33 Best Restaurants in The Cayes and Atolls, Belize

Near the tip of the island, this gem is hidden in plain sight. Tuck into a plate of stove-fresh pita, creamy hummus, and skewers of onion-parsley shrimp grilled in a boat of foil, all made by the charming chef Ana. These deep-flavored dishes are a wonderful surprise. It's not fast food, so have a smoothie while you wait in the family's front yard. Vegetarians will appreciate the superior options here.

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Those who dream in chocolate, this one's for you. Owners Chris Beaumont and Jo Sayer work with over 500 Maya cacao farms (in a handful of collectives), which average 1½ acres each and typically use organic methods. As a result, the company does marvels with one of Belize's most ancient crops. Here, the Belizean bean appears not only in bars but as champagne truffles, milkshakes, and---get ready---chocolate balsamic vinegar. Make time for Chris' amazing class on chocolate-making at about BZ$25 per person (offered at 10:30 am on weekdays; just call ahead to schedule). Expect U.S. chocolatier prices here.

Croc's owner, Belizean Ivan Luna, knows what he's doing: after years of industry experience, he has made this three-story palapa a lovable hangout for locals, ex-pats, Belizean vacationers from the mainland, and travelers. The service and menu are both impressive, with reasonably priced rum drinks, ceviche, and other island fare. Catching the sunset here is a no-brainer, but you can also come by later for the nightlife scene. Crocs indeed live in the lagoon, but don't drop them nachos: feeding crocodiles is illegal and dangerous for the apex predators. Watch them from afar.

This beloved parlor is your place for creamy custards and cooling sorbets—all homemade and so dense that they resist quick melting. Custard is made with egg yolks; it's touted as a "healthier" alternative to ice cream, which we're willing to believe for the sake of dessert. For island flavors, looks for mango sorbet or soursop frozen custard. 

Named for the open wood-fire cooking hearth ("faya haat" in Kriol), El Fogon serves authentic down-home Belizean cooking like chaya tamales, Creole stews, and gibnut (a small game rodent and delicacy). El Fogon feels like a hole-in-the-wall, but it's actually one of the most renowned spots on the island. Think island-casual but with the quality dialed up (you sit at picnic tables, but the picnic tables have cloth runners). Dishes are prepared in cast-iron pots in a traditional fogón. Next to it, a mountain of fresh veggies, about to be chopped, is part of the decor. Though it's in town, it's a little hard to find: ask any local where it is.

Here is an island institution. In the old days, in 1974, Elvi Staines sold burgers from the window of her house, soon adding a few tables on the sand under a tree; today, the floors are still sand and the tree remains (lifeless now and cut back to fit inside the roof), but the dining experience has been upgraded. Enter through massive mahogany doors and you'll be tended to by a large and gracious staff. The Maya pulled pork and other sandwiches are big hits at lunch. For dinner Elvi's features upmarket dishes such as shrimp flambeéd in tequila or grilled pork with sorrel barbecue sauce. Don't pass on the coconut pie for dessert. The Maya Feast every Friday should be on your weekend list. It's a bit touristy, but we always enjoy Elvi's.

Tucked away from the main strip, Sunset Palace is a welcome alternative to the spring break vibes and #saltlife scene of other Secret Beach bars. Sure, it can be a party spot occasionally, but this beach is so spacious that you can read on a daybed while revelers play beer pong 100 feet away. Sunset Palace has friendly service and surprisingly good food for the touristy area, even though it's your standard nachos, ceviche, and seafood fare. Make sure to ask for a rum drink with fresh-squeezed juices. Note that the term "beach club" gets thrown around a lot on the cayes: Sunset Palace just a casual establishment (no admission fee). 

