Review: Angie, Angie Cafearte, Antigua

Antigua, Guatemala, is nothing if not flush with bars and restaurants offering flavors from all over the world. Unfortunately, not everyone does it well with service detracting from the food or the food taking away from a rare, wonderful service experience. Angie Angie does both tremendously well each and every time you walk through the doors. From said entry, you’ll pass a wood-burning oven, which provides patrons with delightful, inventive pizza offerings as well as other menu items looking for that extra flavor. Once past that, Angie Angie opens up to a massive courtyard with a fire pit anchoring the center and tables, each individually covered, thoughtfully arranged around the fire which has been the center of life since its discovery.

While the bulk of Angie Angie exists in the delightful courtyard, there are a number of tables that populate the bar area and around the stage that provides a lovely selection of live, largely Spanish language music from a number of countries in the Americas. While the staff of Angie’s largely speaks English, it is one of the few places in town where Spanish will be the predominate language spoken by its clientele. This includes Angie herself, responsible for the Argentine/Italian menu, who is also one of the few restaurant owners in Antigua that has resisted learning English. But this is part of her charm, and also the reason the restaurant features her name not once, but twice. She’s there most nights and the primary draw beyond her excellent food, service and drink shaken together with live music and room to dance if you fancy it.

In the interest of full disclosure, on a recent trip to Mexico I found myself falling in love with Angie. It doesn’t change the fact that Angie Angie is a wonderful spot (as described) it just means that it will be closed on November 25, 2017 for our wedding reception.

Angie, Angie Cafearte

1a Avenida Sur

Antigua, Guatemala

502 7832 3352