Vegan Food in Guatemala City
Vegan Food in Guatemala City
Guatemala City, also known as “La Capital” or “Guate”, is a massive and beautiful city with vegan food available left and right! Even if you’re just looking for vegan products to cook up at your own place, Guatemala City’s got you covered!
Don’t speak Spanish? I got you fam! Below, I’ve listed some common Spanish words and phrases that I used while ordering vegan food in Guatemala City. It’s not comprehensive, but it should be enough to do the trick!
Spanish Words & Phrases Every Vegan Should Know
Language barriers can make it tough to order as a vegan. I got you though! Spanish is the most commonly spoken language throughout the country, so I’ve translated some common words and phrases that we use as vegans while ordering.
Foods To Avoid
Below are some of the common foods that we avoid as vegans. It is not comprehensive, but knowing these words and phrases has served me well during my years of traveling throughout Central and South America.
- Caldo de pollo – Chicken broth (substitute “pollo” with the food of concern based on the list below)
- Camarones – shrimp
- Carne – meat
- Cerdo – pork
- Crema – cream
- Huevos – eggs
- Leche – milk
- Manteca – lard
- Mantequilla – butter
- Note that “maní” means “peanut”, so “mantequilla de maní” means “peanut butter”
- Mariscos – seafood
- Pescado – fish
- Pollo – chicken
- Queso – cheese
Foods That We Can Eat
Below are some of the common foods that we can eat as vegans. It is not comprehensive, but knowing these words and phrases has served me well during my years of traveling throughout Central and South America. As always, be sure to check if any of these items are cooked with animal products, especially beans and rice.
- Aceitunas – olives
- Aguacate – avocado
- Ajo – garlic
- Arroz – rice
- Aubergine/berenjena – eggplant
- Calabaza – pumpkin
- Cebolla – onion
- Champiñónes/hongos – mushrooms
- Fresas – strawberries
- Frijoles – beans
- Fruta – fruit
- Lechuga – lettuce
- Lentejas – lentils
- Papas / patatas – potatoes
- Pepino – cucumber
- Plantanos – plantains
- Semillas – seeds
- Tomate – tomato
- Vegetales/verduras – vegetables
- Zanahorias – carrots
Ordering Politely
I have encountered extremely helpful and kind waiters during my time traveling throughout Guatemala. Be sure to reciprocate the kindness of the country by using polite phrases when you order.
- Me gustaría…
- I would like…
- Muchas gracias
- Thank you so much
- Podría traerme…
- Could you bring me…
- Por favor
- Please
Stating That You Are Vegan Or Vegetarian
Sometimes, all that you have to do is let them know that you are vegan or vegetarian, and they’ve got you from there!
- Soy vegana/o
- I am vegan
- Somos veganas/os
- We are vegan
- No como/comemos leche, carne, pollo, cerdo, huevos ni queso. Nada de animales.
- I don’t/we don’t eat milk, meat, chicken, pork, eggs, or cheese. Nothing from animals.
- Soy vegetariana/o
- I am vegetarian
- Somos vegetarianas/os
- We are vegetarian
- No como/comemos carne, pollo, ni cerdo. No animales.
- I don’t/we don’t eat meat, chicken, or pork. No animals.
Confirming Questions
Below are some common questions that you may want to ask when dining at a non-vegan restaurant.
- Hay manteca en esto?
- Is there lard in this? (substitute “manteca” with the food of concern, based on the list above)
- Puedo tener aguacate en lugar de huevos?
- Can I have avocado instead of eggs? (substitute “aguacate” and “huevos” with the food of concern, based on the list above)
- Hay opciones veganas?
- Are there vegan options?
- Es esto vegano?
- Is this vegan?
- Hay opciones vegetarianas?
- Are there vegetarian options?
- Es esto vegetariano?
- Is this vegetarian?
- Podría cocinar eso sin huevos?
- Could you cook that without eggs? (substitute “huevos” with the food of concern, based on the list above)
Guatemalan Foods That Are Often Vegan
A typical meal in Guatemala may consist of some combination of handmade corn tortillas, beans, rice, plantains, eggs, and cheese or cream. Once you omit the eggs, cheese, and cream, the remaining items are often vegan. Be sure to confirm that no animal-based broth or lard was used to make the beans and rice.
Vegan Restaurants in Guatemala City
Moonrise – Vegan
Location – Zone 4: Vía 6, 3-09 Zona 4, Edificio Rue 3, Local 1, Guatemala City , Guatemala
Moonrise was my go-to vegan spot while I was in Guatemala City. The menu at Moonrise mainly features burgers and sandwiches, but my favorite item there was their Nuevas Papas Moonrise.
These are well-seasoned fries that come topped with soy meat, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, and green onion. I ate every last bit of this plate!
