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The 11 Best Restaurants in Copan Ruinas, Honduras

Welcome to my food lover’s guide to the best restaurants in Copan Ruinas, Honduras! As someone whose passion for travel heavily includes trying and enjoying new foods, I couldn’t wait to share my experiences from this charming town that feels like a little slice of Europe in Central America. Known for its world-famous Mayan ruins, Copan Ruinas is not just a hotspot for history buffs but is also a hidden gem for foodies. Honduran cuisine is a vibrant mix of indigenous, Spanish, African, and Caribbean influences. You’ll find an abundance of fresh ingredients here—from tropical fruits to seafood, all blended into dishes bursting with flavor that won’t break the bank.

During my stay, I didn’t hold back. I tried traditional baleadas, delicious grilled meats, burritos rolled with freshly made tortillas, and—randomly enough—even some authentic German cuisine. Whatever your taste buds are craving, you’ll find something to tempt you in Copan Ruinas. So let’s dive into the best places to eat in Copan!

The Best Restaurants in Copan Ruinas

I’ll be the first to say it—Honduran cuisine is underrated in the foodie community. Mexican food is beloved worldwide, there’s no shortage of Brazilian steakhouses anywhere, and even lesser-known Costa Rican cuisine is holding its own in the international cuisine sphere. But no one talks about Honduran food.

Let me tell you—they’re missing out! Traditional Honduran cuisine is full of new and exciting flavors that reflect the country’s rich heritage and history. My favorite Honduran staple food is the baleada—a thick, fluffy tortilla filled with refried red beans, cheese, and often other ingredients like scrambled eggs, mantequilla, pickled onions, grilled chicken, or avocado. Meat is often served with coconut rice and beans, a small salad, and plantain chips (which are good, but I always think they need salt). Fried chicken or chicken in coconut milk is also commonly eaten in Honduras, and you can even find street vendors serving iguana—which tastes like chicken, but with more bones.

In the Bay Islands (Roatan and Utila), where I used to live, you’ll find tons of delicious seafood options, but as Copan Ruinas is located very far inland, seafood is not as common on menus here. The use of fresh, local ingredients like corn, beans, yucca, and tropical fruits is prevalent, which makes every dish fresh and environmentally friendly—a double whammy.

So where should you eat in Copan Ruinas? Keep reading to find out!

1. Sol de Copan

Although German food isn’t exactly considered local Honduran cuisine…Sol de Copan is widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in Copan Ruinas. It’s the only authentic German brewery between Mexico and Colombia and the owner, Thomas, clearly knows his stuff when it comes to brewing delicious German beer and cooking amazing Bavarian food.

All beer is brewed on-site, so he only offers a couple of options at a time. When we visited Copan, the options were a tasty Hefeweizen and a Black IPA. Paired with some cheesy spaetzle, crispy schnitzel, potato salad, and German sausages…you will not leave Sol de Copan hungry. If you make it there, tell Thomas that Madison and Michelle say hello!

We spent five nights in Copan and ended each and every one of them at Sol de Copan! It’s definitely one of the best things to do in Copan Ruinas.

Spaetzle, schnitzel, potato salad, and German sausage from the Sol de Copan Brewery in Copan Ruinas.
Spaetzle, schnitzel, potato salad, and German sausage.

2. La Llama del Bosque

Your foodie tour of Copan Ruinas wouldn’t be complete without a hearty lunch or dinner at La Llama del Bosque. The restaurant is huge, full of ambiance, and serves tasty Honduran cuisine. Beware, their portions are huge! We split one chicken burrito between the two of us and it was plenty of food.

The best part about our food was that the tortilla was clearly made from scratch. If you didn’t already know, the key to my heart is a freshly made tortilla. That’s why I had so much fun eating my way through the best restaurants in Roatan—I got to eat hella baleadas made with homemade tortillas.

La Llama del Bosque also has a cage of charming parakeets that love to chat with visitors during their meals.

A delicious chicken burrito topped with fresh avocado and tomato from La Llama del Bosque in Copan.

