Antigua Foodie Tours creates distinctive culinary adventures taking visitors through colonial Antigua and beyond.
One of the best ways to understand a culture is to experience its cuisine. And with over 250 restaurants and food-related businesses in town, La Antigua Guatemala has evolved into a melting pot of casual and sophisticated dining experiences catering to an array of culinary lifestyles.
Whether you choose to go on a tasty stroll through the charming cobblestones of Antigua, check out a local organic farm and restaurant, or head to the beach for a gourmet feast at sunset, Antigua Foodie Tours will take you on a unique adventure and introduce you to some of Guatemala’s most intriguing hotspots.
I couldn’t wait to go on my gastronomic tour of Antigua, which was so easy to book online at antiguafoodietours.com. Soon after booking, I received a confirmation email with meet-up information. I was also asked about any food allergies or preferences. And I was good to go!
On a beautiful Wednesday morning in Antigua, we met Jamila and Kwame, founders of Antigua Foodie Tours and our guides for the two-hour culinary adventure. It was warm that day, and members of our tour group appreciated the welcome gift of chilled bottled water in a lovely holder that was handcrafted from colorful Guatemala textiles.
Kwame, an avid food aficionada and cook, has been plugged into Antigua’s culinary scene for several years now. “I gained so much experience showing visitors and relatives around town and enjoying it, that they encouraged me to start my own business,” he said. That’s when in November 2016, he and his partner, Jamila, created Antigua Foodie Tours with the express purpose of supporting local restaurants, promoting tourism and sharing both Guatemalan and international cuisine with locals and foreign visitors.
The Antigua tour consists of approximately 10 stops of carefully vetted venues where you savor samples that are at once delectable and delight the senses. Almost as mouthwatering as the memorable eats you sample are the behind-the-scenes tidbits of information you become privy to while visiting these unique eateries.
At several stops, owners took part in the samplings, explained some of their secret ingredients and shared colorful stories about how they got started in their businesses.
To whet our appetites, we started at Summu Hummus where we sampled four different hummuses: coriander, red pepper, jalapeno and regular. Daniel, one of the owners, explained that while they always have four flavors on hand, they have made 12 varieties thus far. The best part is their pita bread, made fresh to order and served warm. We were in Hummus Heaven!
“The stops on this tour are designed to provide visitors with a balance of culinary experiences that range from the urban/modern to more typical Guatemala fare such as the roasted meats at Rincon Tipico and at Randy’s for their exceptional sausage,” said Kwame. “We want people who appreciate food to leave with a greater understanding of Guatemala’s gastronomy and flavors as well as its history and culture,” he emphasized.
Complementing the Antigua Foodie Tour is the Organic Tour that takes visitors to an organic farm where Maya permaculture and modern techniques meet to provide the local community with organic fruits, vegetables and herbs. “This is probably my favorite,” said Jamila, “because visitors get to roam through a huge organic farm with breathtaking vistas, interact with the animals and feast on a delicious meal consisting of all fresh ingredients grown right there on the premises.”
If you’re looking for adventure outside of Antigua, sign up for Beyond Antigua – Your own Black Sand Beach, which is an all-day excursion to El Paradon on Guatemala’s Pacific Coast. This trip is especially suited for foodies who appreciate local ingredients and fresh herbs because their gourmet lunch is prepared by chef Kwame, using vegetables and herbs from his own organic garden.
Everything is fresh and from scratch, even the tahini used in his famous hummus sandwiches, made with fresh sesame and chia seed, a bit of goat cheese, with arugula and basil on a freshly baked roll. Feast on sandwiches made with boneless chicken breast that has been marinated in nispero wine with sundried-tomato spread; fresh guacamole; fruit salad with colorful and exotic star fruit, and to quench your thirst, freshly pressed green, watermelon and pineapple juices.
After a fun-filled afternoon on the black sand beaches of El Paredón, participants enjoy a delicious Thai dinner served at a table that is brought out for your dinner right on the beach at sunset.
It’s easy to book your tour at antiguafoodietours.com or you can go to their Facebook page, Antigua Foodie Tours, for more information. If you know the date that you’d like to go on your culinary adventure, it is recommended you book in advance, as each tour has a limited capacity and doesn’t run every day.
For each tour booked, Antigua Foodie Tours donates a portion of its proceeds to two established NGOs in Guatemala: Niños de Guatemala and Semilla de Esperanza y Amor, both of which support children in need.