Copan Ruinas Restaurants

Find the Perfect Copan Ruinas Restaurants for you!

Despite the fact that Copan Ruinas is a relatively small town in one of the more remote corners of Honduras, the fact is that it is actually quite cosmopolitan. Considering that it is an important tourist center, due to the proximity to the Copan Archaeological Park, there is a large variety of first class restaurants as well as more basic eateries where the locals usually eat. Many locals like to go the park and eat street food there. Generally speaking prices are very reasonable, and getting an outstanding meal is actually not only possible, but quite easy! Following is a list of what in my humble opinion are the best Copan Ruinas Restaurants to choose from:

Hacienda San Lucas

Hacienda San Lucas Restaurant is located at the Hacienda San Lucas Boutique Hotel just outside of town, on a bluff overlooking the Copan Valley and the town of Copan Ruinas itself. This is almost a destination within Copan, and if you want to enjoy a magical, romantic evening with gourmet local food, then San Lucas is just the place for you. Reservations are a must, and you should plan on getting to the site between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. to insure you can enjoy your favorite cocktail of a glass of wine while you see the sunset over the mountains in nearby Guatemala. After sunset, dine in a candlelit setting, enjoying some of the most distinguished local flavors, which may well be new to your taste buds.

San Lucas has done an outstanding job at recovering old local recipes and upgrade them with the finest of ingredients to produce an outstanding dinner that you will enjoy and remember for a long time. For reservations call 2651-4495 and 9946-9875, or email: info@haciendasanlucas.com. Hacienda San Lucas is truly one of the top Copan Ruinas restaurants that you should not miss!

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Cafe Welchez

Located on a corner looking into the park and part of the prestigious Marina Copan Hotel, Café Welchez has become so popular, that they have now opened a branch in San Pedro Sula as well as on the roadside at Santa Isabel. They feature a limited, but delicious menu that includes breakfasts, sandwiches and healthy salads. Of course, they offer their own home grown and roasted coffees and some outstanding, to “die for” pastries and cakes! Offers great sandwiches, salads and baked goods, as well as a variety of coffees. One of the few restaurants in Copan that you will always find open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, regardless of the date.

The second floor also operates as a Cigar Bar, with a selection of the famous Honduran hand made cigars available for the purchase on an individual basis. If you like the coffee you drank here, you can purchase some pre-packed coffee to take back home and brew at home or as a gift for your loved ones! If you are looking for a good cup of coffee and something to sweeten your tooth, this is one of the best Copan Ruinas Restaurants to achieve your goal!

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Llama del Bosque

Copan’s first original tourist restaurant, in continuous service since 1975! A favorite among the travelers and tour guides offers moderately priced plates, including the famous Honduran anafres with beans, cheese and sausage; outstanding parrilladas with typical Honduran flavor.  Varied menu ranging from Plato tipico, meat, chicken and salads all at very affordable prices.  Full bar. Open daily from 6:30 a.m. till 10:00 p.m.  for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have the capacity to serve up to 90 persons comfortably seated in their spacious, very airy saloon, and also offer an outdoor terrace where you can dine under the shade of trees. Visa, Mastercard and American Express cards all welcome. They also accept US dollars and Guatemalan Quetzales.

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Glifos.

Located inside the Hotel Marina Copan, this restaurant offers some of the most complete cuisine in Copan Ruinas, the variety includes several old family recipes, as well as pepitos (open faced steak sandwich), plato tipico & sandwiches. Full bar. Moderately priced to expensive. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Groups welcome. This restaurant is one of your best bets on those complicated dates such as Christmas Day, or Good Friday, when most of the other Copan Ruinas restaurants are closed. Of course they accept all credit cards. Very pleasant, elegant setting! You simply can not go wrong at Glifos.

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Carnitas Nia Lola.

Probably the most famous of all Copan Ruinas restaurants,  with a friendly atmosphere and delicious typical foods prepared on the open grill (fragua).  Their menu includes special plates that our regular clients specially request and they have made available to all! Don’t forget your camera, waitresses provide a great show by bringing your food on their heads!  The second level offers a spectacular view over the Copan River Valley. The second level offers a spectacular view over the Copan River Valley.  Certainly one of your best options for eating out in Copan! Credit cards are all accepted. They offer a full service international bar.

