Ten Delicious Foods and Drinks in Ambergris Caye, Belize

If you’re headed to Ambergris Caye, Belize, you’re no doubt going for the incredible scenery and tropical adventures. But you’re going to want to eat – and drink – so you might as well treat yourself to some of the best finds on the island. That’s why we’ve pulled together this list of Ten Delicious Foods and Drinks in Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Ten Delicious Foods and Drinks in Ambergris Caye, Belize

First things first, though: Ambergris Caye is Belize’s largest island. It’s known for its spectacular nature, including the Belize Barrier Reef, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, and the 124-meter deep Great Blue Hole. On Ambergris Caye, you can enjoy boating, snorkeling, fishing, scuba diving and clear blue Caribbean waters. To get there, you’ll most likely fly into Belize City and then take a little puddle-jumper into the main town of San Pedro.

Now – the real question – what are you going to eat and drink? Here’s our list of Ten Delicious Foods and Drinks in Ambergris Caye:

1. Rum Punch from Palapa Bar & Grill

Rum punch at Palapa Bar & Grill on Ambergris Caye.

Yes, we’re diving right in with a rum punch. One, because it’s Belize, so the traditional drink is rum. Two, because rum punch is everywhere. And three, because if you’re going to drink rum punch, you should drink it at the most over-the-top tropical place you see when you first land on Ambergris Caye. That, of course, is Palapa Bar & Grill in the main town of San Pedro. This restaurant/watering hole is at the end of a pier and is covered with a thatched roof to create a structure known as a palapa. Yes, grownups can drink here, but there’s also stuff for kids to do. The dock creates a small enclosed area with inner tubes where kids (or adults) can float, climb, or swim. True story: We saw a dad sitting in an inner tube sipping a cocktail while his son paddled around next to him wearing a snorkel mask. We could just picture him telling the mom, “Yeah, I took him snorkeling – it was great!”

2. Belizean Breakfast at Las Terrazas Resort

Traditional Belizean breakfast as served at Las Terrazas on Ambergris Caye.

How do you start your day off right in Belize? With a traditional Belizean breakfast, of course. We found one that we loved at Las Terrazas Resort (also a great place to stay, especially for families). The Belizean breakfast at Las Terrazas consists of scrambled eggs with sweet pepper and onion, refried beans, bacon, and fry jacks. Fry jacks are delicious deep-fried pillows of dough. They’re savory, not sweet, but they taste extra-delicious with a little bit of honey or jam. Also note: The Belizean refried beans are more stew-like, with fewer chunks of beans. When we first saw them, we thought it was a bean dip (but still delicious).

Coconut mojitos at Las Terrazas on Ambergris Caye.

(Not for breakfast, but equally delicious at Las Terrazas was the Coconut Mojito at O Bar. So refreshing and tasty!)

3. Breakfast Granola at Sol Cafe

Sol Cafe on Ambergris Caye in Belize.

If you’re looking for another great way to start the day, check out Sol Cafe, just a short hop down the main road from Las Terrazas. This adorable, brightly colored cafe has everything you need for a delicious Belizean or American breakfast. They’re known for their delightful muffins (chocolate banana is a favorite!) but you can also have waffles, Johnny cakes, eggs, burritos, and more. We loved their house-made granola so much we took a bag back to our hotel. (And although there’s lots of food we could have photographed, we thought the best way to capture the vibe would be this shot of the brightly colored patio.)

4. Ceviche at the Tipsy Lobster

Ceviche at the Tipsy Lobster on Ambergris Caye

With all of the amazing fresh fish everywhere you go, it’ll be hard to decide who has the absolute best ceviche. But we’ll get you started on one of our favorites; the shrimp ceviche at the Tipsy Lobster. This tangy and super-fresh ceviche is served in a conch shell, so it both looks and tastes like it came straight from the sea.

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5. Catch Your Own Fish Lunch with Mike’s Fishing Adventures

A meal of fresh caught curried fish, potatoes in cream sauce, and black beans and rice on a little island off Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Sure, you can go to a restaurant to eat fish, but why not catch it yourself? We did a day-long fishing/snorkeling excursion with Mike Hancock of Mike’s Fishing Adventures and whatever you catch is what you eat for lunch. Fortunately all of our fishing companions were lucky, as we caught a bunch of snapper and mackerel. Now we just assumed as we pulled onto a tiny island that Mike would just grill the fish and that would be that. But no… He went above and beyond to make our catch into a delicious fish curry, served with potatoes in a cream sauce, plus black beans and rice. Sitting on a little tropical island and eating a gourmet meal of fish that we caught ourselves? It doesn’t get better than that.

