Ambergris Caye is the largest, most populous, and most visited destination in Belize. The internet is glutted with all sorts of advice on where to eat and drink on this tropical island. Sadly, many of these recommendations are from U.S. based websites where restaurant listings are based soley on willingness and ability to pay costly advertising dollars.
Follow these local and reliable recommendations where you will save money and enjoy the very best food and drink San Pedro, Belize has to offer.
Bearings in San Pedro Town
First, to understand the lay of the land, San Pedro Town is bordered at the west and east by three streets that run parallel to the beach (yes, the town is only three blocks deep!): Front Street, Middle Street and Back Street.
A dozen or so streets run north to south, from the San Juan neighborhood to the airstrip respectively. These streets connect the beachfront to the “backside” or bay side of the island.
In recent years there has been considerable effort on the part of real estate developers and the city council to adopt more tropically-sounding names, such as Barrier Reef Drive or Pescador Drive. Just stick to Front Street, Middle Street and Back Street and everyone will know what you’re talking about.
If you are looking for accommodation in San Pedro, check out "Where to Stay in San Pedro, Belize."
Neri’s Tacos, Belizean Breakfast of Champions
Neri’s Tacos is the breakfast of choice for San Pedranos. It is a bustling taco stand open from 6:00am until just after lunch, and then reopens for dinner. You will likely be the only “tourist” eating at this very local establishment, which is always a very good sign.
Belizeans do not understand the concept of waiting patiently in an orderly line and respecting whose turn it is next to place their order. You will need to elbow your way confidently yet respectfully towards the counter where, in time, someone will briefly glance in your direction and make eye contact. Immediately place your order with confidence.
Chicken tacos are typical Belizean breakfast fare. A Belizean taco is considerably different from what you may be accustomed to in the United States. Here, chicken is shredded and simmered slowly in an onion, cilantro, and tomato-based salsa and rolled to order into a hot, fresh corn tortilla.
At Neri’s you are expected to order by how much you want to spend. One Belizean dollar (50 US cents) buys 3 tacos, and an adult can easily and happily consume 3 or 4 Belizean dollars’ worth ($1.50 to $2.00 US for 9-12 tacos).
In addition to soda and bottled water, Neri’s also sells fresh, tropical juices such as watermelon, pineapple, sweetened lime juice and horchata. There is only outdoor seating on picnic tables under a canopy.
Neri’s is not easy to find, but is well worth the effort. The Roman Catholic elementary school and sports field runs from Front Street inland and Neri’s is one additional block west beyond the school boundary. There is no need to provide a street name as there isn’t a sign and no one would know the name, anyway.
The French Bakery at Hakal Kiik
Next door to Neri’s Tacos yet worlds apart is the French Bakery at Hakal Kiik.
Michel is a very welcome transplant from France who brought his talent for making rich, buttery croissants and French pastries to this narrow slice of tropical paradise. The quality and variety of breads on offer here cannot be equaled in the country, and may rival the baguette you get back home. Get there early in the morning for the best and freshest selection.
The Greenhouse
The Greenhouse is located on Front Street and offers high-quality fresh fruit, vegetables, and everything you might miss from back home. You’ll be able to find locally-prepared foods, such as fresh ceviche, and a wide selection of frozen foods, juices, cashews, baked goods, milk, cheese, and tortilla chips. The Greenhouse also stocks delicious smoked turkey, sliced ham and other cold cuts made at the immaculately clean Sausage Factory, situated more than a mile from town along a very confusing dirt road on the “backside” of the island.
Belikin Beer Distributor
After an exhausting day at the beach spent unwinding with a mindless novel in a hammock under a palm tree, or availing yourself of the many water sports on offer in this tropical paradise, what better way to conclude than with a beer or two of the locally produced Belikin beer on your verandah as you watch nighttime fall over the coral reef?
Pick up a case at the Belikin beer distributor, next to the (very expensive) Island Supermarket on Coconut Street, just across the white picket fence from the Island Academy.
Super Buys at Super Buy
Super Buy is a big, purple grocery store located on Back Street, frequented by locals and visitors in-the-know. Super Buy consistently has the widest range of goods at the best prices on the island. Be mindful, however, when purchasing to look for any expired “sell-by” dates.
You can stock up here on any provisions you might like to take back to your hotel room. It can be a very cost effective way to enjoy a snack mid-day.
Ambergris Caye is fortunate to have a very good quality coffee roaster on the island, Caye Coffee. You can purchase Caye Coffee here for use in your hotel room. A good cup of coffee may help you be more sociable on that early morning trek to Lamanai, or alert enough on your pre-dawn deep sea fishing excursion. One cup and you’ll want to take a few bags home with you to enjoy yourself or share with friends.
Super Buy also has a wide range of affordable Marie Sharp’s tropically-exotic jellies and spicy sauces.
Waraguma, Delicious Hole-in-the-Wall
Waraguma could kindly be described as a “hole in the wall.” Don’t be put off by the very simple, rustic appearance as Waraguma serves up some of the best and most inexpensive food in San Pedro.
Waraguma is situated on Middle (Pescador Street), between Buccaneer and Black Coral Streets. You actually don’t need to go looking for street signs as there is always a line-up of locals with their golf carts parallel-parked while waiting for their food to go. You’ll also see the owner, Maria, with her gracious smile at the entrance of her restaurant where she stands behind her griddle and prepares pupusas from her native El Salvador. If you have not yet been introduced to this local favorite, pupusas are a thick hand-pressed corn tortilla stuffed with cheese, port and refried beans and topped with a cabbage slaw and a watery tomato salsa.
Waraguma has only two or three cramped tables so you will need to be patient and wait. Send someone in your party to Rock’s grocery next door for a few bottles of Belikin beer while you wait. Visitors from the United States are thrilled that they are welcome to consume alcoholic beverages in public in Belize. While you are waiting, absorb the camaraderie and buzz of local activity.
Once you have a table, start off with a few pupusas and ceviche to enjoy. Ceviche is a very popular appetizer here with fresh fish, shrimp, conch (pronounced “konk”) or lobster in a tangy, lime, cilantro, onion, and tomato salsa and served with tortilla chips. Waraguma makes the most amazing shrimp or lobster burritos, as well as tasty grilled, fried, blackened or baked fresh fish.
DandE’s Frozen Custard--If You Like Ice Cream, You'll Love DandE's
Dan and Eileen (the “D” and “E” in DandE’s) are local fixtures that relocated from the United States to Ambergris Caye some years ago. Originally Dan and Eileen owned the local newspaper on the island, so everybody knows Dan and Eileen, and Dan and Eileen knows everybody.
Very different in taste and texture of ice cream, frozen custard uses farm-raised eggs which produces a creamy texture similar to soft butter.
Don’t expect to find boring vanilla and chocolate here. DandE’s serves up the most amazing “Not Just” vanilla, as well as a decadent double-rich chocolate, cheesecake, coconut, black cherry, mango pina colada and sour sop.
Dan is the man behind the masterful creations and Eileen scoops up frozen custard with anything and everything you would want to know (and some things local islanders don’t want you to know) about the island. DandE’s is open afternoons and evenings and is the perfect way to end the day. Tell Dan and Eileen I said, “Hi.”
Brian Berenty - Not all who wander are lost.
