Cooking class and market tour/Pepian Workshop

Overview

Available languages

English

Spanish

4 hours

Mobile ticket

What makes this activity stand out

Authentic setting – You cook in the kitchen of a real Guatemalan family, not in a commercial cooking studio.

Full cultural immersion – From a colorful chicken bus ride to visiting Antigua’s market, you experience daily life like a local.

Hands-on cooking – Guests actively prepare Pepián, handmade tortillas, rice, and the traditional mole dessert.

Family connection – Sharing a meal with the hosts creates a warm, memorable cultural exchange.

All-in-one experience – Combines a market tour, fruit tasting, cooking class, dessert making, and local transport in one.

Unforgettable memories – Learn recipes, take photos, and bring home flavors and stories from Guatemala.

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Public transportation options are available nearby

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

Authentic Guatemalan Cooking Class & Market Tour Discover Guatemala through its flavors in this hands-on cultural and culinary adventure. We’ll start with a guided visit to Antigua’s vibrant market, exploring colorful stalls, learning about local ingredients, and enjoying a fresh fruit tasting. Then, we’ll head by vehicle or the colorful chicken bus to the welcoming community of San Miguel Escobar. There, a local family will invite you into their home to cook: Pepián – Guatemala’s signature stew. Handmade tortillas and rice as side dishes. Traditional mole – a sweet-and-savory dessert you will prepare yourself. Finally, sit down with your hosts to enjoy the dishes you created, share stories, and take memorable photos. This experience is authentic, interactive, and delicious — the perfect way to connect with Guatemalan culture while learning its traditional cuisine.

Sample Menu

main

Pepian

Ceremonial dish declared cultural heritage of Guatemala, served in special events such as weddings and brotherhoods.

starter

Tortillas

Corn tortillas made by hand

dessert

Guatemalan traditional dessert

This dessert is representative of the fusion between Spanish and Mayan gastronomies.

