Best Dining Bets

Harbour View (Belize City; tel. 223-6420): Set on the water's edge overlooking the juncture of Haulover Creek and the Caribbean Sea, this is the most creative and elegant restaurant in Belize City. Fresh seafood and local staples are cooked with fusion flare and some Asian accents. If the weather's right and you land one of the outdoor tables on the wraparound veranda, you'll enjoy the finest dining experience available in the city.

The Smokey Mermaid (Belize City; tel. 223-4722): Less formal then the Harbour View, this place also serves up some excellent and eclectic cuisine in a lovely garden setting. This is also probably the best breakfast option in Belize City.

Wet Lizard (Belize City; tel. 223-2664): Even less formal than either of the two Belize City restaurants mentioned above, this often-rowdy little restaurant and bar still serves up excellent fresh seafood and burgers, in an open-air setting overlooking the Swing Bridge and Belize Harbor. This is a great place to savor some late-afternoon conch fritters and a refreshing drink.

Elvi's Kitchen (San Pedro, Ambergris Caye; tel. 226-2176; www.elviskitchen.com): Elvia Staines has come a long way since she began selling hamburgers out of a takeout window over 30 years ago. Today her friendly and very popular restaurant oozes island charm. The restaurant is a thatched, screened-in building with picnic tables, with a large flamboyant tree growing up through the roof and a floor of crushed shells and sand. No visit to Ambergris Caye is complete without a meal here.

Palmilla (Ambergris Caye; tel. 226-2067): This is easily the most elegant and finest dining to be had on Ambergris Caye, if not in all of Belize. The atmosphere is island formal, meaning relaxed yet refined at the same time, and the chefs here prepare the freshest of local ingredients with a creative blend of techniques, spices, and cuisines from around the world. When the weather's nice, you can dine under the stars by candlelight.

Wild Mangos (Ambergris Caye; tel. 226-2859): Chef Amy Knox was the guiding force in creating the menu and reputation of Palmilla , and now she's set up a shop of her own. Her new restaurant is quite a bit more casual, but the cuisine remains top notch.

Mambo (Ambergris Caye; tel. 220-5010): The folks at this isolated beach resort serve up very creative and well-prepared fusion cuisine. The menu is so wide and varied that you'll want to eat here with several friends, just to taste as many offerings as possible. Whatever you do, save room for their chocolate soufflé dessert.

Habaneros (Caye Caulker; tel. 226-0487): Featuring a creative menu with influences from various Caribbean and Asian cuisines, this is a perennial must-visit restaurant on Caye Caulker. Be sure to grab one of the outdoor tables on the wraparound porch.

Rasta Pasta Rainforest Café (Caye Caulker; tel. 206-0356): This place is the epitome of funky island charm, but it's even better than that sounds. Sure you get your sand floor, your plastic lawn furniture, your view of the Caribbean Sea, and your fair dose of vegetarian and Rastafarian-influenced menu items. But you also get a wide and eclectic menu, huge portions, and excellent service. What's more, the food is delicious and the ambience is wonderful.

Marian's Bayview (Punta Gorda; tel. 722-0129): The ambience and decor here are basic -- at best. But the mix of Indian and Belizean cuisine is some of the most spectacular in southern Belize. The small menu changes regularly, but always includes some of Marian's expertly prepared spicy East Indian fare.

La Luna (Flores, Guatemala; tel. 502/7926-3346): If you find yourself in Flores, Guatemala, be sure to seek out this hip little restaurant. The eclectic decor varies from room to room, but like the food, it is consistently creative and tasteful.