15 Best Coffee Shops In Antigua Guatemala (+ Digital Nomad Spots)

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Looking for the best coffee shops in Antigua Guatemala? You’re in the right place! We spent just under a month living and working in Antigua Guatemala, and we found it to be the perfect spot for digital nomads looking for a cosy cafe or co-working space.

There are plenty of coffee shops to choose from in Antigua, and many of them offer fast and free wifi, perfect for remote working. Some even turn into cocktail bars in the evening!

In addition to the coffee shops looking pretty, having a good atmosphere and a space to work, the coffee is incredible. As the surrounding volcanoes and high altitudes have a terrain perfect for growing coffee, the cafes in Antigua serve some of the best coffee in the country.

In the following post, I outline the best cafes and co-working spaces in Antigua for both digital nomads and those who just want to watch the world go by with a cappuccino. Let’s get started!

Other Guatemala posts:

• What To Wear In Antigua Guatemala (That Isn’t Ugly)
• 2 Weeks In Guatemala: Perfect Itinerary
• 3 Days in Antigua Guatemala: The Perfect Itinerary
• Backpacking Guatemala: COMPLETE Guide + ROUTES

The Best Coffee Shops In Antigua Guatemala

1. Union Cafe

📍Location:
ᯤ Wifi: Yes – fast

One of the best coffee shops in Antigua is Union Cafe. Located just a 5-minute walk from the main square, Union Cafe serves a range of different coffees, brunch, lunch (including vegan and vegetarian options) and even cocktails in the evening!

We loved Union Cafe because of its cosy and modern decor, strong wifi and space to work. It might not be somewhere you work all day, but it’s great for a few hours whilst you have a coffee, smoothie and a healthy pasta bowl.

Related post: BEST Hostels In Antigua Guatemala: Read before you book!

2. 12 Onzas

📍Location:
ᯤ Wifi: Yes – fast

12 Onzas serves up coffee direct from Antiguan farms and is known for its speciality coffee. It’s located just a five-minute walk from Hostel Antigueno, so we would spend most of our mornings working here until lunch. The food options are great and again, 12 Onzas has lots of veggie options (Antigua is great for this).

The only problem with 12 Onzas is how busy it can get! It’s a popular spot, so I recommend arriving early if you need a table to work. There’s also an area in the garden with a few tables, but again – they fill up fast!

3. Fat Cat Coffee

📍Location:
ᯤ Wifi: Yes – average

Known as one of the top speciality coffee cafes in Antigua, Fat Cat was another of our favourites (and not just because of the name and eclectic decor). Fat Cat’s coffee was some of the best we had in Guatemala, and there’s usually a long line of people waiting that spills onto the street!

Fat Cat also serves breakfast and lunch options at a reasonable price. The menu even had one of my favourite bagel combinations; strawberry jam and cream cheese! I’ve not seen this anywhere other than New Zealand, so the cafe automatically won brownie points for me here!

If you’re looking to do a few hours of work, you can work in Fat Cat, although it’s a little on the smaller side. There are only a few dine-in tables, and the wifi was often sketchy. Still, there were nomads working in Fat Cat when we visited.

4. Fernando’s Kaffee

📍Location:
ᯤ Wifi: Yes – fast

We found Fernando’s Kaffee right at the end of our trip, and we were gutted to have found it so late! Fernando’s Coffee and Chocolate shop is more than just a coffee shop; it serves chocolate, runs workshops, and signature dinners, and sells just about everything there is to do with coffee and cacao in the small onsite shop.

The cafe itself is set in a large courtyard, with fast wifi and plenty of tables to work from. Fernando’s roasts its own coffee and makes its own chocolate, so you can just imagine how good it tastes. My recommendation; get one of the traditional Guatemalan breakfasts. We loved the food here!

After returning for breakfast and coffee three days in a row, we realised they even set up small market stalls within the courtyard at the weekend. Such a hidden gem of a coffee shop in Antigua Guatemala!

5. Cafe Estudio

📍Location:
ᯤ Wifi: Yes – average

Cafe Estudio is known for its views and good coffee. You can sit on the rooftop and enjoy views of all three surrounding volcanoes. However, we found the wifi to be weak, and unfortunately couldn’t spend any time working there (this was in March 2023, so be sure to still check it out to see if it’s improved!)

As the courtyard is on the roof, it can get a little hot, so be sure to get a table with an umbrella if you’re planning on staying for a while! Oh, and if you need breakfast; get the pancakes. You won’t be disappointed!