On the lagoon side, the hip-to-the-max Truck Stop pulses as the social hub of North Ambergris. Five shipping containers with different owners dish up "Nuevo Latino" food, New Haven-style pizza, trendy ice cream, a host of drinks, and other goodies. Out back, a deck sits over the lagoon (the "Warning: Crocodiles" signs are not just decorative) where folks gather in the pool for sunset. There's something for everyone: play corn hole with your kids, sunbathe with a few Belikins, or bring your big group of friends for dinner. At first blush it looks touristy, but San Pedranos love this spot, too. The Truck Stop knows entertainment: there is a film shown by the lagoon every Wednesday, trivia and adult spelling bees, and live music on the regular.

Here is the island's classic spot for a warm smile, coffee (including espresso), and a morning bite to eat. Sit on the cozy porch, people-watch on Front Street, and try the homemade yogurt or the yummy fresh breads.

Want to step a little off the tourist trail? Head over to Aurora's––she's one of the first to plant her flag at Secret Beach, and one of the few Belizean owners currently there. Aurora dishes up fresh seafood in a small outdoor bar on the water. It's nothing flashy, but it sure is tasty. 

Blue Bayou is sure to please: set slightly apart from the Secret Beach hubbub, it has partially underwater picnic tables and friendly servers who wade into the lagoon to take your meal order. Blue Bayou is a slightly less touristy hangout in this area (emphasis on slightly). The turquoise water is Blue Bayou's main attraction, as there isn't much of a beach. The quesadillas and nachos are mediocre, but the hot-from-the-grill shrimp and fish dishes do the trick after an hour of swimming. Live music is a hit on weekends, but music is pumping pretty much always. Careful not to lose a straw in the water---this is inside the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. 

The jazzy marquee letters reading “I Love Belize” capture the enthusiasm of this long-standing favorite. The beachfront restaurant serves up colorful dishes like Thai-inspired black bean-encrusted fish, plus less flashy options like a club sandwich, so there's something for everyone. Nothing about Blue Water is cheap, but it works to please, with its wood-fired pizzas, top-notch service, and breezy beachfront setting. 

It's nothing glamorous, but the food at Caliente—Mexican with a Caribbean and Belizean spin—hits all the right notes. The ginger-rum shrimp is brightly flavored, the waterfront patio is airy, and the attitude is unpretentious. Check out the indoor mural celebrating the reef's diversity. This San Pedrano--run restaurant frequently has live music.

The outdoor ice coolers of fresh lobster, mussels, and fish might lure you into Caramba; once inside, you'll quickly sense the frenetic energy of this noisy and often packed joint. No sea views, and there's nothing fancy on the broad menu here—just basics like grilled snapper, fried shrimp, pork chops, and Mexican fajitas, all in American portions—but everything is well prepared, prices are moderate, and the service is snappy and enthusiastic. Belizean owner Rene Reyes worked his way up from fruit-seller to successful restaurateur.

For a good cup of coffee and a splash of color, this little café cum art gallery in the heart of Front Street is the place to go. Owner and longtime expat artist Lee Vanderwalker sells her painted canvases and silks here. The café serves up good pancakes, huevos rancheros, bagels (rare in Belize), and a smattering of healthy lunch plates, including gluten free and vegan options. 

Plunk down at a mint-green picnic table and tuck into a coconut curry, grilled fish, or––better yet––a meringue-topped key lime pie (probably the island's best). Breakfast is killer, too, and at local prices. This counter-service joint is as low-key as it gets, and cheaper than anything waterfront. Note that Juan's doesn't serve alcohol.  

Build your ideal breakfast from a mix-and-match chalkboard menu at San Pedro's most classic breakfast spot, famous for its fry jacks served with honey and mango jam. A favorite among locals and visitors, Estel's gets well-earned hype for its cheap-ish eats and morning cocktail specials. Estel's even has grits! The porthole windows, decorative buoys, and sandy floors give the joint a nautical atmosphere––not the mention the sea in its front yard. Best seats are on the porch or on wooden benches with mini-thatch roofs, where you can watch pelicans and passersby. Later in the day you'll find tacos, down-home cooking, and great seafood dishes here. 

