Glorious Granada: Where to Eat
and Where to Stay

Return to: Glorious Granada: Part 1.

PLACES TO EAT

Adjoining the Palacio de la Cultura is Charly's YeYe restaurant/bar, a bustling place with tables inside as well as crowding the corredor facing the park. Traditional Indian masks decorate the interior along with palms, carnival costumes and a papier mache crocodile. This is a place of music, conversation, a good menu and slow service.

Hotel Alhambra's corredor cafe offers a good menu, friendly service and a tranquil table. The food is excellent and they begin breakfast service generally by 7:30 am. The Alhambra's staff are good sources of information about tours and any special events that may be occurring during your trip.

On the main road to the lake is a tiny restaurant called La Costa, a place with no claim to fame other than that it serves the best guapote in town. Guapote is a fat, delicious lake fish which La Costa serves in various way, including "sin espinas" (without bones, filleted in other words) for a lovely vegetable bedecked presentation.
For dessert ask for their yummy bunuelo, a traditional treat of fried yucca dripping in honey.

Next to the Casa de Los Leones is the sophisticated Cafe Vienes. Reminiscent of the Viennese sidewalk cafes after which it is named, Vienes has an excellent drinks list and offers well prepared small sandwiches and salads and is a great place for a 5 p.m. cappuccino or a light meal before a concert or lecture.

Dirt floors and the best food in town mean you're at the Restaurant Las Colinas Sur, a favorite spot among local residents and always full of contented diners. Lake fish and steaks are the specialties and be sure to order the excellent frijoles. All cab drivers know the way and it is advisable to arrange to be picked up later since this is in an out of the way section of town.

PLACES TO STAY

Facing Central Park is the Hotel Alhambra, a peaceful oasis is the middle of the city's heat and bustle. The easy ambiance of the corredor cafe and bar and beckoning rockers along the open verandah are indicative of the comfortable service offered by the hotel's friendly staff. Rooms have large tiled baths, good reading lights, ample closet space, air conditioning and cable TV.

Located on La Calzada, the main road to the lake is the Hotel Granada. The hotel has a small restaurant in the front and a maze of rooms off the lobby. There is no phone.

Granada also has many budget hotels and hospedajes Your best bet is to ask around after you arrive.

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