Good Eats in Belize
One of the best parts of traveling abroad is trying out different local foods around the world. Mary and I both call ourselves "newbie foodies"--we love to try out new places to eat, but don't even pretend to always know what we're eating.
In general, Belize is not a culinary destination. The average Belizean breakfast consists of rice, beans, and "fry jacks"--essentially fried corn dough. Lunch and dinner are more beans, rice, tortillas, and chicken/fish depending on where you are in the country. Inland, this is supplemented by amazingly fresh tropical fruit, while in the islands the fresh shellfish and lobster are absolutely delicious.
Things to Try in Belize
We found a couple local items in Belize well worth trying. Here are a few of the highlights.
Fruit
Belize grows amazing fruit, and you should be taking full advantage of this whenever and wherever you can. In particular, fresh Belizean bananas knock the socks off of what we import in the states: they are amazingly sweet and flavorful. Watermelons and pineapple also grow locally and are generally good. Oranges in Belize are more sour than their northern cousins, and this comes through in the juice. If you prefer your morning beverage to be sweeter, consider swapping out orange for pineapple juice (just as common).
Tortillas
While this seems mundane, nothing beats a good handmade tortilla fresh off the grill. These should be your go-to sandwich carbohydrate whenever possible in Belize.
Fry Jacks
Fresh fry jacks (essentially fried "masa"--corn dough) are delicious. They are not sweet, but are a great partner with beans/rice, fresh jam, or just sugar. The oil used to fry them is from a close relative of the coconut.
Coconut Rice
Belizean rice is grown in the south of the country, and commonly cooked with coconut milk. You'll see this served everywhere, and is the default side dish with most entrees. Don't worry: it's usually delicious.
Sweet Potatoes
You'll find varieties of tropical yams everywhere in Belize, and often substituted for regular potatoes in common western dishes (with interesting results for things like mashed potatoes and gravy). We particularly enjoyed them in hearty soups.
Seafood Ceviche
A staple dish out on the islands, it basically combines two very easy-to-find ingredients in Belize: seafood and lime juice. Most restaurants on the islands serve it with some combination of snapper, shrimp, conch, and lobster. Don't hesitate to order it: it's almost always reasonably priced (especially compared to what you'd pay in the states), and almost invariably delicious.
Caribbean Spiny Lobster
Readily available everywhere in the islands, this cousin of the cold-water American lobster can be found prepared in a variety of ways. We had it fried, grilled, in ceviche, and boiled. Try it out, and compare to the lobster found in the states--we thought it tasted different, but could have been fooled by the preparation.
Restaurant Reviews
We tried several interesting restaurants during our travels in Belize. The reviews below are all for venues on Ambergris Caye. Dining options in the Cayo district were limited due to our lodge being so far out of San Ignacio.
El Divino, Ambergris Caye
El Divino is the name of the on-campus restaurant at the Banana Beach resort. It's located on the southern half of Ambergris Caye, about one and a half miles south of San Pedro along Coconut Drive.
El Divino is a small venue, seating perhaps 50 with a single room and an outdoor by a wall separating Banana Beach from the dusty road. The bar is well stocked, and located in a tiny nook in the corner of the restaurant. Ambiance at the bar is terrible and there is no other outdoor option--it's basically a dark, small room.
We had several meals at El Divino during our stay at Banana Beach. While our breakfast options were limited to what was included with our room, they were filling, basic meals. Nothing special, but no complaints.
We had two dinners at El Divino. A highlight of the first was El Divino's ceviche, which we had with shrimp, conch, and lobster. For those not familiar with conch, it is similar in texture to calamari, and extremely favorable. Recommended.
The second meal we enjoyed at El Divino was their Thanksgiving Special, a huge plate of roasted turkey with gravy nestled alongside sweet potato mash, green beans, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. This was absolutely a success, with very moist meat, perfectly al dente vegetables, and tart cranberry sauce. The mashed sweet potatoes took some getting used to, but we enjoyed them all the same.