They also have an on-site store that is available online, and sells some vegan delicacies that are tough to find in Guatemala City! They have items like Beyond ground beef & sausages, Impossible ground beef, soy ham, vegan mayo, vegan cheese, and much more!
Lavka – Vegan
Location – Zone 14: 4ta Avenida 12-29 Zona 14 Interior Del Mercadito 14 Guatemala, Cdad. de Guatemala 01014, Guatemala
Lavka is a lil’ vegan spot located in a beautiful garden on the back end of El Mercadito in Zone 14. They serve bowls, burgers, sandwiches, and pastas that are almost as beautiful as the restaurant’s setting.
Like, look at those taquitos on the left! They were topped with a pretty layer of green cilantro and purple cabbage when they came out!
I ended up waiting out the rain while I was there, and was absolutely in love with the serenity of the lush garden as the rain bounced off the leaves of the trees. Lavka turned out to be the perfect place to chill out and get some work done while I grabbed a bite to eat.
Artesano – Vegan
Location – Zone 10: 13 Calle 2-33, Cdad. from Guatemala 01010, Guatemala
Artesano is another all-vegan restaurant in the city that serves sandwiches, salads, burgers, and wraps. They also have a menú del día, or “meal of the day”, which they post on their Facebook each day.
I tried the Meatless Lovers sandwich, which basically has all of their vegan meats layered between perfectly toasted bread and lettuce.
Plantiful – Raw Vegan
Location – Zone 14: 18 Calle 3-25, Zona 14, Cdad. de Guatemala 01014, Guatemala
For my raw vegan fam out there, Plantiful is the spot for you! I’m not gon’ lie, I usually steer clear of raw vegan spots when I eat out. However, I really needed a raw meal to reset my belly after eating my way through Guatemala City.
Their all raw menu features cold-pressed juices, smoothies, wellness lattes and tonics, salads, wraps, soups, and desserts. The drink menu is just as long as its food menu, providing ample opportunity to supercharge your body!
I’m basic, so I had me a good ol’ time as I sipped on my Amazonian Hipster smoothie and nibbled on my BLT Wrap while rocking back and forth in the swing (yes, they have swings inside the restaurant!) listening to music.
Vegetarian Restaurants in Guatemala City (Vegan Options Available)
El Restaurante Vegetariano Primavera – Vegetarian
Location – Mixco Zone 8: 3era calle 17-88 zona 8 de Mixco, ciudad San Cristobal Guatemala, City 01057, Guatemala
Primavera is a vegetarian restaurant in Mixco that has plenty of vegan options to choose from on its seven-page menu. That thang covers everything from baos to burgers!
To complement their food, they also have amazingly patient and helpful staff.
If you aren’t able to make your way out to Mixco, you can also order their food for delivery via Whatsapp to most places in the Guatemala City center.
Caléndula Café – Vegetarian
Location – Zone 1: 11 Avenida 15, Cdad. de Guatemala, Guatemala
Caléndula Café is another spot in the city with a beautiful outdoor seating area.
They serve a few appetizers, burgers, entrees, drinks, and desserts. Most of their menu items are vegan, so let their friendly staff know that you’re vegan.
Check out their Facebook page before you visit to see if you can swing by while they have live music!
Rey Sol – Vegetarian
Location – Zone 1: 11 Calle 5-51, Cdad. de Guatemala, Guatemala
Rey Sol is a vegetarian restaurant that serves, breakfast, lunch, and baked goods with plenty of vegan options to choose from. The staff was super friendly and invested in making sure that I received the best quality for my quetzales (how’d you like my Guatemalan remix of “bang for my buck”?!).
My favorite part of my meal was the fresh roll that my modified Ranchero sandwich was served on! It tasted freshly baked, and I could have easily sat there eating a few of those instead of a full meal!
Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Guatemala City (Vegan Options Available)
Del Griego – Vegan-friendly
Location – Zone 10: 1 Avenida 12-16, Cdad. de Guatemala 01010, Guatemala
Del Griego is a cute Greek restaurant near the hotels in Zone 10. They serve meat and animal products but have a menu that clearly labels vegetarian and vegan options.
They have employees that speak English, but be sure to have the Spanish terms and phrases above handy so that you can let your waiter know that you’re vegan and what products you avoid.
I’m not sure if I just stumbled in on the right day at the right time, but there was live music! Even better, my waiter gave me free fries AND a free shot! It may have been out of pity for my struggle Spanish, but either way, it was a win for me!
I’d go back just for the customer service and ambiance!
Conclusion: Vegan Food in Guatemala City
There’s lots of amazing vegan food in Guatemala City for you to explore. So go on ‘head and book that ticket fam!
If you’re going to be visiting other cities in Guatemala, check out my other posts to keep the good eats rolling: Best Vegan Food in Guatemala, Vegan Food in Antigua, Guatemala, and Vegan Food in Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala.