3. Cafe San Rafael

A North American-style cafe in the middle of Central America, Cafe San Rafael offers delicious coffee and espresso drinks, tasty breakfast options, sandwiches, salads, cheese boards, and more. They also sell a wide variety of German beer and both local and international wines for a great price.

The cafe itself is adorably decorated and has both amazing A/C and very strong wifi. It’s the perfect place to stop for lunch and crack out a couple of hours of work (if you’re a digital nomad). We visited Cafe San Rafael for brunch/brekkie at least twice during our 5-days in Copan.

A deconstructed bagel and lox plate from Cafe San Rafael in Copan Ruinas.

4. Hacienda San Lucas 

At over 100 years old, Hotel Hacienda San Lucas is one of the oldest hotels in Copan Ruinas. It was turned into an eco-lodge in 2000 and sits directly above Copan’s famous Mayan ruins to create an unparalleled lodging experience.

The hotel’s on-site restaurant is well-known in the area for combining ancient ancestral recipes with both new and old cooking techniques. Since the restaurant boasts gorgeous views of the surrounding hills, I highly recommend arriving at least an hour before sunset to make the most of your evening in Copan. Dress cute ladies—this spot is hella romantic.

Be sure to make reservations ahead of time—Hacienda San Lucas Kitchen is definitely one of the more popular restaurants in Copan Ruinas.

5. Cafe Welchez

Next on the list of the best restaurants in Copan Ruinas is Cafe Welchez. This charming little cafe is another great place to set up your laptop and screen extender and crank out some work (could you tell this was a working vacation?).

They offer a large menu filled with sandwiches, breakfast options, and tasty espresso drinks. With not one, but two upstairs patios, it’s the perfect place to down some caffeine and take in the views of Copan’s main square. The food is very affordable and we found Cafe Welchez to have some of the strongest internet in Copan.

They also offer a half-day coffee plantation tour if that strikes your interest. Although we couldn’t fit this into our itinerary, the coffee from the Honduran mainland is next-level—so I highly recommend it.

A hearty sandwich and french fries on the upstairs patio of Cafe Welchez. This spot is one of my personal favorite restaurants in Copan Ruinas.
This sandwich was insanely delicious.
A hearty baleada with scrambled eggs from Cafe Welchez in Copan Ruinas.

6. Comedor y Pupuseria Mary

If you make it to Comedor y Pupuseria Mary, I would definitely suggest ordering (you guessed it) the pupusas.

I’ve had pupusas in quite a few cities in Honduras, and they’re definitely a dish that can be hit or miss. Thankfully, Comedor Mary was a big fat HIT. They were clearly homemade and absolutely delicious. I decided on one filled with cheese and jalapeño and one with beans and cheese. Served with a pickled veggie salad, it ended up being one of my favorite meals during our trip. Be sure to add Comedor Mary to your list of the best restaurants in Copan Ruinas!

Two pupusas and a pickled veggie salad from Comedor y Pupuseria Mary—one of the best restaurants in Copan Ruinas.

7. 3 Tiempos

A charming rooftop restaurant with a simple menu, 3 Tiempos is a great option for a fun and casual dinner in Copan.

We decided to order the chicken and mushroom fajitas and shredded chicken tacos with Honduran cheese. Two entrees, two local beers, and two bottles of water only set us back about 500 Honduran lempiras or around $20—so I would definitely say 3 Tiempos is a budget-friendly restaurant in Copan Ruinas.

Chicken and mushroom fajitas from 3 Tiempos rooftop bar and restaurant in Copan Ruinas.

8. Los Asados Copán

This charming Latin American steakhouse is located smack dab in the middle of town and definitely makes the list of the tastiest restaurants in Copan Ruinas.

If you consider yourself a carnivore (I definitely do) and are interested in sampling some local grilled meats, look no further than Los Asados. The restaurant itself is adorable—built into a hill and surrounded by views and hanging plants. Be sure to finish off the meal with an ice-cold Salva Vida!

9. Restaurante La Casa de Todo

If you’re looking for both one of the best restaurants in Copan Ruinas and a great place to buy some souvenirs during your trip, then I highly recommend checking out Restaurante La Casa de Todo.

