Food and Drink in Belize
Only recently has Belize begun to establish its national cuisine. Some of the most distinctly “Belizean” foods have been a part of Creole cuisine for quite some time. There’s also a pronounced British and Latin American influence in Belizean food, evident in some of the country’s most popular dishes.
The vibrant and diverse nature of the Belizean people and their culture is infused in the nation's cuisine. Food in Belize has a homey quality. Almost all of it is very affordable, including the seafood. Casual dining establishments will have some of the best food you’ll find in Belize, as well as the best atmosphere: beneath a palm tree, near a beach, under the sun.
Breakfast in Belize
Breakfast in Belize is hearty, and often includes some type of bread. Fry jack and johnnycakes are some of the most popular breakfast carbohydrates. Fry jack is a puffy, fried bread with a hollow inside — it’s common to fill the cavity with cheese, jam, or whatever else is on your plate. Johnnycakes have a texture more like a biscuit, and are best served hot from the oven. Both johnnycakes and fry jack are usually served alongside eggs and refried beans.
Gourmet coffee is still a niche market in Belize. Most coffee you find in restaurants is of the instant variety. But you have other options – Belize shows its British roots with readily available hot tea.
Caribbean Creole Staples
Belize City is the epicenter of Creole cuisine. While you’re there, sample a few Caribbean favorites.
Rice and beans are one of the most popular side dishes in Caribbean countries. In this dish, rice and kidney beans are cooked in coconut milk and seasoned with pepper. Rice and beans is not to be confused with beans and rice, which is a side dish of beans and rice cooked separately.
Rice and beans usually accompanies some type of stewed meat. Meats are usually fresh and local; many chickens come from bustling Mennonite farms in Belize’s western Orange Walk district. Typical preparations include marinating and grilling, or stewing for many hours over a low heat for a fall-off-the-bone texture.
Throughout the Caribbean, you’ll find a variety of soups that combine scraps of meat with vegetables and potent spices. In a traditional Creole “boil-up,” you’ll find fish, hard-boiled eggs, yams, plantains, and sweet potatoes, with the occasional pigtail, or other leftover cuts of pork or beef.
Cow foot soup is so well loved in Belize it may as well be a native dish. In it, a cow foot gets boiled along with root vegetables, coconut, cilantro, a variety of peppers, and savory seasoning. Locals claim it does wonders for a hangover.
Don’t leave Creole food behind before you get dessert. They offer confections like coconut pie and bread pudding. Baked goods are often prepared with coconut oil, which imparts a rich texture and a delicate flavor.
Locally Grown in Belize
With its tropical climate, Belize is a good environment for growing fruit. Belize City, San Ignacio, Orange Walk, Dangriga, and Punta Gorda all have outdoor fruit markets. Visit one of these markets while you’re in town, and try the locally grown watermelon, papaya, and orange. You can also find more exotic offerings like star fruit, dragon fruit, soursop, and breadfruit.
There are a few native spices you might not recognize in Belizean cooking. Achiote, also called annatto, is a peppery spice used since the time of the Maya. Its seeds are used to make a paste called recado. Cooks use annatto for its flavor as well as its color, which comes in bright hues of yellow and orange. You may see an herb called culantro sprinkled on your dishes — it’s similar to cilantro but a little bit stronger in flavor. This herb goes well with tacos and soups.
Marie Sharp is Belize’s most famous entrepreneur. She developed a reputation for potent hot sauces (as well as savory jams) decades ago, and her condiments have become one of Belize’s most well-known exports. You’ll find bottles of her sauce on most tables in Belize. Belizeans typically favor the spicier version of the sauce, but she also sells mild and medium versions in her shop in Dangriga, and in grocery stores all over Belize.
Foreign Influence
Try panades as a lunch or snack on the go. These meat pies demonstrate the culinary influence of the British. The British first arrived to harvest lumber in Belize during the 17th century, and made Belize a colony in the 19th century. Meat pies contain either beef or fish, and sometimes beans. These ingredients fill a fried, corn tortilla, for a protein-rich treat that will keep you full throughout the day.
Since the 19th century, Belize has served as a refuge for Mexican and Guatemalans fleeing violent civil wars. Their culinary influence has had a far-reaching effect, especially on Belize’s convenience food. Mexican taco stands line many of the roads. The tacos they serve are usually tasty, quick, and very cheap. Salbutes and granaches are a widely available snack. They resemble an open-faced taco, and are made with a fried tortilla topped with vegetables, cheese, and hot sauce or peppers. Salbutes usually also come with pulled chicken.
Visitors from the U.S. have created a market for American fast food. You can find hamburgers in some restaurants, which are locally referred to as “beefburgers.” Fried chicken has become quite popular as well, which Belizeans call “fry chicken.”
