Aurora's Restaurant

This was my first time ever trying Guatemalan food, and I was honestly blown away. Everything we ordered at Aurora Restaurant was incredibly delicious rich flavors, fresh ingredients, and that unmistakable feeling of truly home-cooked food made with care and love. Each dish felt like a discovery for me. The food was comforting, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. You can tell the people in the kitchen take pride in what they do, and it really shows in every bite. Thank you for such a wonderful first experience with Guatemalan cuisine. I will definitely be coming back and happily recommending this place to anyone who wants to try something authentic and special.

Came here on a whim for lunch. We were very impressed. The food was very good. The atmosphere comforting. The staff, kind, and efficient. We had an Auroras Bowl and a few Guatemalan Sandwiches with mixed meat. Everything was delicious. Next to our table, were display cases with pastries. Outdoor seating with umbrellas, a clean restroom, and comfortable ambiance. It is an intimate setting with pleasant staff. I recommend stopping in if you haven’t already.

I think that this is a fantastic breakfast place! I am not familiar with Guatemalan cuisine, but I’ll say this was a great introduction. The overall rating for this place is definitely a 7/10 because I’ll continue to buy food from their establishment as long as they remain open. My only caveat is the wait time, I’d advise you order ahead and pick up. If you’re looking to dine in then there isn’t much of an issue. In regard to the food, I believe bacon and chorizo is a good recommendation for the traditional Breakfast option that any first timer would like. Enjoy!

Was looking for brunch and stumbled across this gem!!! My girlfriend and I both got the traditional guatemalan breakfast with huevos rancheros, chicken (for her), chorizo and salami (for me), with rice, beans, plantains and tortillas. This is easily one of, if not, my favorite breakfast/brunch dishes! Everything tasted so fresh and was nice and hot. The proteins were cooked well and juicy. The rice and beans were very nicely seasoned. And the homemade tortillas were perfect. We also got fresh melon juice and horchata. Both were delicious. Do yourself a favor and try this place out! You won’t be disappointed.

We started off with a really cozy morning, being some of the first customers to arrive. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and we decided to go for the traditional Guatemalan breakfast with chicken, and the authentic omelette with avocado and toast. It turned out to be absolutely delicious! My spouse went for the hot chocolate, which they really enjoyed, and I had a cup of black coffee that was just right. Our waiter, Gabby, was super friendly and helpful, making the whole experience even better. Altogether, it was just the perfect way to start our day!

Food and service were amazing! We tried the shrimp ceviche, enchiladas, Guatemalan street fries and Shukos. Will definitely be back

Breakfast burritos were great! Mango drink was so fresh and quite large. There is inside and outside seating so I was able to bring my dog. Loved this place. Prices are really good for the quality of the food.

Small Guatemalan spot serving local dishes made to perfection. Very flavorful food with that native touch. Had the Traditional Guatemalan Breakfast “Huevos Rancheros” and added some chicken to it. The fresh, all natural mango juice was to die for. Took the opportunity to try the local bread simply with butter. If “back home” was a food, this would be it and I’m not even Guatemalan but I can tell “back home” food. Will definitely be coming back.

Auroras was just what I needed for breakfast. I got the traditional Guatemalan breakfast with chorizo and every bit of it was delicious. It's the kind of breakfast where you want every bit on your fork and it'll leave you full. I tried the papaya juice but it was a bit thicker than I like. Next time I'd opt for the mango juice, I liked that one a lot more. Service was good. You order at the counter, grab a seat and they bring everything over to you. I loved the art inside, specifically the painting with the chicken bus. Looking forward to trying a breakfast sandwich in the near future.

Small and cute place in Hartford. There's no parking lot but plenty of street parking. The first thing I noticed was the conchas and other pastries in a display case. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to try them, but they looked amazing. I got a horchata and pulled beef burrito with avocado and plantains. I thought both were alright. The horchata was a bit too sweet for my liking and the flavor was reminiscent of kinako/injeolmi which I enjoy in general but not what I look for when I get horchata. The burrito was very filling and not bad, but I thought it could be more flavorful. I loved the plantains.

I frequently visit this place. Love the atmosphere. The Christian Contemporary music is always a nice touch and makes me feel at home. The staff is always sweet and helpful. They explain the menus and everything is always fresh. I got the tortillas con chicken. It's a homemade corn tortilla with deliciously seasoned chicken. I also got the plantanos con cream y queso (always my favorite! They just do it right) I washed it down with one of their fresh juices. Pineapple lemonade. So fresh and refreshing.

