Xela Pan Cafe — Restaurant in Doraville

My friend and I had a great breakfast on July 4, 2017. It was our first time there, and we found out that you can either sit at a table, which will bring a server to your table, or you can buy pastries or drinks or probably get take out from the register on the right when you walk in. We opted for a table.

We were completely unfamiliar with Guatemalan food, so we needed help from our waitress. After debating for a while, we saw food walk by with a server and agreed that we'd like "that." Desayuno Chapin, which includes beans (which could be blended, maybe?) eggs cooked to oder (I recommend getting them scrambled because it comes scrambled with tomatoes and onions), platanos, rice, crema, and tortillas. I also got a warm drink the waitress suggested I try. I can't remember the name of it for the life of me, but Google tells me it might be "Avena Caliente." It was pretty much warm, drinkable, sweet oatmeal, which I could see as being very comforting, but I won't be getting it again. That Desayuno Chapin, though, it was an immediate favorite, and I can't imagine getting anything else for breakfast here.

I loved getting to try a new-to-me cuisine in such a homey, no-frills environment. Our waitress answered all our questions, and I'm looking forward to coming back! I was first introduced to Xela Pan through a We Love BuHi trolley tour in the fall of 2016 where we got to sample horchata and garnachas, which was super fun. I'm so glad I've gotten to know Xela Pan a little better, I'd recommend them to everyone, and I'm looking forward to going back and trying...

What a wonderful coffee spot! I needed to find a place to work for a bit before meeting a friend for dinner and this was perfect. The coffee is probably the best on Buford Highway!

Ambiance: Warm, cozy, bright environment. Plenty of seating including booths and a larger table for bigger groups in the middle. I was the only one there at 5pm on a Tuesday evening. They leave you to be to do your own thing, which was perfect for me to work. Was unsure if there was wifi, but I was able to use my own hotspot just fine.

Food: There are many Guatemalan baked goods. They have sweet breads (of many shapes), a sweet corn bread, and then corn arepas filled with cheese (this is what I got, and it was DELICIOUS). They offer to warm it up for you.

The cappuccino is to die for!! It comes in a HUGE mug, with cinnamon and chocolate syrup on top but the coffee itself is unsweetened and smooth. Perfect with a pastry. There is a large menu including many delicious dishes, such as soups and stews (caldo de res, guisados), homemade tortilla dishes (some Mexican dishes like tacos, burritos, quesadillas, etc.) seafood dishes, fajitas, and tamales. There is also a kid's menu and lots of fruit drinks. They also have atoles, which are Guatemalan traditional drinks.

Service: Attentive, kind, and fast. I will definitely be back to support this...

Writing this review saddens me. I love this restaurant and found comfort in a consistently amazing restaurant serving food from my home of Central America with unquestionable flavor, love, and authenticity. A recent clerical error has stained the reputation of this restaurant in my eyes. I dined in the restaurant with 4 of my friends late at night and then ordered bread to go, with our total cost equaling $92. A week later, the cost shows up on my bank statement totaling $198. This is an over $100 price increase on the part of the cashier who rang us up, and is clearly not a small mistake or slip of the hand. When I called to try and resolve what I believed to be an innocent mistake, I was hung up on twice by the cashier . It appears as if the restaurant or worker does not want to take accountability for this mistake, but this is beyond excusable. I will not return to this restaurant again. Xelapan, do...