Because of the high number of day-trippers coming through Valle, visitors will find several decent places to eat in different price ranges. Certainly the most atmospheric place to eat in town, and also the best food, is La Casa de las Abuelas (9 a.m.–5 p.m. Thurs.–Sun.), set in a cozy old adobe house dating from the mid-19th century and restored by the owners. They specialize in steaks for US$14–17 per plate but also have delicious anafres, sandwiches, and breakfasts for about US$6.

Half a block from the park, El Asado Don Juan has a menu of anafre, meat pinchos, and shrimp, and an appealing second-story terrace for eating open-air. Next door is Epocas, offering similar food in a unique antique-filled setting.

El Portal, half a block from the park, is in a lovely colonial building from 1851, formerly the weekend home of 19th-century president Dr. Maurelio Soto. The dishes are standard Honduran fare for US$8.50–10 a plate, and the restaurant is open daily until 8 p.m.

Pupusas Toñita on the way into town has a pleasant garden in which to munch the ubiquitous stuffed corn tortilla pupusa. Other good places to snack are the pupusa and licuado shops on the street to the right after the church (look for Virginia’s Pupusas), or at the Espresso Americano (10 a.m.–7 p.m. daily) on the square.

On the road out of town toward Tegucigalpa is Restaurante La Florida (tel. 504/766-2121, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. daily, later on weekends), with hearty meat and poultry dishes that run about US$15 each, sandwiches, and a couple of good soups like the tapado olanchano, a thick stew with steamed meat, yucca, and plantain. The place fills up on weekends with family groups that come not only for the food, but also for the giant outdoor children’s play area with swimming pools and pony rides (a separate US$1.50 charge).