Amazing.... What's not to . This authentic Guatemalan bakery is without a doubt one of the hidden gems in Hartford. The bakery selections and breakfast options are succulent. It's a small quaint space decorated tastefully and intentional. Don't past this up. It's not to be missed. Home cooked meals and great service!

The food was impeccable. The views astonishing, as a man who has a Hispanic background. I must say I felt as if I was at home eating breakfast. The service was incredible and the price wasn't bad at all. I give this place a nine out of 10.

Fresh, delicious, high-quality food! I was so impressed with this little hole in the wall tucked into a busy Hartford neighborhood. The menu features so many items, there's literally something for everyone. DO NOT MISS the plantains, some of the best I've ever had, and the juices too, are made fresh and definitely worth enjoying!

A coworker highly recommended this place so I checked it out for lunch last week. I got the Aurora's bowl which includes beans, rice, plantains, pickled cabbage and beets. It was really delicious and a great vegetarian option. I went back another day for the beans and cheese sandwich. The bread was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and the beans and cheese inside tasted so good. Another day I went for the avocado toast. I think the staff are starting to recognize me! Hands down the best avocado toast I've ever had. I highly recommend Aurora's for a great breakfast or lunch downtown!

I ordered a turkey wrap with tomatoes and avocado lettuce and fries. $15. Barely had turkey no avocado.

I wanted to love it, I literally drove here from Meriden specifically just to try it based on their instagram pictures, however it did not wow me and I wouldn't make the drive again specially for it. Started off with the soup- it was a beef soup and that I will say was delicious. Me and my husband agreed we would definitely get the soup again if in the area. But that's where it ended- we got the fried fish and the fried steak entrees- both dishes we get all the time at other Spanish restaurants. Now I know this is Guatemalan and maybe that's where the difference comes in but we both didn't like ours. I in fact left half the fish on the plate. The seasoning/flavor was just not what I like. The fish was extra fishy to me (off for this type of fish) to me as well. My husbands steak was a lot of breading and chewy. The pina colada was delicious , my husband said the strawberry was meh. It took a while for this all to come out as well- we got our drinks last for example. The location is order at the counter and they deliver to your table. Only a handful of tables in the place. Also everything came to about 70-80 dollars. A little pricey in my opinion. They had a baked goods that looked really good but we didn't get to try them. I think the sandwiches may be the way to go if we go back as well. Soup for sure!

I took out lunch from here. Overall everything was flavorful. Gautemalan break fast was my favorite entree. I went with the rancheros option. Shuco burger was a very flavorful burger. Green sauce makes the side fries flavorful as well. Grilled pineapple lemonade was a new drink for me. It was good and tasted very different from a normal lemonade. Horcheta is one of my favorite drinks. I went for one of that as well. There was nothing fancy about it here, but still good.

And another Hartford Gem.... authentic Guatemalan food.... portion sizes, prices all on point! This is my first time going to Aurora's and I left full and with a second serving. I ordered the churrasco Guatemalteco. I was beyond surprised of how much food I got and the menu price was $21. A delicious perfectly seasoned very tender sirloin steak, chorizo sausage . Grilled scallion... what I called Guatemalan potato salad which is called ensalada Russ. Bryson beans also complimented the meal along with a thick corn tortillas. My friend ordered a burrito and it was huge she ended up taking one half of it home with her as well.

An interesting place to try. A good price and very good quality with only a couple minor execution issues. On the hunt to try some new places, This one has a few reviews and lots of positive buzz. So we made the trek into hartford to give this place a fair shake. Parking was a little tricky, since there was only street parking available. Given that there's a fairly popular coffee shop in the area, parking can be an issue. We did luck out and get a spot relatively close, but we did have to wait a couple minutes. Place was sit yourself, and the server was quick to bring waters and menus. There was a lot of options to try, so we opted for the safe bets based on other reviews. Got some mac and cheese, some tortillas in different flavors, and we took a gamble on the loaded fries as well. Food came out pretty quickly. We dug in and overall, was pretty good. The tortillas had a good flavor on the meat. It was seasoned well and cooked over coals so it had a bit of a smoky flavor to them. Meat was tender and seasoned. The rest of the toppings were kind of there for filler, not really adding to the experience. The tortilla was much thicker than anticipated, more like a toastada than what I would call a tortilla. Made it a little tough to eat. They needed a sauce to go with it, something to bring the flavor to the veggies and elevate the dish. either that or a pickle to the veggies or something. It was well seasoned meat, some white onion, cilantro, and that's pretty much it. The Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese was the highlight. Cheesy, gooey, pasta was tender but not overcooked, and the buffalo chicken was soaked well in tangy buffalo sauce. Wasn't really crisp, but it didn't need to be. The loaded chorizo fries, I really liked the chorizo. The rest of the dish, kind of fell flat. The fries were generic bagged freezer fries and were unseasoned and a bit too greasy. the cheese was flavorless, and there was no cheese sauce or ketchup to help even out the grease of the fries. Weirdly enough, the chorizo was not greasy at all, which was a major positive compared to the fries. Overall, pretty good. Not stellar, and not worth making the trek into hartford, but a decent option for food for the area

