8 San Pedro Belize Restaurants you absolutely must try! (2022 Update)
Food is such an integral part of travel and finding the best can be daunting! But we’re here to share with you some gems in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
San Pedro Belize is brimming with culinary delights of all varieties, here are the 8 best restaurants to experience them at (in no particular order):
1. Hidden Treasure
Here’s a fine-dining restaurant on San Pedro Ambergris Caye that really lives up to its name. A gorgeous open-air restaurant located on a backstreet in south San Pedro, the Hidden Treasure offers a truly romantic and cozy dining experience.
If you enjoy live music and entertainment, then you will certainly enjoy the ambiance offered at Hidden Treasure Restaurant – with live music featuring renowned Belizean musicians on Thursdays, playing a fusion of Latin, Caribbean and American music.
Staying in town or at a resort south of town? They can arrange free shuttle service for you.
Don’t Go Without:
- Fresh almond-crusted Grouper
- The Seafood Treasure (for seafood aficionados!) *****
- Butterfly lobster
- Chimichurri pork chops
- BBQ bacon wrap shrimps & fish
2. Elvi’s Kitchen:
This iconic San Pedro restaurant has been filling stomachs of happy patrons for 20 years when it began as a burger aisle. Founded by Elvia Staines for whom it is named after, it is a must visit restaurant in San Pedro town.
The interior sand floor is built around the large flamboyant tree that has watched people eat under its branches since the founding. It’s often accompanied by live music, decorated remnant artifacts of San Pedro’s fishing village roots and artwork.
The famous Grand Mayan Buffet held every Friday is a crowd favorite, for its assortment of Maya-Mestizo food highlighting the heritage of the ethnic group.
Food You Must Try:
- Stuffed Jalapeños with homemade Mango Sauce
- Asian Warm Salad, the Fajita Wrap
- Blacked whole fish with stew beans and white rice
- Crab Claws in garlic butter
- Almi’s Seafood pasta (chicken also available)
There is also the quasi-urban myth of Chef Jenny’s off menu items ask and you might be in for this master chef’s culinary treats.
3. Wild Mango San Pedro Restaurant
This funky island favorite has been serving up creative, and innovative dishes for years. The small, cozy beachfront restaurant only takes a few reservations leaving the majority of its open-air deck for walk-ins off the beach and with one of the best lunch menus around it is always busy with patrons ordering a wide variety of dishes from Chef Amy Knox’s robust menu.
Specialties:
- Tres Amigos ceviche which samples 3 different types of ceviche out of 7! Try the Peruvian, Thai, and Yucatecan combination.
- The Asian Chicken Salad made with mixed greens.
- The Vegan Kale Salad (one of many vegan/vegetarian options)
- Mango’s Mongo Burrito (big enough for two people)
- The Buden Azteca is best described as Mexican inspired Lasagna loaded with cheese, beans, sautéed veggies, mole negro basically all the best things.
Anything you order here is good!
4. Blue Water Grill:
The Blue Water Grill considered an island staple on the San Pedro culinary scene is always lively with a mix of locals, and tourists. Famed for its popular Sushi Tuesday and Thursday they serve up a wide variety of dishes to suit all palettes.
Favorites:
- Hawaiian style Ahi Poke Salad with yellowfin tuna
- Cajun Snook, smoked paprika dusted snook fillet on dirty rice, served with fried okra, blackened shrimp and homemade andouille sausage and cherry cream sauce
- Sushi Night (Tuesday/Thursday), the Escondido which is yellowtail, mango, cilantro, cream cheese, and avocado topped with red tobiko and a mango habanero coulis.
- Reservations are recommended as these are very busy nights
Also for the daily specials!
5. The French Touch:
The new kid on the block The French Touch has already made waves since its opening. Belize’s first French house offers an intimate and upscale dining setting with a preferred “Chef Table” experience where you can appreciate your food being prepared for you by Chef Patrick. If you’re a wine love, you will also appreciate the attention to detail on wine selections, especially the French wines.
Can’t-Miss:
- The Crisp Pork Belly – Slow roasted pork belly, watermelon, ginger, lime, cilantro, Chili glaze
- Coconut Sea Bass – Sea bass, bell pepper, ginger, coconut and Brandy sauce reduction, served with coconut white rice
- The Chocolate Cake for dessert (Served with ice cream & warm chocolate)
Bonus: The French Touch is also in the top 3 spots on TripAdvisor for San Pedro Belize Restaurants!
6. El Fogon:
El Fogon is famed for lunch especially among locals, usually running out of food after lunch because of its popularity the restaurant excels in local foods made the traditional Belizean way.
Their rice and beans is some of the best you can get in Belize, with a rotating lunch menu every day is different serving mestizo delicacies such as Escabeche (Onion, chicken soup) or Chimole/Relleno (check out our recipe).
Comfort Food:
- Tamales
- Cow Foot Soup (crowd pleaser)
- Boil Up.
This restaurant has made its name for local Belizean Cuisine family style, and they have some of the best homemade juices especially the Horchata (rice juice) or the Tambran juice. Be sure not to miss this local favorite for a good taste of Belize! Make sure to ask for the daily special!
7. Palmilla at Victoria House:
The Victoria House a veteran Ambergris resort located south of San Pedro has always offered the highest levels of comfort and quality on the island. With its iconic royal palms, beautiful plantation style villas, and one of the top restaurants on the island it’s not hard to see how they have been a staple of the island from before Belize was even a vacation option.
The Palmilla restaurant has one of the best reputations on the island and in the country for its high-quality food and excellent setting. Popular among romantics and for special occasions the restaurant exudes elegance with its cloth napkins, and crystal glasses, your choice of seating either indoor in the classic candlelit dining room or outdoors under the stars of the veranda you can’t go wrong.
Favorites:
- Be sure to ask for the Chef’s Special of the Day!
- Tempura Shrimp is a fan favorite with its delicate hand battered and drizzled with a creamy, spicy sauce, and a soy reduction.
- Camarones en hamaca which is sautéed shrimps and heart of palm (Belizean delicacy) served on pan fried plantain slices with a lime & ginger tomato sauce (to die for).
- When in season, the almond crusted lobster strips are the way to go hand battered and served with a citrus honey sauce over a bed of crispy greens.
- Cashew Crusted Grouper is another popular entry gently grilled and served with sautéed shrimp in a green chili butter with roasted corn and garlic mashed potatoes.
Reservations are encouraged as seating is, of course, limited.
8. Estel’s Dine by the Sea
If you’re looking for a tasty breakfast and an early morning view of the sea, this is the place to go. Estel’s has a old fisherman vibe which makes it unique, along with a sandy floor which makes you feel like you’re having breakfast on the beach.
Must Try:
- Breakfast burritos
- traditional Maya breakfast
The San Pedro Restaurant scene is ever-evolving, new restaurants rise up and the mainstays shake it up often as well so there’s always something new to try on the island! Want a guide to the islands of Belize? Check out our Belize Islands Blog for more information!
Didn’t see your favorite? or have a favorite dish we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments section below! 🙂