Cafe Las Marias — Restaurant in Sololá

Who would’ve thought a small coffee shop in the heart of San Juan la Laguna was going to change my life. My journey here started back when in January of 2023 I took a small trip to atitlan for the weekend. I went to San Juan with the intentions to have a great weekend, I’ve always drank coffee my entire life and I knew Guatemalan coffee is amazing. During my trip I came across this small coffee shop/restaurant/coffee roaster. Doña Rosa was very kind since the first time I knocked on her door, she was very welcoming. She made drinks for my mom, brother and I. We all had different drinks, for me I just had a plain cup of coffee since it’ll tell you a lot about a place. I fell in love with it. I fell in love with it so much that I decided to bring some to the states to give to my friends, and family. Then I decided to share her coffee with people around my community in Texas, everyone fell in love with it. Since then I’ve bought over 700 lbs of coffee from her. Sharing it with people all over my community, friends across country, and strangers who I love sharing my coffee passion with. For my birthday, my wife and I decided to go to Guatemala, we flew to Guatemala, drove 4 hours from the airport to San Juan just to have a cup of coffee, which she loved too. My wife is vegan, and Doña Rosa took care of her. Doña Rosa is the kindest person I’ve met in Guatemala. She’s sweet, loving and caring. Not did she only made a great experience for me and my wife, but also her brother who I brought to lake atitlan in a different occasion so he could explore with me. The best thing about this place is that is a hidden...

We found ourselves ringing the doorbell to Café Las Marias, which was actually just a woman’s home stuffed into a tight, nondescript alley. Inside is a coffee roastery and café with precisely two tables. Maria’s daughter (also Maria) opened the door and led us up the narrow stairs to a tiny wooden landing with a small coffee bar and a pair of four-top tables overlooking San Juan’s misty mountains. The cafe was so intimate, which led us to quickly strike up a conversation with two U.S. women at the next (and only) table who were traveling around Guatemala together. Maria and her daughter are kind, and we had a traditional Guatemalan brunch and coffee while enjoying the cozy ambience...

(29 Mar 2025) We came for the coffee and got that and more. Some of the best coffee we tasted in Guatemala (most good stuff gets exported.) Had a great conversation with Maria about how she sources her beans, her relationship with farmers to get the best beans (high quality green), difference in moisture content, and the exacting way she roasts and prepares her coffees. She is an artist and we deeply appreciated the experience. Best coffee....