Belize What to Eat
Belize's national dish may be rice and beans, but that doesn't mean that local cuisine stops there. The tropical reef fish, lobster and conch, available in season on the cayes and transported across Belize, are luxurious ingredients for a national cuisine. (Conch should not be eaten during the out-of-season months of July, August and September.) Belize can also offer an exotic range of tropical fruits, especially inland. Try a "sour-sap" milkshake for a start, then ask for whatever other bizarre produce is the local favourite.
The latest jungle resorts offer gourmet dining using local meats such as brocket deer, usually throwing in a range of vegetarian dishes (beyond rice and beans, that is). The Garifuna Belizeans of the south coast enjoy their traditional cassava or coconut bread while the Creoles will make fry jacks or Johnny cakes. Many tourists find themselves eating regularly at the resorts, either out of convenience or because meals are included in their package deal. It is also the case that many of the resort hotels are located in isolated spots, far from the nearest town, only a few of which have developed enough of an infrastructure for tourism to support independent restaurants. Even so, try to experience some of the smaller Belizean restaurants outside of the resort areas, many of which are simple roadside or seafront shacks. This is a good way to meet Belizeans and begin to appreciate their friendliness.
All Belizeans, however, are loyal to the national brew - Belikin beer - with the cheaper domestic version more highly regarded than the export label. Remember that tap water should not be drunk in the cayes or in the south.