Drinks at El Divino's bar were generally good. We particularly enjoyed the $3 US rum drinks during happy hour (with generous pours), which are a great value.
Overall, we found that the quality of food at El Divino was generally reasonable, and prices are not out of line with other restaurants and surrounding resorts. However, there is an unfortunate negative aspect to dining here that kept us from returning: the service at El Divino is almost uniformly extremely poor, with waiting staff that plainly hates having to serve touristas. We quickly got tired of being barely tolerated at mealtimes, and despite the convenient location looked elsewhere for most meals.
Red Ginger, San Pedro
Hailed by several guidebooks as the best restaurant for seafood on the island (if not Belize), Red Ginger nestles at the base of the Phoenix resort and condominiums in downtown San Pedro. With our love of seafood, this was one of the first reservations we made upon our arrival on Ambergris Caye.
Upon arriving, the first thing that struck us about Red Ginger was just how empty it was. While we were visiting at the tail end of the low season for tourism, we certainly weren't the only touristas on the island.
Regardless, we found the interior to be tasteful and well laid out, with nicely spaced tables and warm decor. The staff was friendly and attentive--although, frankly, they really had nothing else to do.
Red Ginger offers a 5 course chef's tasting menu alongside several daily specials. Prices are steep, but not terribly so--the tasting menu was $45 US, which is not bad for the amount of food included. While tempted to go all out, we opted to go a la carte.
Our appetizers were seafood soup and pulled pork empanadas with a chipotle pepper salsa. Both were filling but unspectacular. In particular, several of the empanadas had split open and burned during cooking.
Our main courses were a Caribbean lobster pasta (penne) with sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, and basil in a cream sauce, and grilled lobster with potatoes and steamed vegetables. The pasta was cooked well, but the cream sauce was oppressively heavy. The lobster was completely under-seasoned, and almost impossible to get out of the shell. Further, everything was drowned in so much butter that there was literally an oil slick on the plate. Both came in huge portions--we ended up making several meals from our order, and skipped out on desert.
Overall, I must confess that we found Red Ginger to be disappointing. The Cheesecake Factory-like portion size combined with a pronounced lack of subtlety in the cooking had us wondering why this restaurant was touted so highly in our guidebooks. We had much better meals--and for much less--elsewhere on Ambergris Caye.
DandE's Frozen Custard, Ambergris Caye
Tucked away in the middle of San Pedro near Red Ginger, this place is an absolute gem. They do one thing, and they do it right: frozen custard. Heavier and creamier than ice cream, this frozen treat is absolutely outstanding and the perfect thing for a hot tropical night.
We came here several times, and tried many different flavors. The best combo we had was double chocolate and peanut butter with hot fudge topping. Amazing.
The only downside of DandE's is the odd hours they keep--basically, they close up whenever they feel like it. However, keep trying: it's worth it. Do not leave San Pedro without stopping here at least once.
Mojito Bar, Ambergris Caye
We found the Mojito Bar along the beach in northern San Pedro on the way back from a day-long walk. We stopped there for lunch for two specific reasons: lobster tacos, and pineapple mojitos. We did not leave disappointed.
The Mojito Bar has the ambiance you'd expect from a beach-side establishment in an out-of-the-way place. The fixtures are old and reminded us of deck chairs. The fans are so rusty its a wonder they still turn. All this was fine with us: we were too busy kicking back in the shade and looking out over the palm-studded beach to care. This must be what San Pedro used to be like before tourism exploded.
The food here is reasonable, albeit too expensive for what you get. The lobster tacos were tender, but not especially flavorful. Meanwhile, the pineapple mojito was very refreshing, but so stuffed with mint that it felt like we were drinking out of a wet lawnmower bag.
Overall, the Mojito Bar is a nice stop for a traveler in need of refreshment, but not a destination in and of itself. The signature drink was not special enough to set it apart, and better lobster tacos can be found elsewhere--and for less--in San Pedro.