What‘s Included

Kitchen utensils

All the ingredients for cooking

Depending on the reservation time it can be lunch or dinner

Recipe

Private transportation

Options

Vegetarian Pepian

walk through the town
Duration: 3 hours

Chicken pepian

Walk through the town
Duration: 3 hours
Pepian and traditional drinks

Reviews

5.00

39 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Amazing Tour & Cultural Experience
Kita Marz,Apr 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was a great experience. The visit to the market was very informative and the cookie class was an awesome immersion into the true Guatemalan culture. The host and her family were lovely. I highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants a true hands on experience.
Great hands-on activity, highly recommend
804miyukib,Mar 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My husband and I enjoyed this market tour and cooking class very much! Axel was a great guide and is very knowledgeable - come prepared with questions. He arrived early at the waiting area and there was no delay in taking us through the artisanal and food market. He bought samples of several different fruits for us to try and gave personalized recommendations. He took us to Doña Elsa's house, which was a pleasant drive through the avenue of jacaranda trees and Volcán de Agua in the background. We had such a fun time learning how to prepare pepián and mole (fried sweet plantains with savory/sweet mole sauce) from Doña Elsa - both she and Axel are delightful people and we appreciated being welcomed into her home. We ended the day happy with full bellies. Highly recommend this experience for any type of traveler (couples, solo travelers, families, etc), it was well worth the price paid. Thank you Axel and Doña Elsa!
Great Experience
peterbO9773GE,Mar 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Great experience! It was just me and my girlfriend, we had a great time. Our tour guide Axel was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot from him. Delicious food!
Something you must do!
Justyn A,Mar 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00
This was an amazing experience! Axel was great! He told us a lot about Guatemala history and the markets. Everything we ate was delicious. Elsa was an amazing host as she let us in to her home. I would definitely recommend this to anyone visiting Antigua.
Authentic Guatemalan Dinner and Experience
U5262LQandreaf,Mar 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Can’t recommend this enough! We loved the tour of the local market and learning from Axel. Elsa is lovely and kind to open up her home to us and guide us through preparing dinner - homemade tortillas! An authentic Guatemala experience that can’t be beat!
Excellent Experience - Genuine Guatemalan Cooking
petermN1707VL,Mar 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
First - it was just my wife and myself, so it was a private tour. Our guide Axel was early, and took us on an hour long tour of the Mercado, buying fruit and pointing out the names of all the vegetables (in both Spanish and English - which was much appreciated. He also showed us the side of the market with the artisans, which we had not seen before. After the market, Axel drove us to a small Pueblo nearby, to the home of Sra Elena (?], who welcomed us into her home, and then put us to work, cutting vegetables for the pepián. The meal was cooked entirely over a wood burning stove. We cooked chicken to make a caldo, roasted pumpkin seeds and made rice with our chopped vegetables. During the middle of cooking, we stopped when a procession came to the door to pray and chant (we were there in the middle of Lent). Finally, we made tortillas by hand and cooked them ourselves. Our tortilla making skills are sadly deficient! Finally, we ate. It was fantastic. For desert, we had plátanos covered in Guatemalan mole, which is sweet, not savory. After the meal, Axel gave us each a small gift, and drove us back to our hotel. It was a fantastic experience that we would recommend to anyone who like to eat or cook.
Really authentic cooking experience
Rudy808,Feb 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had the best tour guide, who showed us (just the two of us, it was like a private tour!) around the food market, explained everything and bought us fruits! Then we went to a local family just outside of town, where we were warmly welcomed by mama Elsa! We all made pépian and mole and tortillas and lemonade together and it felt like we were part of the family! Absolutely wonderful and authentic experience, worth every dollar spent !
Best non tourist experience ever!
Compass48292688453,Jan 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This is a great experience! Axel, our guide, took us through the market and introduced us to fruits and vegetables we didn't know and bought some for us to try. The market can be overwhelming the first time through so it was nice to have someone who knew their way around. Our class was at the home of Elsa, just outside of town. It was just her, Axel, and my husband and I. We were included in all of the cooking of a Guatamalan meal in a true Guatamalan home kitchen. Because it was just us, doing with doing the cooking, we also got to talk about all kinds of things - economy, politics, education, etc. Elsa spoke Spanish but Axel was fluent in both English and Spanish and translated both ways keeping everyone in the conversation. If you want a true locals experience, do this!!!
Amazing!
colbeb377,Jan 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Absolutely amazing, learned a lot and had a blast, would highly recommend to anyone.
Awesome experience with guide Axel and chef Elsa
Sandra P,Dec 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Spent half of the day with Axel and Elsa and it was worth every penny. Axel is a super smart and fun guy who taught as a lot about the countries history and food culture. Elsa is one of the kindest persons ever met. She let us into her home where she taught us how to cook a traditional dish on a traditional stove. We had an exceptional time with Axel and Elsa and would highly recommend this tour.

From US$50.00

5.00

(39 reviews)

Free cancellation

Check availability

Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour

Related Experiences

Operated by B1 Experience

Cooking class and market tour/Pepian Workshop

Overview

Available languages

English

Spanish

4 hours

Mobile ticket

What makes this activity stand out

Authentic setting – You cook in the kitchen of a real Guatemalan family, not in a commercial cooking studio.

Full cultural immersion – From a colorful chicken bus ride to visiting Antigua’s market, you experience daily life like a local.

Hands-on cooking – Guests actively prepare Pepián, handmade tortillas, rice, and the traditional mole dessert.

Family connection – Sharing a meal with the hosts creates a warm, memorable cultural exchange.

All-in-one experience – Combines a market tour, fruit tasting, cooking class, dessert making, and local transport in one.

Unforgettable memories – Learn recipes, take photos, and bring home flavors and stories from Guatemala.

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Public transportation options are available nearby

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

Sample Menu

main

Pepian

Ceremonial dish declared cultural heritage of Guatemala, served in special events such as weddings and brotherhoods.

starter

Tortillas

Corn tortillas made by hand

dessert

Guatemalan traditional dessert

This dessert is representative of the fusion between Spanish and Mayan gastronomies.