Soooo good! Must stop if anywhere near Hartford! The orange juice alone was heavenly and worth every penny. The staff was helpful & friendly. Then the Avocado Toast... with a Guatemalan flare of course was absolutely perfect!!! Crunchy toast, avocado, bacon, queso fresco, pico and a perfectly cooked sunny side up egg. I have a "DAY" today... but this was the best way to start it! Must try! SOOO good!

This my new fav work lunch spot now!! Love me an authentic Guatemalan meal. I just went to Guatemala last year and the food here is just as authentic as it is there! I got the bistec which comes with 3 sides which I picked fries, rice and the cabbage beet salad. It also comes with two homemade tortillas. I ordered the cantaloupe smoothie to go with. Everything was amazing!!! Cute intimate seating and friendly people. I can't wait to try more entrees!

Steak sandwich was ok, my coworker loves it and raves but did me the steak was tough, scallions too tough to eat. Tried a fried chicken and rice dish with black beans and plantains the next time. The chicken was so tough to chew I spit it out. The rice, beans and plantains were delicious.

Great food and good service, the music a little bit too loud but in general it was a good experience.

Great food every time we come here it's better than the last, great service everyone is really nice. The ambiance is amazing lots of good seating.

This was a great little breakfast place! I came here after the Hartford Marathon and the staff was super pleasant and the food was delicious! I got the chorizo breakfast burrito which I highly recommend! It was a tad spicy and very flavorful! The fresh squeezed orange juice was absolutely amazing! If you're in the area, I highly recommend this spot!

Honest home cooking from this Guatemalan family will have you feeling at home too. Ambiance is rustic, similar to an American diner is casual seating and swing through service, studded with cultural jewels. Try the smoothies. Forgoing extravagance, they offer you what they would serve their own family. Fresh ingredients, personal cooking, a connection to the hardworking folks behind the counter. I had the traditional Guatemalan breakfast and dark coffee, wife had the bistec and a smoothie.

When Yelp CT Community Manager Alex PT asked me to help highlight businesses for Latinx Heritage Month, I didn't need to do any research. There are so many great businesses that are already part of my life, or that are on my bucket list. Two of them are on the 300 Block of Capitol Ave in Hartford. So I hopped in my car this morning. If you look at my review below, you'll see I became a big fan of Guatemalan cool spot Auroras Bakery and Restaurant earlier this year. My wife and I used the online platform to order a churrasco wrap with fries, Mac and cheese, an Aurora Bowl with rice, black beans, feta, red cabbage and beets and a piece of dos Leches cake (just kidding, it had all tres Leches). I can't bury the lead here - Aurora's Mac and Cheese is a Best in the Greater Hartford Area candidate. Seriously! It's my new favorite in the non-truffled Mac category. It's creamy, rich, cheesy and a bit herby. Kind of reminded me of cotswold cheese. Kind of. (Don't want the cheesemongers calling me out). My churrasco wrap was good. I didn't ask, but I understand that churrasco is normally skirt steak. It was fresh grilled and flavorful, although some of the pieces were a bit chewier than I prefer. That's to be expected at the price point though. The steak was topped with grilled green onions, some sort of slaw and a garlicky sauce. It was very good. The fries lost a bit of appeal in the journey home, but nothing my countertop air fryer couldn't fix. The coconut tres Leches cake was very good too. Not too sweet and good coconut flavor. My wife liked her bowl. I quickly sampled the components and they were good. Auroras is small, but cute and sleek inside. They have inside/outside seating. They also have baked goods and desserts. Auroras is a great example of a Latinx-owned Hartford restaurant that's crushing it food and service-wise. Put it on your bucket list! Five Stars

It's probably an acquired taste. This was my first time trying Guatemalan food and was a fusion of Caribbean and South American food. It's Hispanic heritage month and time to give this a try.