Rico's Bar and Grill, Ambergris Caye
Rico's is the restaurant attached to the Banyan Bay, a higher-end resort complex located in the south of Ambergris Caye near the Banana Beach Resort. The restaurant stands on a pier extending out from the Bay's sandy beach (one of the best on the island), and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Rico's is not recommended highly in tour books. Even so, we were intending to visit Rico's for dinner during our stay, but after seeing the prices decided to allocate our resources to other venues. We ended up coming for lunch, and what we had was good enough to make me wonder what we missed.
The outdoor seats at Rico's look over the ocean and the nearby pier. The view is lovely with plenty of shade. However, there is a drawback: the pier is in use throughout the day, and the smell of boat engine exhaust wafting across the deck does not make your meal seem very appetizing.
We started with drinks, and--to our surprise--these were very, very good. Mary had a chocolate martini, and I had some sort of purplish banana rum drink. Both were well prepared and contained generous pours.
For lunch, we shared a simple plate of beef nachos and a lobster salad sandwich. Neither were particularly special, but for the price the portions were right, and the food was well prepared.
We left Rico's wondering why the guidebooks didn't speak higher of the establishment. We enjoyed our meal, and it was not as overpriced as other venues on the island. We would certainly return--particularly for after-dinner drinks.
Hidden Treasure, Ambergris Caye
The meal we had at Hidden Treasure was undoubtedly the highlight of our dining in Belize.
Hidden Treasure is tucked away in a residential neighborhood in southern Ambergris Caye, roughly two miles from San Pedro. If the restaurant was in a better location it would be the most popular culinary destination in Belize. Getting there is a bit of an adventure at night. Turning off of Coconut Drive, the would-be diner is confronted with dark, muddy dirt roads, abandoned houses, and a lot of dogs wandering the area. The fine folks at Hidden Treasure have realized this and put out large signs--a good move.
Once at the gate, a short path through immaculate grounds leads to a raised dining platform under a roof. There are no walls and no air conditioning--plan to come later in the evening--but candles do a good job of keeping the bugs at bay. The ambiance is fantastic at night.
We started our meal with a traditional seafood ceviche, which we'd come to enjoy quite a bit. Hidden Treasure's ceviche did not disappoint--very plentiful seafood and excellent flavor. The drinks we ordered with our meal--a version of a pina colada and a tropical fruit martini--were likewise well done.
For the main course, we tried the night's special: bacon-wrapped shrimp on top of a snapper fillet topped with a tropical fruit salsa. In a word: fantastic. The fish was cooked perfectly, and the seasoning the salsa provided really offset the salty richness of the bacon. A wonderful entree.
We were really too full for desert, but couldn't resist trying the Belizean Bread Pudding. We were glad we did: this was probably the best part of our meal. Silky smooth and lightly sweet, it was unlike any other bread pudding I've had before. Amazing.
Overall, we enjoyed our meal at Hidden Treasure immensely. The return on our dollar spent was excellent, the surroundings pleasant, and the staff considerate and attentive.
Hidden Treasure is just that: a treasure hidden on the edges of Ambergris Caye away from the hustle and bustle of San Pedro. Dining here was a delightful experience. Should we visit Ambergris Caye again, we will return here.
In general, Belize is not a culinary destination. The average Belizean breakfast consists of rice, beans, and "fry jacks"--essentially fried corn dough. Lunch and dinner are more beans, rice, tortillas, and chicken/fish depending on where you are in the country. Inland, this is supplemented by amazingly fresh tropical fruit, while in the islands the fresh shellfish and lobster are absolutely delicious.
Things to Try in Belize
We found a couple local items in Belize well worth trying. Here are a few of the highlights.
Fruit
Belize grows amazing fruit, and you should be taking full advantage of this whenever and wherever you can. In particular, fresh Belizean bananas knock the socks off of what we import in the states: they are amazingly sweet and flavorful. Watermelons and pineapple also grow locally and are generally good. Oranges in Belize are more sour than their northern cousins, and this comes through in the juice. If you prefer your morning beverage to be sweeter, consider swapping out orange for pineapple juice (just as common).