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Casa Ixchel.

A delicious garden café offering outstanding coffee grown in their own coffee farm. Located at the entrance to town, Casa Ixchel is the perfect spot to catch a cup of coffee on your out to the ruins in the morning or a good ice cold beer on your back from the ruins to your hotel. Casa Ixchel prides itself on preparing healthy foods, and this is a great spot to quietly enjoy a healthy meal in the pleasant outdoor patio. Specialties include veggie options as well as typical Copanecan dishes.

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Café San Rafael

A pleasant family run café located a block and half south the corner of the Copan Museum of Archaeology in Central Park. This owners have a coffee farm where they grow, harvest and roast their own coffee! In addition to outstanding coffee, the owner’s son, Carlos Guerra, a graduate of Escuela Agricola Panamericana, better known locally as Zamorano, produces outstanding gourmet homemade cheeses! If you are a cheese lover, this place is close to heaven! Try a nice glass of wine to go with your cheese, of if you are in a mood for something more filling, ask for a cheese sandwich. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Truly the closest to a deli bistro you will find in Copan, with a lovely very homely garden setting.

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Twisted Tanya’s

One of the well established Copan Ruinas restaurants, Twisted Tanya‘s is a combination of a great bar and an elegant restaurant, a lovely setting on a second floor terrace with modern, trendy atmosphere located right on the corner of Central Park! Open from Monday through Saturday from 3 until 10. The bar serves any cocktail you can dream of from margaritas to mojitos, and also carries a fine assortment of wine and beer. Dinner is a selection of gourmet dishes specializing in beef, chicken, fish, seafood, curries and pastas, all prepared fresh to order with the finest ingredients. Vegetarian options are available. Fresh homemade breads, soups, cakes, and desserts complement your meal. Happy hour from 4-6 offers 2 for 1 cocktails. Reservations are recommended for dinner. 2651-4182. www.twistedtanya.com

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Mi Tio Uruguayan Grill

Open daily for lunch and dinner from 10 to 10. Some of the best beef in town. Uruguayan style grilled meats at reasonable prices. Very friendly service. Owner is always on premises. Make sure you taste their “chimichurri meat sauce” truly a taste of Uruguay! A selection of wines, as well as local beers are available for your enjoyment. Mi Tio is on the main restaurant street in town, 1 1/2 blocks south of Central Park, close to Cafe San Rafael.

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Pizza Copan

Thatched roof dining area serving some of the best pizza in town. Call ahead and place your order! Open daily for lunch and dinner. Without doubt very family oriented, they make it a point not to sell alcoholic beverages to those not eating there. Located one block from Central Park. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

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Via Via Café

A European style establishment that offers a nice combination of bar, restaurant and small hotel. It is actually part of a Belgium franchise that has establishments in Europe, Indonesia and Africa, this one being the first in America. A true gathering place for travelers looking to meet each other, obtain travel information and speak their native language. Dutch, German, French, English and Spanish are spoken here. Daily specials always include vegetarian options. Full Bar service. Open daily for breakfast from 7:00 a.m, closes at 9:00 p.m. Some of the best soft music to be heard in Copan can be listened to at this establishment.

It is also an outstanding spot to meet travelers and get tourist information. Their rooms are actually the most reasonably priced rooms with a private bath in town! They also have tour desk and operate shuttles to Antigua Guatemala and San Salvador. You simply can’t go wrong with Via Via!

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Don Udo’s

A magnificent combination of old European Charm with Central American atmosphere! Don Udo’s is probably the closest you will get to authentic gourmet Copan Ruinas restaurants. The Dutch owner personally oversees the restaurant which offers international cuisine and full service bar. The setting is very quaint around a courtyard with lots of candles for dinner and a second floor deck terrace. Open daily for breakfast and dinner; open for lunch on weekends: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They also have a very nice small hotel built around the garden court.

