Belize – 2019
Ever heard of Belize? If you said NO, you’re not alone and I was surprised before I left how many people have not. Maybe it’s because they were previously named British Honduras until the 1980’s or maybe it’s because they are a tiny little country hard to find on map since they are the same size as the state of Massachusetts. Either way, it was a wonderful place to visit and hope to return again sometime soon. My base camp in Belize would be Hopkins Village which is a coastal village in Southeastern Belize. Hopkins is a Garifuna village on the coast of the Stann Creek District in Belize and is considered by some Belizeans to be the cultural center of the Garifuna population in Belize (that last part was from Wikipedia to make this post sound smart). I’m all about the food, not the history, so below are some of the places I visited during my stay around the area, book a vacation for yourself, tell them I say hello, and hope you enjoy now that you have heard about Belize.
Nice Cream – Hopkins, Belize
I can’t believe I don’t have a single picture of any of their ice cream here as I visited Nice Cream EVERY single night I was there (except Monday as they are closed) as their ice cream is AWESOME and the owner was such a joy to get to know. This is a MUST stop for anyone visiting Hopkins.
Ella’s Cool Spot – Hopkins, Belize
This is a really COOL SPOT with delicious lobster coconut curry. This was the first time I ever had breadfruit fries and I must say they were really good. They have a swing that was able to fit my entire family right at the waterfront for us to relax until the food was ready and service was top notch.
Maxim’s Bar and Grill – Hopkins, Belize
Hidden a bit down the main road is a good meal waiting to happen. We had fresh plantain chips that were to die for and I would love to see some spots in the states add this to their menu, fish fingers that were finger licking good, and an entrée of coconut milk shrimp with rice and beans. This place was hopping with all tables filled and a smile on everyone’s face.
Geckos – Hopkins, Belize
This was such a treat eating here. The jerk chicken was being smoked with wonderful scents floating around everywhere as we sat at the table and the chicken and sautéed veggies were awesome. The owner was really nice and even let us be at the restaurant even though he wasn’t open yet. We’re sure glad he did!
Lucky Lobster Bar and Grill – Hopkins, Belize
A little further down the main road in the Sittee Point area of Hopkins is a nice stop. You have Lucky Lobster and right next door is Oasis Fitness Gym & Café. They are both owned by Gary and Kathy. We were LUCKY enough to run into Gary the night we were there and he was so kind and such a joy to hear his story of how they ended up in Hopkins. He also provided us a flyer map of the Hopkins area that after receiving it I took it everywhere as it was AMAZING and even better than Google Maps. Not only was the company good, but the food was good as well as I had the grilled lobster tail, sautéed mixed veggies, and double baked potato.
Driftwood Beach Bar and Pizza Shack – Hopkins, Belize
They have a nice setup here with a good bar, plenty of games to play while waiting for you food, and beach volleyball available. The food was delicious as well, so that never hurts. I really liked the vibe here. I had a plain small pizza and lobster tacos.
Tina’s Kitchen – Hopkins, Belize
With a great wide open view of the beach, church, and playground area is Tina’s. They even have a few Garifuna dishes as well. I went with a chicken quesadilla that was really good and the traditional Bundiga topped with a whole fish. The fish was so TASTY!!!
Innies Restaurant – Hopkins, Belize
Sitting right on the main street makes dining here a good spot to people watch and see what’s going on around town while eating. I had their chips with fresh salsa and stewed chicken with rice and beans.
Shadel’s Magic Pastry Shop – Hopkins, Belize
This is a tiny little shop with a bunch of different choices that you may not expect from them. I had the vanilla and chocolate cake and lemon meringue pie.
Jashlenn’s Corner Bakery – Hopkins, Belize
Some of the friendliest people you will meet run this bakery. They have a nice variety and I only wish I could have tried everything, but they were going on vacation for 3 weeks. I had the fresh glazed donut with sprinkles and it was great.
MeetU – Hopkins, Belize
Once you tire of eating outdoors and want a little comfort, air conditioning, television to watch, and modern ambiance then MeetU has you covered. The service was very friendly and they brought the food out extremely quick compared to other dining destinations in Hopkins. I had the Spicy Ginger Beef which was extremely tender, flavorful, and overall just phenomenal and an order of wonton soup.
Che’il Mayan Chocolate – Cockscomb Jaguar Sanctuary, Belize
Sitting at the foot of the Cockscomb Jaguar Sanctuary is a delicious little treat to get you ready to hike the trails. I had the orange mile chocolate and it was divine. The chocolate was so creamy and rich and just melted in your mouth immediately. I even bought another bar leaving the Sanctuary.
Bunches of Fun Banana Farm Tour – Stann Creek, Belize
You are able to tour a working Fyffes banana farm that was spotlighted on HGTV and see how their daily operations work. The tour is extremely informative, well done, and definitely worth a visit. Once the tour is over, you get to enjoy fresh green banana chips that were cooked while you are there. They were SOOO good!!!
Martha’s Restaurant and Bar – Pomona, Belize
Sitting in the tiny little town of Pomona is Martha’s where the locals dine. I ordered the coconut rice and beans and stewed beef, and it was out of this world wonderful. Highly recommend.
Hibiscus – Armenia Village, Belize
Just a few minutes North of St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park and Caves on the Hummingbird Highway sits Hibiscus. They place was filled with people the day we stopped and the delicious food and prices couldn’t be beat. I had the baked chicken that fell right off the bone with rice and beans.
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