Tortillas
While this seems mundane, nothing beats a good handmade tortilla fresh off the grill. These should be your go-to sandwich carbohydrate whenever possible in Belize.
Fry Jacks
Fresh fry jacks (essentially fried "masa"--corn dough) are delicious. They are not sweet, but are a great partner with beans/rice, fresh jam, or just sugar. The oil used to fry them is from a close relative of the coconut.
Coconut Rice
Belizean rice is grown in the south of the country, and commonly cooked with coconut milk. You'll see this served everywhere, and is the default side dish with most entrees. Don't worry: it's usually delicious.
Sweet Potatoes
You'll find varieties of tropical yams everywhere in Belize, and often substituted for regular potatoes in common western dishes (with interesting results for things like mashed potatoes and gravy). We particularly enjoyed them in hearty soups.
Seafood Ceviche
A staple dish out on the islands, it basically combines two very easy-to-find ingredients in Belize: seafood and lime juice. Most restaurants on the islands serve it with some combination of snapper, shrimp, conch, and lobster. Don't hesitate to order it: it's almost always reasonably priced (especially compared to what you'd pay in the states), and almost invariably delicious.
Caribbean Spiny Lobster
Readily available everywhere in the islands, this cousin of the cold-water American lobster can be found prepared in a variety of ways. We had it fried, grilled, in ceviche, and boiled. Try it out, and compare to the lobster found in the states--we thought it tasted different, but could have been fooled by the preparation.
Restaurant Reviews
We tried several interesting restaurants during our travels in Belize. The reviews below are all for venues on Ambergris Caye. Dining options in the Cayo district were limited due to our lodge being so far out of San Ignacio.
El Divino, Ambergris Caye
El Divino is the name of the on-campus restaurant at the Banana Beach resort. It's located on the southern half of Ambergris Caye, about one and a half miles south of San Pedro along Coconut Drive.
El Divino is a small venue, seating perhaps 50 with a single room and an outdoor by a wall separating Banana Beach from the dusty road. The bar is well stocked, and located in a tiny nook in the corner of the restaurant. Ambiance at the bar is terrible and there is no other outdoor option--it's basically a dark, small room.
We had several meals at El Divino during our stay at Banana Beach. While our breakfast options were limited to what was included with our room, they were filling, basic meals. Nothing special, but no complaints.
We had two dinners at El Divino. A highlight of the first was El Divino's ceviche, which we had with shrimp, conch, and lobster. For those not familiar with conch, it is similar in texture to calamari, and extremely favorable. Recommended.
The second meal we enjoyed at El Divino was their Thanksgiving Special, a huge plate of roasted turkey with gravy nestled alongside sweet potato mash, green beans, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. This was absolutely a success, with very moist meat, perfectly al dente vegetables, and tart cranberry sauce. The mashed sweet potatoes took some getting used to, but we enjoyed them all the same.
Drinks at El Divino's bar were generally good. We particularly enjoyed the $3 US rum drinks during happy hour (with generous pours), which are a great value.
Overall, we found that the quality of food at El Divino was generally reasonable, and prices are not out of line with other restaurants and surrounding resorts. However, there is an unfortunate negative aspect to dining here that kept us from returning: the service at El Divino is almost uniformly extremely poor, with waiting staff that plainly hates having to serve touristas. We quickly got tired of being barely tolerated at mealtimes, and despite the convenient location looked elsewhere for most meals.
Red Ginger, San Pedro
 |
| The interior of Red Ginger. |
Upon arriving, the first thing that struck us about Red Ginger was just how empty it was. While we were visiting at the tail end of the low season for tourism, we certainly weren't the only touristas on the island.
Regardless, we found the interior to be tasteful and well laid out, with nicely spaced tables and warm decor. The staff was friendly and attentive--although, frankly, they really had nothing else to do.
