When visiting Copan, Honduras your main goal is to visit the Copan Ruins. However, once you’ve explored those and learned all about the ancient Mayan inhabitants, you may be looking for something else to do in the area. While Macaw Mountain is one great option for the afternoon, there is a great second option: The Tea and Chocolate Place.

Nestled into a stunning hillside of Copan sits the Tea & Chocolate place. You’ll have to time your visit just right, because it is only open Monday through Saturday, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. The Tea & Chocolate Place is strictly not a restaurant- it is a place to learn about the tea and chocolate drinking culture in Honduras. They do also serve snacks, but don’t expect to have a traditional restaurant experience when you visit.

The Tea & Chocolate Place began with 1 acre of land, which the owners filled with native Honduran trees. They wanted to help reintroduce some of the native plants and trees, in order to combat issues with deforestation. Since its opening, the Tea & Chocolate Place now owns 25 acres of land, filled with all sorts of flora which they use to make their teas and drinking chocolate.

Tea and Chocolate Place Copan

The Tea

We got to sample a tea made from the noni plant. The tea was served piping hot with a bit of lime and honey. According to Caroline, the resident English-speaker at the Tea & Chocolate Place, noni has many health benefits like anti-oxidants and anti-bacterial properties. We also learned about the moringa plant, which has more protein than spinach. Drinking tea made from the moringa plant is supposed to be very good for your nutrition.

The Tea & Chocolate Place has several different types of tea you can drink, and even take home with you. They serve their teas both hot and cold. Just make sure you check your home country’s customs clearance for loose leaf teas.

The Chocolate

Drinking chocolate dates back centuries to the Mayan civilization. Today, the Tea & Chocolate Place serves its drinking chocolate much like the Mayans would have enjoyed back in the day.

It is made with 100% cocao, and served in traditional Mayan drinking bowls, with a side of dried, ground cayenne pepper. Just like with their teas, the Tea & Chocolate Place serves drinking chocolate either hot or cold. They also have chocolate bars for sale, made from their home-grown cocao plants.

The Other Stuff

Surprisingly, the Tea & Chocolate Place offers more than just tea and chocolate. They’ve got a small menu of food you can snack on while sipping your beverage. I highly recommend the Anafres Copanecos, which is essentially a thick cheese and black bean fondue eaten with homemade tortilla chips. They also have a full range of mole sauces, salsas, soaps, herbs, and even homemade bug repellant for sale.

The Tea & Chocolate Place is an amazing place to spend an afternoon in Copan. Not only can you sample some delicious Honduran beverages, but there’s also a lot to learn, and some beautiful scenery to take in while you’re there. Check out their Facebook page, or their incredible reviews on TripAdvisor!

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