Burke County, NC
May, 2023
Morganton, North Carolina has a sizable Guatemalan community but until recently they blended in with the general latinx population. It wasn’t until Christian and Erica Ramazinni formed Little Guatemala coffee shop and restaurant that the rich culture that has been hiding in Burke County for generations started getting showcased.
Starting off as just a coffee cart that would come to community events, now Little Guatemala is a cultural hub featuring Guatemalan street food, chocolate made from single source Guatemalan cocoa, crafts and clothes made by Guatemalan people and an indoor soccer facility. They roast their coffee beans in-house that are sourced directly from Guatemala, creating a fantastic scent that sets the tone as soon as you walk in the building. At the counter you can proceed to order great specialty coffee drinks or brewed coffee that will excite the taste buds with its flavor notes and acidity that derive from the elevation and climate where the coffee is grown in the mountains of Guatemala.
When the Ramazinnis dreamed up Little Guatemala the two words that inspired them were Community and Education and those pillars are evident in everything that they do as a business. Everyone that works for Little Guatemala is bi-lingual in order for them to interact with both the American customers that visit and members of the latinx community. They also seek to educate non-Guatemalans through cultural events, summer camps for children and by introducing them to Guatemalan products through their restaurant and market area. Little Guatemala also hosts events for Guatemalan Independence Day featuring marimba music by local musicians and other activities.
Little Guatemala is open Monday through Saturday starting at 7am. They serve breakfast and lunch daily as well as coffee all day. For more information visit their website at https://littleguatemala.com/.
The Burke County Tourism Development Authority is located in Morganton, North Carolina, and serves the tourism interests of Burke County, NC. Morganton is hailed as, “The Trailhead of Western North Carolina”, centrally located in Burke County. Our Visitor’s Center is full of information about unique attractions and activities in the area. Stop by and visit us! or visit www.discoverburkecounty.com