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The Coffee Casita

Located at the Macaw Mountain Bird Park and Nature Reserve, this establishment offers some of the best brews of Copan’s high mountain grown coffee in a very pleasant outdoor setting on a deck looking over a crystal clear creek and under towering trees. The local Miramundo Coffee is actually roasted and ground on premises, offering you the double treat of tasting freshly brewed coffee and the actual experience of seeing it roasted and ground during the harvesting season.  Great pastries are available to accompany your coffee!

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Restaurant Las Ruinas.

Located at the prestigious Clarion Copan Hotel, offers an international menu with full bar service. The well decorated restaurant offers beautiful views of the Copan Valley. Good food and service. A great option if you set out to explore the Rastrojon Ruins, which are adjacent to the hotel.

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Elisa’s Cafeteria

Located at the Camino Maya Hotel, this restaurant offers light foods, sandwiches, salads and typical Honduran dishes, all in a comfortable informal cafeteria style setting. Service is available from 6:30 a.m. through 10:00 p.m. daily. A great buffet breakfast is available on Saturday and Sunday as of 6:30 a.m. offering fresh orange juice, Copan grown coffee and the regular full trimmings for breakfast.

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Cafeteria Rosalila

A very hygienic, buffet style establishment located at the visitors center of the Ruins. Daily specials with buffet food as well as sandwiches and burgers. Soft drinks, beer and frescos. Probably your best option for lunch if you plan on visiting the ruins and the museum on the same day. Also a good option for breakfast. Open daily from 7:30 a.m. till 4:00 p.m.

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Cafe Restaurant Vamos a Ver

An interesting combination of a European Cafe-Bar restaurant, this pleasant hang was originally owned and run by a Dutch couple who left the country and left the business in the hands of their original local manager. The menu features fresh homemade baked bread daily, Dutch cheese, great sandwiches and strong European style coffee. Daily specials include a veggie plate or a regular meal with meat. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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Balam Café

Located at the new and quite unique Yat Balam Hotel. Open daily from 7 a.m. till 7 p.m. Nice selection of coffees as well as a variety of pastries. Open daily from 6:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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El Charralito at La Casa de Todo

A restaurant with a beautiful garden and open patio setting featuring breakfasts, lunches and light diners.  Open daily from 7:30 a.m. till 8:00 p.m., El Charralito features a variety of specialties, including homemade yogurt, warm homemade breads and an assortment of pasta and salad dishes featuring their original home made dressings. Stop by for great fresh fruit smoothies, slushes and to top it all, enjoy the family brew (coffee) home roasted to perfection.  The restaurant offers a variety of unique local recipes that will allow you to taste the typical foods of Copan and Western Honduras. Free Wifi for guests. Also on premises an interesting combination that includes a nice souvenir shop and the most complete book exchange and book shop in town!

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Asados Copan

Located on the main street entering Copan, on the corner across the Acropolis Maya Hotel. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Specialties are charcoal grilled meats and shish kabobs served with grilled onions. Nice friendly, informal atmosphere. One of the favorite spots for locals. Beer and soft drinks served. Affordable prices. Certainly a great option among the different Copan Ruinas Restaurants if you want a good, affordable piece of meat!

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Churasqueria Momo’s

A pleasant and economical restaurant located one block south of Central Park, serving very good  charcoal grilled meats and “pinchos” at very affordable prices. Open daily from 9:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. Beers and bottled softdrinks. Very popular with the local population. For groups try their parrilladas.

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Café Cashapa

Located one block from central park, this new cafe offers typical Honduran cuisine with a different main course every day. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7:00 a.m. till 8:30 p.m.  Frescos and beer.

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Comedor y Pupuseria Mari

Truly an institution in Copan, this restaurant is located very close to the entrance to Copan, on the road towards Macaw Mountain Bird Park, just across from the soccer field. Very affordable prices, including some of the best empanadas or pupusas in town. Friendly service and great prices. Nothing fancy, but clean and friendly. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.[themify_hr border_width=”1″ width=”1″ color=”light-gray”]

Street Food in Copan Ruinas

Many travelers love eating street food in the towns they visit. Copan Ruinas has plenty of street food to choose from. They are usually located around the Central Park in town. There is talk of moving them to a different location, so if you do not find them around the park, ask.