Placencia Village is the perfect place to do a day of slow wandering; meandering up and down sidewalks to take in the sights, sounds, and scents of life along the Caribbean seaside. Though “Placencia” can be used to refer to the entire 16-mile-long peninsula, the Village proper sits at the southernmost tip and is a precise and compact community with a laid-back atmosphere and a surprising number of amenities to keep visitors entertained. Beach bars, gift shops, taco stands, fine dining- you’ll find a great little mix of just about everything there. Shuffle around for a day and take in the beautiful beaches, cute cabanas, and colorful characters. The village has a number of excellent coffee shops that make the perfect reprieve to your wandering. Drop in to any of these welcoming watering holes for a fortifying hit of caffeine and perhaps a bit of people watching.
Above Grounds
Image Courtesy Above Grounds
A village staple, Above Grounds is a long-established, family-run coffee shop that has been caffeinating locals and visitors since 2011. They serve Guatemalan, single-origin, organic, shade-grown, coffee that they procure directly from the farmers. Many people say it is the best cup of coffee you can find, but even if it weren’t we would still come here for the ambiance. Above Grounds is an open-air treehouse styled shop with seating on their wooden decks surrounded by rustling leaves and chirping birds.
Angel Delights
On the main road near the pharmacy, bank, and Top Value grocery store is a can’t-miss-purple cabana with a spacious covered veranda on its side. This is Angel Delights Bakery. Customers can pair their coffee with a pastry or a hot and hearty made-to-order breakfast sandwich. The patio area is a nice place to settle in with your laptop if you’re working remotely. Should you stick around until lunch time, indulge in one of Angel Delights enormous submarine sandwiches.
Beaches & Cream
Image Courtesy Beaches and Cream
The cutest new addition to Placencia’s famous sidewalk, Beaches & Cream’s cappuccino maker calls out to you like a siren’s song. Fresh and funky and totally Instagram-able! Beaches & Cream is tiny and tidy with ocean views and a lot of lattes on their menu.
Brewed Awakenings
A long-time favorite, Brewed Awakenings recently moved to a larger space down the main road. Closer to the Municipal Pier and convenient for grabbing a light breakfast on the way to the beach, Brewed Awakenings churns out muffins, meat pies, coffee, and a dizzying array of sweet and silky seaweed shakes. The new location on the south side of the village has scads of space to sit and sip inside. You can also choose to dine on the balcony that overlooks the street. If you’ve never tried a seaweed shake before you can’t go wrong with one of Brewed Awakenings’ many frozen flavors; the seaweed doesn’t have a salty or fishy taste and it’s packed with protein and nutrients like magnesium and selenium… it might just give you more of a boost than a shot of espresso!
Chillpoint Placencia
This ice-cream and coffee lounge is a new build on the northern end of town, just 300 yards from the Placencia painted sign. Chillpoint will open November 12th, 2022 and have a fully airconditioned lounge to accommodate around 50 patrons, outside seating for another 20+, a play garden for kids, and even a VIP meeting room to rent for private parties or business meetings. The Chillpoint’s baristas will serve up their signature blend of high-altitude Guatemalan coffee alongside a selection of 24 flavors of ice cream. Available are 12 standards and 12 rotating seasonal flavors. Flavours include Pumpkin Cheesecake, Mango Chamoy, or even Belikin Beer ice cream!
Feature image: Beaches and Cream