We stopped by on the last morning of our Copan Ruinas trip for some tasty breakfast, much-needed coffee, and last-minute Mayan souvenirs. We both ordered the breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, ham, veggies, and cheese wrapped in a tasty, homemade flour tortilla. The reviews are in…and everything, including the simple cup of black coffee, was delicious.

In addition to jewelry, purses, statues, and other Mayan trinkets, the restaurant’s shop sells local chocolate, hot sauce, coffee, and homemade bread.

The breakfast burrito and a cup of coffee from Restaurante La Casa de Todo in Copan Ruinas.

10. Carnitas Nia Lola

If you want to see waitresses balance dishes and wine glasses on their heads while climbing stairs, Carnitas Nia Lola is the place for you! The restaurant’s ambiance was unparalleled in Copan, with Christmas lights, live music, and an incredibly talented and well-balanced waitstaff. However, we both left extremely unimpressed with the food.

In hindsight, Carnitas Nia Lola is the perfect spot for a couple of drinks and maybe an anafre appetizer (anafre = bean and cheese dip), but you may be better off eating dinner somewhere else in town.

A chicken club sandwich and a plate of nachos from Carnitas Nia Lola—one of the best restaurants in Copan Ruinas.

11. Honorable Mention: The Tea and Chocolate Place

Although it’s not exactly a restaurant in Copan Ruinas, I’d be remiss not to recommend a visit to The Tea and Chocolate Place (El Lugar del Té y Chocolate) on your trip to Copan.

Although they don’t serve food (other than chocolate lol), this charming little spot in the hills of Copan sells handmade teas and tasty chocolate bars in a variety of different natural flavors. It’s also a great place to go for souvenirs, since they also sell soap, cosmetics, hot sauce, honey, and local art in their little shop.

It’s a very relaxing spot to sip on iced tea and admire the wildlife in the Honduran jungle. We also happened to visit during a downpour—which only added to the relaxation. It reminds me a bit of the Roatan Chocolate Factory—one of the best things to do in Roatan as a tourist—but with more jungle vibes.

My cup of iced tea on the wooden table outside at The Tea and Chocolate Place in Copan Ruinas.
Me sitting on a colorful wooden bench on a bright red patio with a cup of iced tea.

Protect Your Trip to Copan Ruinas

Whenever I plan a trip, I always make sure to protect myself and my wallet with travel insurance. I’ve always booked travel insurance before trips, but I had to learn the hard way that not all travel insurance programs are created equal. During the two months I lived in Thailand in 2022, I injured my foot on a weekend trip to Khao Sok National Park, which led to four months of limping around Southeast Asia and an eventual surgery in Canggu. Since I was buying travel insurance month-to-month through AXA, none of my surgery was covered and I was out $3,500—even though I had active travel insurance at the time.

Since then, I started traveling with SafetyWing Travel Medical Insurance. It’s perfect for both short-term travelers and digital nomads since you can tailor it exactly to your dates and needs. You can use it as a monthly subscription (what I usually do), or pay in full for a set date range. You can also take advantage of their useful add-ons like U.S. coverage (not for U.S. citizens, unfortunately), adventure sports, and electronics theft.

Final Thoughts

Copan Ruinas restaurants are top-notch when it comes to price, quality, and ambiance. In addition to great food and vibes, most restaurants in the area are decorated with hanging plants, string lights, and tons of colorful wall hangings—sometimes even art by local artists.

If you were wondering…my personal vote for the best restaurant in Copan is Sol de Copan, which may be unfair since they don’t serve Honduran food. However, the vibes here are immaculate and the restaurant has been around a long time. If I had to choose a runner-up based on food alone, I’d have to go with La Llama del Bosque…with Comedor y Pupuseria Mary in a close third.

The good news is that you’ll have no shortage of fantastic spots to eat in Copan. However, it never hurts to plan in advance, so I hope you found this guide to the best restaurants in Copan Ruinas helpful! If you did, you might enjoy my related guides linked below. And don’t forget to follow along for the adventure on Instagram @madisonsfootsteps.

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