Escabeche is a Latin dish that has traveled quite a distance to get to Belize. It came to Latin America by way of Spanish conquistadors. Originally, the European recipe consisted of fish marinated in vinegar. Belize’s version has fish, lots of onions, with a vinegary kick added at the end.
Belize’s Seafood
Belize’s Caribbean coast and northern islands provide Belizeans with fresh, local seafood all year round.
Shrimp has become an important industry in Belize, although most of the shrimp in Belize comes from farms. Red snapper is readily available off the Belizean coast, and it is highly prized among seafood lovers for its firm meat and sweet flavor.
Lobster season is a big deal in certain parts of Belize, especially in the coastal town of Placencia. Meat harvested from conch shellfish is served grilled, fried, or marinated in citrus juice as part of a ceviche. Keep in mind that lobster and conch are subject to seasonal availability. Fishermen are only allowed to catch lobster from June 15 to February 15. Conch is in season every month except July, August, and September. These seasons can end early, depending on how much fishermen have caught that year.
A few seafood warnings:
Some fish served in Belize are endangered, and visitors should avoid them to keep fish populations sustainable.
Many species of grouper have become endangered, so it’s best to avoid them altogether. Grouper has also been discovered to contain high levels of mercury.
Barracuda has been a Belizean favorite for many years. The barracuda’s intimidating mouthful of jagged, sharp teeth have not been able to save this reef fish from overfishing.
Shark is also endangered and illegal to catch, although it’s not unheard of to see it on restaurant menus.
The Belizean Cocktail Hour
Belizean festivals typically involve a fair amount of alcohol. But it’s not all about partying – Belizeans are also content with a frosty beer on the beach. Beer and cocktails are the local adult beverages of choice.
Belize’s national cocktail is called the “panty ripper.” Ignore the aggressive name — this drink is sweet and smooth. It is made from a mix of coconut rum (we didn't miss a comma, that's coconut flavoured rum, not coconut and rum) and pineapple juice. Traveller’s “One Barrel” Rum is also a popular component of Belizean cocktails.
Bowen and Bowen Limited is a major bottling company in Belize, and one of Belize’s largest employers. Both Coca-Cola and the Belize Brewing Company have all of their products bottled by Bowen and Bowen Limited. Barry Bowen was one of the wealthiest citizens of Belize, before his untimely demise in a 2010 plane crash.
You’ll find the following selection of Belize Brewing Company beers in almost every restaurant and bar.
Belikin lager has lots of malt. This is the classic brew, and the most widespread of all the Belikins.
Belikin Stout is less bitter than Guinness, but still a robust dark beer.
Belikin Premium is brewed with the most hops, and is probably the best choice for IPA fans.
For a light beer, try Belikin’s Lighthouse Lager.
If you are a fan of wine, keep in mind that the price of wine in Belize is twice as expensive as wine in the United States. Unless, that is, you’re willing to branch out from grapes. In some of the smaller towns in the Belize River Valley you can find wines made from local ingredients, like blackberries, rice, and cashews. Try cashew wine in the Belizean town of Crooked Tree.
Bitters became popular in Belize as a fertility potion. To make bitters, you simply add herbs to 80-proof rum or gin. Some Belizeans will take bitter as a shot, although they are typically used in very small amounts as a finishing touch to a cocktail.
Frequently asked questions
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Reach out to ourlocal experts.
- What Is Dessert Like In Belize?
Belizean desserts are no different from the rest of Belizean cuisine – many of the most popular dishes originated in different countries. There’s a mix of Spanish and English influence in their desserts. The native influence shines through with the addition of tropical fruits and Caribbean rum.Belizeans have a soft spot for fruitcake, a dessert that came on the scene as a result of the British presence in Belize. Fruitcake is a simple recipe for cake baked with dried fruit that has been stewed in sugar syrup. Belizean fruitcake is soaked in Caribbean rum while it’s still hot from the oven. Flan is a popular Spanish dessert made from egg and condensed milk. It has a consistency similar to dense custard.
Bread pudding is another staple. It’s an old European recipe, designed to transform stale bread into a sweet treat by soaking it in eggs, milk, and sugar. Once again, this dish tastes Belizean when it’s made with a good splash of rum.
Visitors from the U.S. brought with them a demand for key lime pie, and now you’ll see it offered on many restaurant menus.
If you’re looking for a healthy dessert, try a slice of ripe pineapple, watermelon, orange, or papaya. You’ll find lots of these fruits incorporated in desserts, but keep in mind that you should not consume raw fruit from restaurants or vendors to avoid getting sick. You should not eat popsicles in Belize, for the same reason.
- What Is Belizean Food Like?
