6.8 Palopo - Casa Palopo
Guatemala
Palopó 6.8 at Casa Palopó overlooks Lake Atitlán from Santa Catarina Palopó, with the volcanoes forming a dramatic horizon beyond the water. Set within the hotel's main house, it pairs a close connection to Guatemalan ingredients with contemporary cooking and an intimate setting. The kitchen draws inspiration from the communities around the lake. Fogattini filled with Icha-j Pá Sakil, a local preparation of white herb and pumpkin seeds, arrive with tamarillo sauce. Tomatoes from Santiago Atitlán meet burrata, pesto and melon infused with hibiscus. Other dishes bring international techniques into that regional vocabulary. Octopus is glazed with Guatemalan achiote, while a variation on Roman pasta uses matured Chancol cheese from Nebaj Quiché with prawns. Roasted cauliflower with guaque chilli barbecue and white bean hummus gives vegetables an equally considered role. Breakfast, lunch and dinner allow visitors to experience the changing light across the lake. For a leisurely meal or an occasion worth lingering over, the restaurant's appeal lies in the combination of an exceptional setting and food with a recognisable sense of place.