Antigua food tour
ANTIGUA FOOD TOUR - Spanish baroque churches rise above cobbled streets laid across an older Maya landscape, while three volcanoes loom beyond the tiled rooftops. Antigua's kitchens tell much the same story. Maize, cacao and chillies have been cooked here for millennia, and continue to be just as important today. Over the generations, Guatemala has become one of Central America's most distinctive food cultures.
Our four-hour feast of 14+ tastings follows that history through Antigua's markets, street carts and neighbourhood eateries, leaving the polished restaurants behind for the dishes Guatemalans actually grow up eating.
We start with the fundamentals. A plump pan con chile relleno packs a soft bread roll with a generously stuffed pepper, while handmade corn tortillas arrive warm from the comal with fresh local cheese. Maize has sustained Maya communities for thousands of years.
Next come the classic tamal de cerdo wraps seasoned pork in soft maize dough, while pache de cerdo, a speciality associated with Guatemala's western highlands, replaces corn with silky potato. Both are slow-cooked parcels of comfort, paired with tart, lightly fermented chicha de jocote.
We'll pass the crumbling stone arches of Ermita San JerΓ³nimo, one of the many ruins left behind by the devastating eighteenth-century earthquakes that eventually cost Antigua its status as Guatemala's capital. Nearby, the history lesson gets considerably messier, the shuco, Guatemala's much-loved street hot dog piles sausage and punchy accompaniments into the sort of lunch that requires several napkins. A ginger-spiked chinchivir provides the refreshment.
Then we reach the heavyweights of Guatemalan cooking. Pulique de pollo is thick, warming and rooted in Maya culinary tradition. PepiΓ‘n de pollo, one of Guatemala's defining dishes, cloaks tender chicken in a deeply savoury sauce of toasted seeds, chillies and spices. Beside it, verdant jocΓ³n brings a fresher counterpoint of herbs, tomatillos and green chillies. Together, they're a crash course in how Indigenous techniques and Spanish-era ingredients.
Antigua also sits at the heart of one of Guatemala's celebrated coffee-growing regions. Volcanic soil, altitude and cool nights produce beans prized far beyond the country's borders, so we'll pause for a carefully brewed cafΓ© de mΓ©todo.
At an old-fashioned sweet shop comes now, glass cases offer a glimpse into Guatemalan childhood: chewy cocada rich with coconut, sharp tamarind sweets and creamy dulce de leche.
We'll finish with two classics. A crisp tostada arrives piled high with its savoury toppings before plΓ‘tanos en mole brings sweet plantain under a dark, gently spiced cacao sauce with deep Mesoamerican roots.
Antigua's churches and ruins tell the official history. Its kitchens offer the more delicious version, Maya maize and cacao, Spanish pork and dairy, highland recipes, volcanic coffee and generations of cooks.
Why this tour is awesome
Over 14+ tastings, you'll eat through centuries of Guatemalan history, from ancient Maya maize and cacao to Spanish-influenced stews and modern street food. Expect rich pepiΓ‘n, handmade tortillas, silky pork tamales, messy shucos, volcanic coffee and sweet plantains cloaked in mole.
Between bites, we'll weave through Antigua's cobbled streets, historic ruins and local eateries, uncovering the recipes and traditions that make this beautiful old capital one of Central America's most fascinating food cities.
Your guide
Criss grew up in the kitchen alongside her mother, grandmother and aunts, learning how food can create bonds across generations. Travelling throughout Guatemala deepened that passion, and she loves exploring how different regional flavours, traditions and food cultures bring people together.
Your guide
Leo is passionate about people, good food and the experiences that bring the two together. His curiosity for flavour has taken him from the Amazon to the Mediterranean, and he loves sharing what he's discovered while creating memorable moments around the table.
Your guide
Alexander grew up in a multiethnic Guatemalan family where food was always at the heart of bringing people together. He learned to cook from his grandmother, mother, aunts and uncles, developing a lifelong fascination with how flavours tell stories, preserve cultures and connect communities.
Your guide
Jorge Luis grew up listening to his grandmother, originally from Ciudad Vieja near Antigua, talk about food as living memory. That inherited curiosity stayed with him, and today he loves uncovering the stories behind Guatemala's recados, tortillas, coffee and the traditions that have carried them through generations.
