Restaurants in Ambergris Caye
In San Pedro
Seafood is, of course, the most popular food on the island, and there's plenty of it around all year. However, please keep in mind that there are seasons for lobster and conch (because sea turtles are endangered, never order turtle). Officially, lobster season runs from July 15 to February 14, while conch is available from October 1 to June 30. Local restaurants and fishery officials have struck a deal to allow lobster to be served in the off season. Supposedly this is lobster caught and frozen during the open season, and not while they are mating in the formerly closed season.
The best produce and specialty items can be found at The Greenhouse Produce Market (tel. 226-2084), located on Pescador Drive.
In addition to the places listed elsewhere on this site, Ruby’s Cafe and Celi’s Deli, on the ground floors of Ruby’s hotel and across from the San Pedro Holiday Hotel, respectively, are good places to pick up a light meal, and both specialize in fresh-baked breads and pastries and sandwiches to go.
Other dependable options include Caramba (tel. 226-4321), which serves a mix of Belizean, Mexican, and Caribbean fare; and Caliente (tel. 226-2170) which is a good choice for traditional Mexican food, including chicken mole. For a seafront seat in the sand, it’s hard to beat Lily’s Treasure Chest (tel. 226-2650), which is great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
South of San Pedro
South of San Pedro there are a few good options beyond the ones we’ve listed elsewhere on this site. If you’re hankering for good Italian food, head to Pinocchio (tel. 226-4447). The owners are from Rome, and everything from the pastas to the wood-oven pizzas is authentic and delicious. Meanwhile, the Hidden Treasure (tel. 226-4111; www.hiddentreasurebelize.com) is earning raves for its creative local and New Latin cuisine. Coffee has been trending on the caye, but it’s Rum + Bean (tel.236-5102; www.rumandbean.com) at Mahogany Bay Village that’s getting people to flock south of town for their caffeine fix.
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14 Results
- Seafood
Blue Water Grill
This popular place has a lovely setting overlooking the ocean and piers from the waterfront in the heart of San Pedro. The menu is massive: pizzas, pastas, and hearty dishes, such as grilled beef tenderloin with a bacon and garlic balsamic glaze and chicken breast served with green…$$$In San Pedro - Belizean/Seafood
Caprice Bar and Grill
This chill, casual restaurant serves dependably good fare that tastes even better if you can get a seat on the large deck looking out at the sea. Stick to the seafood which is reasonably priced, and expertly prepared. Freshly caught fish, shrimp, and conch come with a variety of…$$In San Pedro - American
Croc’s Sunset Sports Bar
This massive wooden sports bar is perched over the lagoon on the leeward side of the island, making for a spectacular sunset view. It has 10 flat screen TVs playing all kinds of Americans sports and 215 seats spread across two bar areas. When the speakers aren’t blasting recorded…$$North of San Pedro - Belizean
Elvi's Kitchen
Local legend Elvia Staines began selling burgers out of a takeout window in 1974. Today, Elvi’s is arguably the most popular restaurant on Ambergris Caye, with a word-of-mouth reputation built on the happy bellies of thousands of diners. The restaurant is a thatched, screened-in…$In San Pedro - Seafood/International
Estel's Dine By the Sea
If you want to dine right by the water, it’s hard to get much closer than Estel’s. This casual place has a sand floor with heavy wooden tables and plastic chairs inside the main dining room, and a sand terrace outside with pure plastic patio furniture. A broad range of memorabilia…$In San Pedro - International
Finn & Martini
The chic dinner scene has made its way to San Pedro by way of Finn & Martini, a relatively new spot that serves tapas-style dishes alongside tasty cocktails (like their refreshing watermelon martini). There’s limited seating, but the open-air layout and red painted walls makes it…$$In San Pedro - Belizean
Jambel’s Jerk Pit
This long-standing beachfront restaurant serves spicy curries and jerk concoctions alongside local specialties. The coconut curry chicken is excellent, and there are several vegetarian options. Still, the spicy Jamaican-style jerk is the signature dish here, and you can get it served…$In San Pedro - Japanese
Jyoto Japanese Restaurant
Excellent seafood is to be expected in Belize, but excellent sushi? That’s brand new. We can thank Jyoto’s chef Toshiya Tsujimoto who was born in Japan, and later honed his craft in San Francisco before traveling the world as a sushi chef and settling in Belize. His food is utterly…$$$North of San Pedro - International
Mambo
With its groovy artworks and postcard perfect setting, the Matchica resort sets the standard for hipster hideaways. Its onsite restaurant furthers the cause with an eclectic menu that touches on a wide range of world cuisines. Recent winners on the menu have included seared scallops…$$$On North Ambergris Caye - International
Palmilla
This continues to be one of the most elegant and refined dining experiences to be had on Ambergris Caye. The chef here always takes the freshest of local ingredients and prepares them with a creative blend of techniques and spices, influenced by cuisines from around the world. The…$$$South of San Pedro - Fusion International
Rain Restaurant
Ambergris Caye’s only rooftop restaurant is two miles north of town atop the Grand Caribe Belize, one of the largest hotels on the island. What this place lacks in décor (some may call it modern, I call it bare-looking), it makes up for in panoramic views of the sky and the sea. The…$$$North of San Pedro - Fusion
Red Ginger
Housed in The Phoenix hotel and condo complex, this restaurant serves excellent tropical fusion fare in an understatedly elegant room. When the weather permits, you can dine on a patio just outside. The long menu offers almost too many temptations but we’ve had very good luck with…$$$Near San Pedro - International
The Truck Stop
The Truck Stop is just that: five stationary food trucks that offer a wide range of international flavors. These include crispy, thin crust pizza from Slice of Heaven (bacon and mashed potato pizza, anyone?) and tropical or boozey ice cream flavors, served up by The Ice Cream Shoppe…$$North of San Pedro - International
Wild Mangos
Chef Amy Knox is a frequent award winner in food competitions, and for good reason. Her “New Wave Latin” style of cooking brings together the best components of Latin American food, from the Caribbean all the way down to Argentina. The best seats at this down-home open-air joint are…$$In San Pedro