I was in Hartford randomly for a wedding and my friend wanted to try this spot - this was my first time trying Guatemalan cuisine and it did NOT disappoint. It's a very small bakery/restaurant on a busy block in downtown Hartford, there were tons of college kids there. We both got the traditional Guatemalan breakfast and thought it was incredible. The plantains were some of the best I've ever had and everything from the chorizo (you can pick your protein with this dish as well as how you'd like your eggs cooked, I opted for chorizo and huevos rancheros) to the rice and beans to how the eggs were cooked was perfect. We were both full all day! The only downside I found besides the size of the restaurant was that we waited about an hour for the food. I would, however, grab breakfast here again if I was ever in Hartford because the food was THAT good. Very disappointed I didn't take some baked goods to go!

I understand occasionally finding a hair in your food, but both my sister and I's breakfast sandwiches had MULTIPLE hairs in the food. The food looked quite good, but can't give it a good review due to the hairs in our food

Great drinks (smoothies and fruit juices), delicious pastries and a fun, Latino vibe. This place is popular for the large breakfast platter served for breakfast & lunch and the drinks. That blender runs all the time! A place to try!

Small breakfast and lunch spot that specializes in Guatemalan food. They also have a decent selection of pastries. I came with my parents and we got a wide variety of their food. Most of the food is phenomenal, but the meat is a little fatty. Both indoor and outdoor seating The food can take a little while to be prepared, but it isn't terrible 9.5

I am beginning to like all these different but exquisite restaurants in Hartford!!! This one was right next to a place my friend took me so we decided to try this place and OMG!!!! Soooooooo good couldn't even finish mine but I took it home and ate it later!!! Lol Such a cute Guatemalan restaurant!!!! Decided on the pulled beef burrito and it so was stuffed with amazing beef rice cheese and beans!!! The price was unbeatable also my friend got a huge plate of food and it was only like $20 I couldn't believe the food she got!!! Tried some of hers and it was absolutely delicious as well!!!

Smile on my face every time I eat here. Guatemalan Breakfast is always on point. The black beans are flavor packed and textured delightfully. The rice is cooked perfect. Plantains are the best I've had in New England. I ordered the steak and even though they cook it well done, it's still tender and they season the beef to excellence. I finally tried the house homemade horchata. It was quite decent. Fresh, from scratch, and not too sweet. Made the breakfast even better. Today was my 3rd time here and its easy to state that I WILL BE BACK! Love this spot.

A few months ago I was driving through Hartford and stumbled upon this gem of a place. Service is great, food is even better. Was driving through again today and had to stop by for lunch. Veggie breakfast burrito was amazing and the coffee was great too. They use the best ice (weird compliment I know but it's that good lol). I also bought some of their cookies to have with my coffee tomorrow morning. 10/10 in my book. I don't come to Hartford often but look forward to the next time I do. I will definitely be stopping back again.

Incredible breakfast. Fast, fresh, delicious! I mean just look at that photo. Everything was awesome, and a good price too. If in Hartford, 100% recommend!

Had a great experience. A friend recommended Auroras while I was in Hartford. Excellent choice. Had the enchiladas Guatemaltecas, platanos con crema y queso, and a Horchata to wash it down. I did takeout, tasted just as good if I sat there. The meat was bursting with flavor and seasoned perfectly. The platanos were fresh and delicious. Nice atmosphere inside if staying in. Head to Auroras if you are in the Hartford area.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Finally a really good breakfast burrito now that I'm back in New England. The chorizo burrito was fantastic. I can't wait to go back and try more stuff. And my apologies to the couple whose breakfast I was side eyeing. Everything on your table looked so good, I was trying to guess what it was for a future order. I can't wait to go back and highly encourage everyone to give this place a try!!!

Had lunch inside Auroras recently. Like the fact it's in the Hartford capitol area. The food was super good! Got a steak wrap with a side of plantains for $15 dollars. My wife got the burrito bowl that was enough to take home for dinner. We both got the freshly made juices, the grilled pineapple lemonade and the papaya juice. They were both huge, enough to even share. Would definitely try again for lunch or breakfast.

Everything I've tried has been great! I love the bowls and the enchiladas. The staff is friendly and the prices are reasonable. I love the online ordering option for take out. A lot of the dishes do not come with salsa, you have to ask for it. There are a few tables inside and picnic tables outside, restaurant is clean.

Great local spot - friendly family owned - terrific Guatemalan breakfast and best pastries.

I had the avocado toast and the egg felt like rubber and the avocado spread was brown and the bread was not toasted. This is my first time here. Maybe be better to dine in so that they serve fresh food? Disappointed but will try again at some point just to give another shot.

I love this place, authentic dishes and Breads, can't wait to try all dish's they serve! The concha's and atoles were fantastic!