Taste the traditions of Guatemala through 14+ tastings in historic Antigua.
Antigua's terracotta rooftops beneath the watch of its volcanoes.
The food heroes of Antigua.
Stuffed chile relleno tucked into a crusty bread roll.
Taste your way through the old-school eateries of Antigua.
Fresh purple corn tortillas, served warm from the griddle.
Warm handmade corn tortillas with fresh Guatemalan cheese.
Sample exotic fruits fresh from Antigua's markets.
Meet the fruit vendors of Antigua's colourful markets.
Taste the colourful seasonal fruits of Guatemala.
Discover the native ingredients behind Guatemala's distinctive flavours.
From native maize to fiery chillies, explore Antigua's market ingredients.
Wander the colourful streets of historic Antigua.
Steaming tamal de cerdo filled with tender, savoury pork.
The food heroes of Antigua.
Antigua's unmistakable Santa Catalina Arch.
Shuco de salchicha, Guatemala's gloriously messy take on the hot dog.
Step inside local eateries most visitors never find.
Three Guatemalan classics: pulique de pollo, pepiΓ‘n de pollo and jocΓ³n.
Fresh Guatemalan coffee, poured and ready to drink.
A taste of Guatemalan coffee.
Handmade Guatemalan sweets packed with childhood nostalgia.
Life in Antigua.
Colourful corn tortillas warming on the comal.
Rich, velvety Guatemalan mole layered with deep, complex flavours.
Includes
- Price US $59 per person
- Lanugage English
- Small group Maximum of 8 guests (private tours or groups of 9+, please contact us)
- Tastings 14+ tastings
- Drinks Bottled water and local drinks
- Duration 10am - 2pm
- Guides Led by one of our superb Antigua food hosts
- Cancellation Cancel up to 48 hours before departure for a full refund
- Family friendly Families welcome on all our tours. Children 50% discount.
- Transport Walking tour
- Transport Book now to secure your space (before we sell out!)
- Pick up / drop off Our guests come from all over the city, so to save time we have a meeting point. Your guide can help you find transport back at the end of the tour
Dietary information
- General advice Many local eateries specialise in signature menus, and may not have alternatives. It is not always possible to cater for all dietary requests at every stop
- Vegetarian Unsuitable as meat and seafood are used in 6-7 tastings (out of 14 total)
- Vegan Unsuitable as meat, seafood and dairy are used in 9-10 tastings (out of 14 total)
- Pescatarian Unsuitable as meat is used in 6-7 tastings (out of 14 total)
- Pork Possible, though pork is used in 2-3 tastings (out of 14 total)
- Halal Unsuitable as none of the vendors are halal-certified
- Gluten intolerance / Celiac Possible, though gluten is present in 3-4 tastings (out of 14 total)
- Lactose intolerance Possible, though lactose is present in 2-3 tastings (out of 14 total)
- Tree nut / peanut allergy Suitable for mild peanut and tree nut allergies
- Seafood / Shellfish allergy Suitable for no seafood diets
- Severe allergies Due to the nature of street food cooking, we can never guarantee any dish to be 100% free from allergens, as there is always the risk of traces and cross-contamination. It is unsuitable for severe allergies. Contact us: info@achefstour.com
How to book
To join our Antigua food tour, use the calendar above to select your preferred date, and secure your tour with your card. For special requests, private bookings, or dietary requirements, please contact us. Safety of our customers is our first priority, so if you have any food allergies, please contact us before booking.
What to expect
This tour is designed for adventurous eaters with an interest in discovering the food locals eat. Itβs a walking tour, but the pace is gentle, and there are plenty of rest (eating) stops along the way. Join us on the best Antigua food tour in the city, you won't regret it.
Meeting point
Meet outside theΒ Landivar Monument in the historic centre. It's easy to reach either on foot from most hotels, or taxi. There will be more details on your booking voucher.Β
Cancellation Policy
Why you should book with us
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99% 5 star reviews across our tours -
Secure payments through provider Peek
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No hidden charges - all food tastings included in the price
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Authentic food experience, escape the tourist traps