Red Ginger offers a 5 course chef's tasting menu alongside several daily specials. Prices are steep, but not terribly so--the tasting menu was $45 US, which is not bad for the amount of food included. While tempted to go all out, we opted to go a la carte.
 |
| Grilled lobster tail. |
Our main courses were a Caribbean lobster pasta (penne) with sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, and basil in a cream sauce, and grilled lobster with potatoes and steamed vegetables. The pasta was cooked well, but the cream sauce was oppressively heavy. The lobster was completely under-seasoned, and almost impossible to get out of the shell. Further, everything was drowned in so much butter that there was literally an oil slick on the plate. Both came in huge portions--we ended up making several meals from our order, and skipped out on desert.
 |
| Lobster pasta with sun-dried tomatoes. |
DandE's Frozen Custard, Ambergris Caye
Tucked away in the middle of San Pedro near Red Ginger, this place is an absolute gem. They do one thing, and they do it right: frozen custard. Heavier and creamier than ice cream, this frozen treat is absolutely outstanding and the perfect thing for a hot tropical night.
We came here several times, and tried many different flavors. The best combo we had was double chocolate and peanut butter with hot fudge topping. Amazing.
The only downside of DandE's is the odd hours they keep--basically, they close up whenever they feel like it. However, keep trying: it's worth it. Do not leave San Pedro without stopping here at least once.
Mojito Bar, Ambergris Caye
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| The view from our table. |
The Mojito Bar has the ambiance you'd expect from a beach-side establishment in an out-of-the-way place. The fixtures are old and reminded us of deck chairs. The fans are so rusty its a wonder they still turn. All this was fine with us: we were too busy kicking back in the shade and looking out over the palm-studded beach to care. This must be what San Pedro used to be like before tourism exploded.
 |
| Lobster tacos! |
Overall, the Mojito Bar is a nice stop for a traveler in need of refreshment, but not a destination in and of itself. The signature drink was not special enough to set it apart, and better lobster tacos can be found elsewhere--and for less--in San Pedro.
Rico's Bar and Grill, Ambergris Caye
Rico's is the restaurant attached to the Banyan Bay, a higher-end resort complex located in the south of Ambergris Caye near the Banana Beach Resort. The restaurant stands on a pier extending out from the Bay's sandy beach (one of the best on the island), and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
 |
| If you can, sit outside! |
The outdoor seats at Rico's look over the ocean and the nearby pier. The view is lovely with plenty of shade. However, there is a drawback: the pier is in use throughout the day, and the smell of boat engine exhaust wafting across the deck does not make your meal seem very appetizing.
We started with drinks, and--to our surprise--these were very, very good. Mary had a chocolate martini, and I had some sort of purplish banana rum drink. Both were well prepared and contained generous pours.
For lunch, we shared a simple plate of beef nachos and a lobster salad sandwich. Neither were particularly special, but for the price the portions were right, and the food was well prepared.
We left Rico's wondering why the guidebooks didn't speak higher of the establishment. We enjoyed our meal, and it was not as overpriced as other venues on the island. We would certainly return--particularly for after-dinner drinks.
Hidden Treasure, Ambergris Caye
The meal we had at Hidden Treasure was undoubtedly the highlight of our dining in Belize.
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| A great place to dine at night. |
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| Ceviche at the Hidden Treasure. |
We started our meal with a traditional seafood ceviche, which we'd come to enjoy quite a bit. Hidden Treasure's ceviche did not disappoint--very plentiful seafood and excellent flavor. The drinks we ordered with our meal--a version of a pina colada and a tropical fruit martini--were likewise well done.
 |
| Bacon-wrapped shrimp on top of a snapper fillet. Delicious! |
We were really too full for desert, but couldn't resist trying the Belizean Bread Pudding. We were glad we did: this was probably the best part of our meal. Silky smooth and lightly sweet, it was unlike any other bread pudding I've had before. Amazing.
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| Belizean bread pudding. The consistency of this dessert was incredible--so silky smooth. |
Hidden Treasure is just that: a treasure hidden on the edges of Ambergris Caye away from the hustle and bustle of San Pedro. Dining here was a delightful experience. Should we visit Ambergris Caye again, we will return here.