Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
You can expect to find table service and menus in
restaurantes. Comedores
are much sim-
pler eateries, sometimes with a menu but other times with a set dish for the day. The best
comedores
are easy to spot: They'll have the greatest number of locals eating there. You'll
find Guatemalans often eat at street-side stalls serving greasy tacos, fried chicken, and the
like. These places are often referred to in jest as
shucos
(dirties) and are best avoided by
international travelers unless you have a very strong stomach or have developed resistance
to intestinal critters through continued exposure to food of questionable cleanliness south
of the border.
The menu is known as
la carta
or
el menú.
To request the check, order
la cuenta
or ask,
“¿cuánto le debo?”
(“How much do I owe you?”). Tips are not required at simple eateries
and may already be included on your bill in many midrange restaurants. Check to see. If
not, an average tip in Guatemala is 10 percent.
Corner stores known as
tiendas
carrying basic food items are common in cities and towns
throughout the country. Larger grocery stores are found in Guatemala City and some of the
larger cities. Major grocery chains include Paiz (recently acquired by Wal-Mart) and La
Torre.Everytownandvillagehasa
mercado
(market),wherefolksgotobuyfruitsandve-
getablesaswellasmeats.Trytoavoidthebutchersectionifyoudon'ttakewelltodisplays
of raw flesh covered with flies. Inquire about the price per pound of any required items
instead of just picking up an odd-numbered assortment and then asking how much it is, as
that's the best way to get ripped off.
Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Although Guatemala produces some of the world's finest coffee, most of it is set aside for
export. Still, you can find an excellent cup of java in Antigua, Guatemala City, Cobán, and
other tourist places, though the coffee served at many less expensive restaurants is not usu-
ally the greatest. There's almost always at least one decent place in town for coffee.
With the wide variety of fruits available in Guatemala's myriad vegetation zones, fruit
smoothies (often made with milk and called
licuados
) are common beverages. At simpler
smoothie stands, you should always be careful to make sure the water used in making your
drink is purified. Also, try to get fruit smoothies made from produce that requires peel-