I loved checking out Auroras bakery this week! The food is delicious and authentic and smelled amazing inside. There was quite a wait but busy which is great to see! I loved the sweet bread! Enchiladas were amazing and so unique with the beets! I can't wait to go back and try a few more dishes

From the fresh baked bread to the perfect blend of toppings...Best avocado toast I've ever had!! With a side of sweet plantains and delicious piña colada

Home of the most perfect concha (pan dulce) in the world. Fluffy, tender, with a texture between bread and angel-food cake, lightly sweet. I should have stocked up! Peanut butter brownie is also a huge win.

The food is always consistent and great! From the main dishes to the desserts, you can't go wrong. I've recommended a ton of people. I have nothing bad to say. Great vibes!

So glad to finally have a Guatemalan bakery and restaurant in Hartford!! Auroras has great food, delicious pan dulces, and large breakfast!! Definitely will not be disappointed.

Was in town for work and took a walk over to this cute little block on the other side of the Capitol. Had a delicious breakfast sandwich here (bread was very fresh), a grilled pineapple lemonade (my new favorite lemonade flavor) and choc chip banana bread. Cute place, friendly service, great vibe.

Wonderful food and will return for sure! I've already recommended Auroras to others. I had the Guatemalan breakfast!

Aurora's, which just had their grand opening a few days ago, is a Guatemalan style bakery and restaurant. The storefront isn't big but the space is well used and looks both clean and inviting. When I walked in today I was immediately greeted and offered a menu. Right by the door they had a case filled with delicious looking breads and cookies to choose from. The person who greeted me was happy to answer my questions about some of the baked goods. Unfortunately, I only had enough time to grab some bakery items to go today, but fully intend to go back and try some of their other dishes. The French bread, sweet bread and cookie I got were even more delicious than they looked. I had to hide the bag so my kids would stop asking me for more. As far as Covid goes, all staff were wearing masks (properly, covering nose and mouth) and they had a sign on the door letting customers know they also needed a mask to enter. The prices were more than reasonable, the food was amazing, and the staff were so friendly. I look forward to going back and trying more of their menu!

Hands down the best place to move in next door to Little River Restoratives!!! The food and quality of food coming out of this family run kitchen is fire!!!!! I was so happy about the burrito bowl and Sebas nachos, they were outstanding. Every chip was perfectly crispy and filled with toppings throughout the entire plate, the flavor of the beef was superb and the portion was spot on. Now to the black beans and beef in that star of a burrito bowl! Those beans were perfectly seasoned and the meat *chefs kiss* and definitely a more than generous portion. All the desserts in the case looked spectacular and my inner fat kid is definitely coming back to eat my way through the menu!!!!! Welcome to your new home Aurora's; may you have a long and prosperous journey, with tons of amazing customers!!!

Popped in for lunch today and had the pleasure of trying the caramel café con chocopan (asked for it to be not too sweet, it was perfect) and the Guatemalan chorizo hotdog. The coffee was an excellent pick me up and the hotdog was more of a savory and delicious sandwich instead of what one would expect of a standard American hotdog. Suffice it to say, the chorizo hotdog was perfectly seasoned and inspired. I highly recommended stopping in for a bite and/or a drink at this friendly establishment.

Stopped here for a leisurely lunch after visiting Hartford Public Library. Tried the special Chicken Tamales. Spicy yet delightful. The restaurant was playing jazzy, rocking grearlt music overhead - made the experience ten times better. Auroras is the star of Capitol Avenue, next to the State Capitol, of course!

I loved this place when they first opened. I went in the last two times and feel that the service and quality of the food hasn't been the same. Went to dinner with a few friends on a Friday night around 6:30. They didn't have any burger bread of sandwich bread to make any of the sandwiches. The server messed up our order, he apologized and didn't fix it. I reminded him that the order he brought out was wrong and he finally brought it out corrected. At the end of the meal he charged me for his correction. I brought it up to his attention and gave me attitude about it and told me he would have to pay for it out of his pocket. He did take it off finally and I tipped accordingly. Went in another time in the morning and had one of their pastries with strawberry swirl. It was stale and hard and had no taste because it had been sitting there for a long time. I will say their tamales are still very delicious so that's the reason I'll give them a 3 star. I will only order take out from now on.

Auroras recently opened! It's the first Guatemalan place in Hartford. I stopped in to try their avocado toast. This was different than a typical toast with corn, onions and crumbled cheese which was absolutely amazing. All of their breads are made in house. I will definitely be back to try more!

I was so excited to learn of a Guatemalan café in Hartford. I called to find out if they were making tamales for Christmas. The tamales are delicious with the right amount of spice. The pork tamal was our family favorite. There was ample tamal sauce in them. The pirujos, ojaldras, and torta are great. I am looking forward to going again. Auténticos tamales chapines y pan, deliciosos.