6. Chocolate from Belize Chocolate Company

A lime white chocolate ganache truffle from Belize Chocolate Company.

Yes, we’re going straight to dessert… And why would you hold off on dessert when it’s this delicious? The Belize Chocolate Company makes bean-to-bar chocolate that is authentically Belizean. Their organic beans come from indigenous farmers in Southern Belize, most of whom are of Kekchi or Mopan Maya descent. And their sugar comes from cane farmers in northern Belize, most of whom are of Yucatec Maya descent. They press their own cocoa butter from these beans to create their 70% dark Kakaw Belizean chocolate, which is a complete single origin product made in country. Pictured above is the singularly delicious lime white chocolate ganache truffle – so good you can’t eat just one!

7. Tacos and Drinks at the Taco Bar @PUR

Spicy Mango Margarita at the Taco Bar at PUR

PUR Boutique Cabanas is an adults-only all-cabana boutique hotel in a secluded location in Ambergris Caye. However, even if you don’t have the chance to stay there, you can still enjoy the lovely ambience at the taco bar, which sits right on the main road. At the taco bar, you can use the paper menu to fill out an order for your custom taco. Or if you just can’t decide, you can choose from among the PUR taco bar classics. Don’t miss the curtido, a Latin-America vinegar-based red onion slaw that’s a little tangy and a little spicy; and the spicy Belizean pickled onions. When it came time to order cocktails, we couldn’t resist the Spicy Mango Margarita – the perfect kick!

8. Moonlight Drinks at 303 Belize

Red and White Sangria at moonlight at 303 Belize in Ambergris Caye

303 Belize is a bar and restaurant on a pier over the water just north of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. When you first walk in and see the chair from a ski lift, you’ll think, “What?!?” Then you realize that it’s a sentimental tribute to ski life in Colorado (303 area code) and you’ll notice the Colorado ski souvenirs everywhere. We love 303 Belize for the food and the live music, but you’re also going to love the cocktails by moonlight over the water. Here we enjoyed the white and red sangria, and we toasted to both Belize and Colorado.

9. Soursop Ice Cream at The Creamery on Caye Caulker

A soursop ice cream cone from The Creamery on Caye Caulker in Belize.

OK, technically this one isn’t on Ambergris Caye… but it’s just a short ferry ride away. If you’re in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, it’s an easy excursion to the delightful island of Caye Caulker, where you can spend a fun day snorkeling, fishing, or just walking around. After a long beach day, nothing’s better than delicious freshly made ice cream, and all you have to do is go to The Creamery on Caye Caulker to get your fix. The special flavors are different all the time, but if you’re lucky, you might be there when they have soursop ice cream. Contrary to its name, soursop (a tropical fruit) is delightfully tangy and sweet – the ideal refreshment after a day at the beach.

10. Dinner and Drinks at Truck Stop

A Hibiscus Paloma in front of the pool at Truck Stop in Ambergris Caye.

If you’re driving along the main road on Ambergris Caye, you can’t miss Truck Stop, a lively “shipping container food truck park” and beer garden. There’s also a swimming pool with a swim-up bar, an 18-foot movie screen, an extensive outdoor games area, and a different fun event going on every night – including live music, game shows, multimedia trivia, movie nights, a weekly Family Feud night, and all sorts of other special events. You can choose from food at Rasa (Malaysian/Southeast Asian) or Arepa (Latin American), and the Cool Cone shop for ice cream; plus cocktails and other drinks at the bar. Pictured above is a Hibiscus Paloma, served in a copper cup like a Moscow Mule, but very tropical and delicious. And of course we had to drink it in right in front of the pool. The perfect nightcap to a perfect night!

More to Enjoy in Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker

Of course there are plenty more delicious foods and drinks in Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Just to name a few, we love the Mayan Feast at Elvi’s Kitchen in San Pedro, Caroline’s Cookin for jerk chicken and Caribbean specialties; Aji Tapa Bar at the Bella Vista Resort; Robin’s Kitchen for Jamaican food; and Angler’s Seafood for seafood.

Shrimp Paella at La Cubana on Caye Caulker.

In Caye Caulker, don’t miss La Cubana for great Cuban and Latin American food. And while you’re in Caye Caulker, head all the way down the island and cross “The Split” (you’ll pay a nominal fee for a minute-long ferry ride across the “split” in the island). Then walk a few hundred yards down to the Northside Beach Club. There you’ll enjoy a fun day at the beach with a top-quality restaurant and loads of cabanas and beach lounges to while away the day.

Got other delicious foods and drinks in Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker? Let us know in the comments.

Blogger disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I/we paid for all meals and travel at our own expense. All opinions expressed are my/our own.