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, later meeting ingredients and traditions introduced by the Spanish. Our four-hour feast of 14+ tastings leaves the polished restaurants behind to explore Antigua through its street carts, neighbourhood eateries and generations-old recipes.
 Before we get started, our tour reflects the local cuisine and the limitations of traditional eateries mean we unfortunately cannot cater for every dietary restriction. Here's an honest appraisal so nobody is disappointed:
 ✔ Suitable for mild nut allergies and no seafood diets ⚠ Possible for no pork diets, gluten intolerance and lactose intolerance, though some tastings will be unsuitable. ✖️ Unsuitable for vegetarians, vegans, gluten intolerance, pescatarians, and halal diets

We start with the fundamentals - maize, fire and a hot comal. A plump pan con chile relleno packs a soft bread roll with a generously stuffed pepper, while handmade tortillas con queso arrive warm from the griddle with fresh local cheese. Maize has sustained Maya communities for thousands of years and remains the backbone of Guatemalan cooking today.
Then come two very different tamales. A classic tamal de cerdo wraps seasoned pork in tender maize dough, while pache de cerdo, associated with Guatemala's western highlands, swaps corn for silky potato. Both are slow-cooked parcels of comfort, paired with tart, lightly fermented chicha de jocote.

We'll continue through Antigua's cobbled streets, passing the crumbling arches of Ermita San Jerónimo, one of the many ruins left behind by the devastating eighteenth-century earthquakes that eventually cost Antigua its status as Guatemala's capital. The beloved shuco is Guatemala's answer to the hot dog: sausage and punchy accompaniments crammed into a toasted bun, best approached with both hands and several napkins. We'll wash it down with chinchivir, a refreshing fermented drink with a warming kick of ginger. Ancient ruins followed by street food.

Then we reach the heavyweights of Guatemalan cooking. We'll sit down to three dishes that reveal the remarkable depth of the country's traditional stews. Pulique de pollo is thick, warming and rooted in Maya culinary traditions. Pepián 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 jocón brings a brighter counterpoint of herbs, tomatillos and green chillies. Together, they're a crash course in the centuries-long meeting of Indigenous techniques, local ingredients and Spanish influence.

Antigua also sits at the heart of one of Guatemala's most celebrated coffee-growing regions. Volcanic soils, high altitude and cool nights help produce beans prized around the world, so we'll pause for a carefully prepared café de método and taste one of the country's greatest exports close to its source. Then we'll step inside an old-fashioned sweet shop, where glass cases offer a glimpse into Guatemalan childhood. Expect chewy coconut-rich cocada, sharp dulce de tamarindo and creamy dulce de leche, simple sweets that have remained favourites for generations.

We'll finish with two classics. A crisp tostada arrives piled with its savoury toppings before plátanos en mole brings the final collision of flavours: sweet plantain beneath a dark, gently spiced cacao sauce with deep Mesoamerican roots. By the time we finish, you'll have discovered Antigua beyond its postcard-perfect façades.