7 Best Restaurants in Copan Ruinas, Western Honduras

The aroma of freshly ground coffee envelops you as you walk into this small café set on the patio of a brick house. In addition to the coffee, you'll find a nice selection of Chilean wine and sandwiches made with artisanal cheeses from a farm outside of town. Try the grilled turkey and blue cheese. If you come here for dinner, make it an early one; the place closes at 8.

Though many backpackers flock here, Vía Vía provides a great meal and atmosphere attractive to nearly any traveler. Food is served from 7 am to 9 pm every day, and the bar stays open until just before midnight. Great selections of world music, as well as salsa-dancing lessons, bring in lots of people in the evenings. The kitchen specialties include vegetarian dishes, Indian and Thai food, and local favorites, all at great prices. Basecamp Tours, the affiliated tourist information center, is located across the street, making this a great first stop on your visit to Copán.

Housed in a charming wooden building, this longtime favorite has sweeping views of the valley from its second-story dining room. Wonderful smells emanate from the meats on the grill, which is crowned with a stone skull reminiscent of those at the nearby ruins. One of the favorite dishes here is the carne encebollado, sizzling beef topped with onions and accompanied by a mound of french fries.

A long-time local favorite that has morphed into a favorite of visitors offers down-home dining at bargain prices. Pull up a chair to one of the wooden tables and partake of a pupusa, the specialty here. The dish originated in neighboring El Salvador and they are that country's answer to the crepe, with a filling of chicken, pork, or beans and tangy cabbage.

Named for a colorful flower, this cheerful little place is tucked away on a side street. It feels much larger than it really is because of the sloped wooden ceiling that soars above the dining room. This is the place to come for barbecued meats—try the pinchos, which are chunks of beef brought to your table on long skewers. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this is a longtime favorite in Copán.

The sign in front may say "pizza copán", but everybody knows this old standby as Jim's Pizza. You'll find the standard variety of pizza toppings and sizes here at this long-time favorite expat hangout, along with rotisserie chicken and decent burgers. The place is not open for lunch, per se, but does start serving at 2 "pm."

An eclectic open-air dining room on the second floor makes Twisted Tanya's great for a romantic dinner or a special occasion. There's usually a prix-fixe menu, with several selections for the main course. Even if you already know what you want, the waitstaff enjoy holding up the menu board and describing each item to you with a flair.