What‘s Included

Kitchen utensils

All the ingredients for cooking

Depending on the reservation time it can be lunch or dinner

Recipe

Private transportation

Options

Vegetarian Pepian

walk through the town
Duration: 3 hours

Chicken pepian

Walk through the town
Duration: 3 hours
Pepian and traditional drinks

Reviews

5.00

39 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Amazing Tour & Cultural Experience
Kita Marz,Apr 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was a great experience. The visit to the market was very informative and the cookie class was an awesome immersion into the true Guatemalan culture. The host and her family were lovely. I highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants a true hands on experience.
Great hands-on activity, highly recommend
804miyukib,Mar 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My husband and I enjoyed this market tour and cooking class very much! Axel was a great guide and is very knowledgeable - come prepared with questions. He arrived early at the waiting area and there was no delay in taking us through the artisanal and food market. He bought samples of several different fruits for us to try and gave personalized recommendations. He took us to Doña Elsa's house, which was a pleasant drive through the avenue of jacaranda trees and Volcán de Agua in the background. We had such a fun time learning how to prepare pepián and mole (fried sweet plantains with savory/sweet mole sauce) from Doña Elsa - both she and Axel are delightful people and we appreciated being welcomed into her home. We ended the day happy with full bellies. Highly recommend this experience for any type of traveler (couples, solo travelers, families, etc), it was well worth the price paid. Thank you Axel and Doña Elsa!
Great Experience
peterbO9773GE,Mar 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Great experience! It was just me and my girlfriend, we had a great time. Our tour guide Axel was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot from him. Delicious food!
Something you must do!
Justyn A,Mar 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00
This was an amazing experience! Axel was great! He told us a lot about Guatemala history and the markets. Everything we ate was delicious. Elsa was an amazing host as she let us in to her home. I would definitely recommend this to anyone visiting Antigua.
Authentic Guatemalan Dinner and Experience
U5262LQandreaf,Mar 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Can’t recommend this enough! We loved the tour of the local market and learning from Axel. Elsa is lovely and kind to open up her home to us and guide us through preparing dinner - homemade tortillas! An authentic Guatemala experience that can’t be beat!
Excellent Experience - Genuine Guatemalan Cooking
petermN1707VL,Mar 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
First - it was just my wife and myself, so it was a private tour. Our guide Axel was early, and took us on an hour long tour of the Mercado, buying fruit and pointing out the names of all the vegetables (in both Spanish and English - which was much appreciated. He also showed us the side of the market with the artisans, which we had not seen before. After the market, Axel drove us to a small Pueblo nearby, to the home of Sra Elena (?], who welcomed us into her home, and then put us to work, cutting vegetables for the pepián. The meal was cooked entirely over a wood burning stove. We cooked chicken to make a caldo, roasted pumpkin seeds and made rice with our chopped vegetables. During the middle of cooking, we stopped when a procession came to the door to pray and chant (we were there in the middle of Lent). Finally, we made tortillas by hand and cooked them ourselves. Our tortilla making skills are sadly deficient! Finally, we ate. It was fantastic. For desert, we had plátanos covered in Guatemalan mole, which is sweet, not savory. After the meal, Axel gave us each a small gift, and drove us back to our hotel. It was a fantastic experience that we would recommend to anyone who like to eat or cook.
Really authentic cooking experience
Rudy808,Feb 10, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had the best tour guide, who showed us (just the two of us, it was like a private tour!) around the food market, explained everything and bought us fruits! Then we went to a local family just outside of town, where we were warmly welcomed by mama Elsa! We all made pépian and mole and tortillas and lemonade together and it felt like we were part of the family! Absolutely wonderful and authentic experience, worth every dollar spent !
Best non tourist experience ever!
Compass48292688453,Jan 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This is a great experience! Axel, our guide, took us through the market and introduced us to fruits and vegetables we didn't know and bought some for us to try. The market can be overwhelming the first time through so it was nice to have someone who knew their way around. Our class was at the home of Elsa, just outside of town. It was just her, Axel, and my husband and I. We were included in all of the cooking of a Guatamalan meal in a true Guatamalan home kitchen. Because it was just us, doing with doing the cooking, we also got to talk about all kinds of things - economy, politics, education, etc. Elsa spoke Spanish but Axel was fluent in both English and Spanish and translated both ways keeping everyone in the conversation. If you want a true locals experience, do this!!!
Amazing!
colbeb377,Jan 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Absolutely amazing, learned a lot and had a blast, would highly recommend to anyone.
Awesome experience with guide Axel and chef Elsa
Sandra P,Dec 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Spent half of the day with Axel and Elsa and it was worth every penny. Axel is a super smart and fun guy who taught as a lot about the countries history and food culture. Elsa is one of the kindest persons ever met. She let us into her home where she taught us how to cook a traditional dish on a traditional stove. We had an exceptional time with Axel and Elsa and would highly recommend this tour.