforting drink to end a day of volcano hiking or city exploring.

12. Tapado — Coconut Seafood Stew from the Caribbean Coast

Tapado represents a completely different side of Guatemalan cuisine, reflecting the Garifuna culture of the Caribbean coast near Livingston. This rich, slightly sweet stew combines fresh lobster, fish, crab, and shrimp with plantains, yucca, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, achiote, and cilantro in a fragrant coconut milk broth — a world away from the corn-and-chile-based cooking of the highlands, and worth the detour for travelers exploring Guatemala’s Caribbean side.

Taste Guatemala for Yourself

Guatemalan food tells the story of the country itself — Maya tradition layered with Spanish colonial influence, corn and chile at the foundation, and regional variation shaped by highlands, jungle, and coastline. Reading about pepián or kak’ik is one thing; tasting them prepared by a local cook in Antigua is another entirely.

If you want a hands-on introduction to Guatemalan food culture beyond a restaurant table, Cyman Travel’s Coffee Tour and City Tour Antigua Guatemala both include stops at local markets and traditional spots where you can sample authentic dishes alongside expert local guides who know exactly where to go.

Cyman Travel is a 100% Guatemalan agency, INGUAT certified, founded by locals who know this country’s food, culture, and landscapes from the inside.

View All Tours from Antigua Guatemala →