6. Cafe Boheme

📍Location:
ᯤ Wifi: Yes – fast

Cafe Boheme is another rooftop cafe in Antigua. It again has great volcano views, but you’ll have to arrive early if you want to see them! We waited around for quite a while in Cafe Boheme, but it seemed like most digital nomads claimed the best tables early in the morning.

But, the wifi is super fast, and there are different rooms for video calls and enough tables to co-work (although you might not have an iconic volcano view).

If you don’t need to work, and just want to stop by for coffee and brunch, I recommend it. The food was delicious and we had plenty of options to choose from. And of course, the coffee was great too! Just don’t be surprised if you have to wait a while for a table – it’s a popular spot!

7. Cafe Sol

📍Location:
ᯤ Wifi: Yes – fast

Cafe Sol has won so many awards for its coffee that it is undoubtedly one of the best coffee shops in Antigua. If you like strong coffee, with a creamy and smooth feel in your cappuccino, Cafe Sol is the place to be.

If you’re co-working, the internet is fast, and there are plenty of tables to choose from. They also serve some of the healthiest and tastiest lunch options in Antigua, so you can stay for a while!

8. Starbucks

📍Location:
ᯤ Wifi: Yes – fast

Ok, ok, hear me out with this one. I wouldn’t normally recommend a Starbucks – anywhere in the world – but this one is a little different. The Starbucks in Antigua is known for being one of the most beautiful Starbucks in the world, and it is absolutely worth a visit.

With a large courtyard and water fountain, surrounded by blooming pink flowers and lush green vines, it doesn’t feel like a Starbucks. It feels much fancier than that! There are even swinging pod chairs to bask in the sun and relax on – not something you normally see in a Starbucks!

If you need somewhere reliable to work for a few hours and don’t mind sitting outside* or waiting in a long line for your frappuccino, Starbucks is a great option.

*there is indoor seating, but it tends to get busy quickly, especially when it rains.

9. Rainbow Cafe

📍Location:
ᯤ Wifi: Yes – fast

Rainbow Cafe is a Guatemalan restaurant with strong coffee and traditional food. It first opened its doors in 1992, making it one of the oldest restaurants in Antigua. It has low prices, a relaxed atmosphere and is a firm favourite with budget backpackers.

Don’t expect any fancy coffees (nope, not even a cappuccino here), just your standard black or white coffee with a tasty Guatemalan breakfast. It’s also a great place to base yourself if you need a few hours of laptop time.

10. Qahwa Coffee Shop

📍Location: 7 avenida norte, casa numero 30
ᯤ Wifi: Yes – but temperamental

For speciality coffees and a place to rest and take a break from the bustle of Antigua, we loved the Qahwa Coffee Shop. When we visited, the internet sadly wasn’t working, so we only stopped off for a coffee and to enjoy the ambience. If the internet was working, this would have been a great place to work for a few hours!

11. Aria Coffee Roasters

📍Location:
ᯤ Wifi: Yes – temperamental

Another coffee roaster in Antigua, Aria is a great coffee shop if you’re close by. Serving coffee, hot drinks, pastries and other baked goods, it’s the perfect spot to grab and go. The downside: it’s a little too small to stop and co-work. We grabbed a coffee and then headed back to our hostel to continue on our laptops.

BONUS coffee shops and co-working spaces in Antigua Guatemala

1. Caoba Organic Farms

Another one of my favourite spots for coffee and a delicious brunch is Antigua’s Caoba Organic Farms. The only issue with this cafe is it’s a little out of town, so you need to either walk for 30 minutes or grab a tuk-tuk.

If you do make the journey, it’s worth it. Caoba is a large organic farm with a butterfly sanctuary, blossoming flowers, views of the volcanoes and an incredible brunch menu. They even put on live music most mornings!

It’s a good place to socialise, drink coffee and relax. You can take your laptop to work at Caoba, but it gets busy and it might be a little too hectic to focus. In my opinion, it’s best enjoyed without the laptop. Forget work and live in the moment.

2. Mcdonald’s

Yes, you read that right! Mcdonald’s is another location in Antigua Guatemala that can actually be used as a co-working space. And of course, it serves coffee!

The Mcdonald’s in Antigua is beautiful. And I’m not being sarcastic! There’s a large sunny courtyard with a central water fountain, and enough space to have your own table out of everyone’s way.

There are tables in both the sun and the shade, and all are surrounded by plants, colourful flowers and classic cobbled paths similar to the rest of Antigua.

It may sound strange, but Mcdonald’s is actually a popular co-working spot in Antigua Guatemala! The courtyard is big enough for everyone, and it has strong wifi. It’s another good contender for great co-working spots in Antigua Guatemala!