Dining under fairy lights and a shaggy thatch roof is a wonderful way to conclude your day on Caulker. Seafood is the rage at this remodeled palapa restaurant, and there's an iced display of the catch of the day; choose from snapper, grouper, barracuda, or lobster and have it grilled on the spot. The bartenders have been known to make great things happen from dragon fruit and local rum. This spot is formerly Rose's.

Glenda's menu is on a chalkboard, short and sweet, and you place your order at the window of a pretty clapboard house. At breakfast, when this café is most popular, you can get a hearty meal of eggs, bacon, beans, johnnycakes, and fresh OJ, all for a pittance. Dine under the solemn eyes of a print of The Last Supper, or take it to go. It starts up at 7 am; get there early to snag a cinnamon bun. The hours are island style, so Glenda's may not be open when you want it to be, especially at lunch.

If you’re jonesing for a caffeinated treat—maybe a Nutella frappe or a cappuccino—look no further. Ice n’ Beans is your quick seafront coffee bar where tasty samples are dished out to anyone who walks up. Bagel sandwiches and tasty smoothies are also on offer. You can get your coffee here until early evening.

There's nothing glossy about Manelly's, aside from your ice cream melting in the cone, and that's what makes this spot charming. Have a cheap coconut ice cream or sugarcorn paleta (popsicle). The supersweet ice cream isn't quite delicate, but it's handmade on-site with some local ingredients.

The air-conditioned setting feels more United States than Caribbean, but Mesa plates up delicious change-of-pace dishes like churro-spice pancakes or, for lunch, sweet potato tacos. Vegetarians will appreciate the savory bean cake Benedict, among other options. Local drip coffee does nicely in the morning.

At any given time, two or three generations of the owner's family staff this outdoor eatery, which serves some of the best pineapple shrimp and coconut curry on Caye Caulker. You’ll sit under fluorescent lights with feet in the sand, while your dinner sizzles behind you in a tiny kitchenette or on a barbecue grill. Reina’s has a full bar but no straws (a big bonus for marine life). During the day, the family sells tasty meat pies next door. 

Line up beside the smoking grill for a delicious, no-nonsense plate of jerk chicken with sides. Homemade sauce is dished from a big plastic mixing bowl and Fanta and juices are in the back (but don't expect mixed drinks). Eat under the thatch and chat with the lovely Jamaican-Belizean owners, or get your meal to go. Bring napkins--and cash, as no credit cards are accepted.

The less rowdy competitor of Lazy Lizard, Sip n' Dip is a playful spot to kick it in the water, rum punch in hand. Though the swimming here isn't as good or deep as at the Lizard, you're a stone's throw from that area; plus the inner tubes and submerged tables make up for it. It's more family-friendly, with a modest playground and a little upcycled water slide into the sea. The basic lunch menu is surprisingly tasty. Sip n' Dip closes up shop at 6 pm, so it's a good spot to beat the daytime heat.

Someplace South is a new hot spot––or, to use an old Belizean phrase for a roadside joint, a "cool spot"––beloved for its friendly faces, delicious grub, and nooks of stylish seating. The lush courtyard is a lovely place to have brunch (their specialty, served all day) or to sip a rum drink while you wait for your Caribbean dinner. Someplace South is so refreshing you might not even miss sea views; plus, when sargassum seaweed stinks up the beach, this is a nice refuge. Live music gets going several nights a week.

Warm cinnamon rolls are a favorite at this Irish-owned bakery. You'll also find a cheering bounty of croissants, cookies, and coconut tarts, plus made-to-order egg sandwiches and, at lunch, tuna or ham sandwiches. You can even drink dainty cups of tea with your pastries. 

More than a just pit stop, this cute roadside joint offers pick-me-ups in the way of creative smoothies, iced mochas, healthy and not-so-healthy shakes, and baguette paninis. It also stocks a small market with Belizean cheeses, jellies, cacao beans, meats, and fruits. Swing by on your way to Secret Beach or anywhere north.