Typical food in Belize is slow-cooked, hearty, and gets its flavor from cheaper cuts of meat or tropical fruit, like coconut. Most of the food is either distinctly Mexican or Caribbean. Rice and beans is an important staple, as are stews made from leftover cuts of pork or beef. Food isn't usually too spicy, but hot sauce is a popular condiment, especially a Belizean brand called Marie Sharp's.There isn’t a lot of emphasis on the importance of fresh veggies in Belizean cuisine – agriculture has yet to catch up with demand, and for years Belizean cooks depended on expensive imports of canned goods to get their vegetables. Cooks serve side dishes of vegetables like carrots and cho cho (a type of squash) steamed and fairly plain. Like any Caribbean country, Belize has a good variety of sweet, tropical fruit.
The Mexican influence is the most obvious in the proliferation of taco stands by the side of the road. Salbutes and granaches are popular types of open-faced tacos that usually come with meat and cabbage.
Fish caught near the beach is usually slathered in Creole spices and grilled. Fish and shrimp are also often fried, or served raw with citrus juice as ceviche.
- Is The Food The Same Everywhere in Belize?
Belize is a tiny country with a small population. In most parts of the country will have a selection of Caribbean and Mexican food.But there is still some regional variety. Cities along the Caribbean Coast – like Dangriga and Hopkins - have a distinct Creole culture, which the cooking reflects. In Orange Walk and the surrounding villages, Maya people re-create indigenous recipes for soups, stews, and Maya barbecue.
- How Much Should I Tip After a Meal in Belize?
Anyone offering service at a restaurant or hotel in Belize (waiters, porters, etc.) expects a tip. An average tip is 15 percent, while 20 percent is given for excellent service. At small, local restaurants where there is perhaps counter service, a 10 percent tip is acceptable.
- Is There Vegetarian Food In Belize?
Belizeans love their meat. But if you know what to look for, Belize serves up plenty of hearty vegetarian options.Belizeans have a knack for baking, and you’ll find lots of delicious bread. Try fry jack for breakfast – it’s a fried pocket of fluffy bread you can fill with the condiment of your choice. Johnnycakes and creole bread made with coconut milk are popular baked goods that will fill you up at brekfast time.
Belize has a tropical climate, so you’ll have easy access to a wide variety of exotic fruits, like dragon fruit and fresh coconut. Fried plantains are a sweet, hearty side dish for when you’re ready to munch on something something besides fruit salad.
There is not as much of a variety of vegetables in Belize. Belize still relies heavily on imported, canned vegetables. For something new, try chocho, a variety of Belizean squash.
Rice-and-beans is a staple of the Belizean diet. This dish consists of rice and beans cooked together, simmered in a pot of coconut milk. Do not confuse this with beans and rice, another common side of beans and rice cooked separately, which is more likely to include some type of meat.
- Does Belize Have Good Seafood?
No matter where you go in Belize, you’ll never be more than 60 miles (96.5 km) from the Caribbean Coast. The seafood is usually fresh everywhere you go. Lobster and conch are delicious and abundant while they are in season. Be sure to eat seafood during your stay, especially while you’re in a coastal city or on one of Belize’s cayes. Red snapper is available year round, and widely considered one of the tastiest fish in the sea.With seafood this fresh, Belize’s coast is a great place to try ceviche. Ceviche is a dish made from raw, fresh fish marinated in citrus juices. It is typically served with chilies and cilantro, and it is popular all over Central and South America.
- What Kinds of Alcohol Are Available in Belize?
Belizeans have a fondness for spirits, especially rum. Rum is popular in the Caribbean because its main ingredient, sugar cane, grows well in coastal regions. You can’t go wrong with a cocktail made from rum and fresh fruit juice.Bitters, usually used only as a fragrant afterthought in American and European cocktails, have a prominent role in many Belizean health regimes. Bitters are made with high-proof rum, infused with herbs and roots. These are often marketed as having curative properties, and some locals make their own. Ask around to find out which is the best concoction, and then make sure you have a chaser nearby.
Imported wine is expensive and not very popular in Belize. You can find homemade wine made from cashews, blackberries, and rice in small towns in the Belize River Valley. The village of Crooked Tree is known for its Cashew Festival, and for its homemade cashew wine.
Belikin Beer is by far the most popular beer in Belize, and it is brewed and bottled in Belize City, at the Belize Brewing Company. They make a lager, a stout, a popular IPA called Belikin Premium, and a lite beer called Lighthouse Lager.
- How Much Do I Tip Drivers and Other Service Workers in Belize?
Unlike in many countries, cab drivers in Belize typically work for themselves and make a solid living. They do not expect tips, and there is no need to tip them (unless a driver has gone way out of his way and provided above-and-beyond service, of course).Tipping other service workers, including porters and guides, is a personal decision but should be based on the service rendered. It's appropriate to tip guides following a tour.