3. Taco Bell

If you need a cheap lunch in Antigua Guatemala and only want to stop by for a short amount of time, Taco Bell is another option. Ok, it might not have the ambience of a coffee shop, but it has a big courtyard with plenty of tables.

We found the Wifi to be a little sketchy, but when it worked, it worked! It may not be an ‘all day’ place, but if you need to pop somewhere to work and grab lunch on a budget, consider Taco Bell.

4. El Bowl

Our favourite lunch spot in all of Antigua was El Bowl. It’s only small, so it’s not the best place for co-working, but it serves the most amazing healthy bowls, smoothies and coffee.

You can work in El Bowl, but as I said, there’s only enough room for 8-10 people. This makes you feel it’s best to eat and then move on.

It’s close to other coffee shops such as Fernando’s Kaffee, so you can grab lunch and then head to do a little more work after.

Coffee tours in Antigua Guatemala

☕️ Love coffee as much as I do? Guatemala is one of the best countries in the world to do a coffee tour. If you’re looking to do a coffee tour from Antigua, I recommend one of the following:

• Antigua ATV and coffee tour: check prices here!
• Villages and coffee plantations around Antigua: check prices here!
• Antigua Coffee and Culture tour (recommended): check prices here!
• Sip and Cycle coffee tour: check prices here!

Where to stay in Antigua Guatemala

There are so many amazing hostels to choose from in Antigua that it’s hard to pick the best one! However, after staying in some myself, and talking to other backpackers, we’ve found these are the most popular choices.

Remember: things change quickly when it comes to hostels! Make sure you always read the reviews first.

• Somos: a social hostel with amazing rooftop views
• Hostel Antigueno: another social hostel with a large communal garden
• The Purpose Hostel: beautiful rooftop views of all 3 volcanos 
• Barbara’s Boutique Hostel: the most expensive hostel in Antigua, but also one of the most luxurious!
• Casi Casa: a ‘home away from home‘ kind of hostel with comfy beds, a roof terrace and homemade breakfast
• Tropicana: best for solo travellers wanting to party in Antigua!

Did you know I have a whole post dedicated to helping you backpack Guatemala? From routes, itineraries, what to do, where to eat, what not to miss and everything in between! It’s a one-stop backpacking Guatemala guide – don’t forget to check it out!

Related post: BEST Hostels In Antigua Guatemala: Read before you book!

Best coffee shops in Antigua Guatemala: FAQs

1) Where is the best place to buy coffee in Guatemala?

Antigua is known for being the best place in Guatemala to buy coffee. Due to the rich volcanic terrain, low humidity, altitude, sunlight and cool evenings, coffee is able to grow and be produced in the best possible conditions.

2) Is Antigua coffee good?

Yes! Coffee in Antigua is delicious, and there are plenty of coffee shops to choose from. Whether you want a speciality coffee or just a strong black Americano, coffee in Antigua is known to be exceptionally good.

Best backpacker travel insurance for Central America

If you’re visiting Central America as a backpacker, or even for a short vacation, it is so important to have travel insurance. And if you ended up on a post that’s called ‘epic party tips’, you know (just as well as I do) that you definitely need travel insurance.

Personally, I recommend SafetyWing. As a digital nomad and world traveller myself, I can confirm it is the best travel insurance out there. And one of the cheapest – they have deals that start at just $42 USD per month.

I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘but I can’t afford that!’. I was the same! It’s tough to fork out $42 a month on something ‘you might not need’. But what if something DOES happen? That extra Mezcal shot results in you falling down the stairs, or you eat something dodgy from a street food van.

If you need medical help at any point whilst in Central America, you need travel insurance.

With SafetyWing, you’re covered on travel emergencies, basic medical costs and medical expenses throughout your trip, so you can travel without worry (at a backpacker’s price!)

Don’t even think twice about getting travel insurance for Central America. Trust me, I have heard enough horror stories about backpackers who haven’t had insurance and have ended up in a lot of debt. Don’t be that person!

If you’ve been putting the job off because it takes a lot of time and effort to research the best travel insurance companies, I understand. That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you. Sign up for SafetyWing, and the job is done!

Best Coffee Shops In Antigua Guatemala: In A Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about the best coffee shops in Antigua Guatemala. As a digital nomad myself, I know how important this can be – so I hope it helps! 

When you’re planning a trip to Guatemala, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!

If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!

Keep an eye out for more Guatemala content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!

As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!

Happy travelling 🙂

Jennie x

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