Looking for the best places to eat and drink on Caye Caulker? In this post, we’ll share our 10 favourite restaurants on Caye Caulker, Belize’s go slow island.
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Eating in Caye Caulker
Belize’s go slow island Caye Caulker is one of our all-time favourite islands. Besides the dazzling blue Caribbean waters, fiery sunsets and countless things to do, one of the reasons we loved Caye Caulker so much was the great food!
If you’re expecting fine dining, you won’t find it here. If you’re expecting fast food chains, you won’t find that either.
What you will find is a collection of great local restaurants serving up fresh and tasty Belizean-style food. Usually outside in the shade of palm trees, to the sound of reggae music, with a view of the ocean. Ultimate Caribbean vibes!
We were overwhelmed by all the well-rated choices but managed to work through a good chunk of our ‘to eat’ list during our week on the island. All the places we tried were delicious, and honestly, I don’t think you’ll have a bad meal anywhere on Caye Caulker.
It was tough, but we’ve narrowed down the list to our top 10 favourite restaurants on Caye Caulker.
OUR CAYE CAULKER TRAVEL GUIDES 👇🏼
Things to know about the Caye Caulker restaurants
- 💰 It can be expensive – we were a little shocked at the prices of food and drink. It’s not expensive in comparison to restaurant prices in say Australia or the US, but if you’re on a tight budget, it can be tricky to find cheap meals. However, when you consider the generally higher costs in Belize and the fact that you’re on an island, it’s understandable.
- 🍟 There are no chain restaurants – you won’t find any McDonalds, KFC or Pizza Hut on Caye Caulker, and it is great! Restaurants in Caye Caulker have remained mostly locally owned, and you can find fresh, traditional-style Belizean food. You can still get international dishes if you’re looking for some home comforts, but it won’t be from a fast food outlet.
- ⏰ Google Maps hours are inaccurate – don’t trust the information here, especially in the low season when some restaurants close or adjust their hours. It’s best to wander down and check in person if you’re set on going somewhere particular for a meal.
- 💵 Belize uses Belize Dollars – but also accepts US Dollars at a rate of $1 USD = $2 BZD. You can pay in either currency. Many restaurants are cash only, or if they do accept credit cards, they charge a hefty fee. Always carry cash.
- 😶 You will have to wait – service is slow, cooking is slow, so just go slow like Caye Caulker’s motto. This is a paradise Caribbean island, don’t get frustrated, just relax and enjoy the vibe.
Our 10 favourite restaurants on Caye Caulker
- ☕️ Ice and Beans – coffee and bagels
- 🍗 Reina’s – jerk chicken
- 🍚 Steve’s Grill – seafood curry
- 🌯 Errolyn’s House of Fry Jacks – breakfast fry jacks
- 🦞 Beach BBQs – grilled lobster
- 🌶️ Chef Juan’s Kitchen – chilli bowl
- 🐠 Wish Willy Bar & Grill – cheap lobster
- 🌮 La Cubana – cheap tacos and pupusas
- 🍳 Namaste Cafe – healthy breakfast
- 🥐 Caye Caulker Bakery – cinnamon buns
1. Ice and Beans
- 📍 Location: Front Beach on Google Maps here
- 🍴 Eat here for: breakfast or lunch
- ⏰ Opening hours: 6:00 am – 6:00 pm daily
- 💰 Approximate cost: $14+ BZD for a bagel or bowl, $8+ BZD for drinks
- 🦞 Must order: Apple Bees bagel and iced coffee
Ice and Beans is more than just one of the best restaurants in Caye Caulker – it’s an island institution! Ask anyone who has visited the island, and they’ll tell you that hanging at Ice and Beans is a quintessential Caye Caulker experience! This beachfront café is one of the busiest and most well-established businesses on the island and they have a constant stream of customers out the door all day.
Easily the best place to eat in Caye Caulker for breakfast, they offer great coffee, smoothies, freshly squeezed juices and a range of sweet frappes. For food, they have sweet and savoury sandwiches or bagels, build-your-own smoothie bowls, and their famous mini doughnuts that are warm, sugary and delicious. I’m still dreaming of their Apple Bee’s bagel with apple, cream cheese and honey on a cinnamon raisin bagel mmm….
But the best part of Ice and Beans is their beachfront dining area. Hammocks are strung up between palm trees, colourful beach lounges dot the sand, along with a number of picnic-style tables. Island vibes to the max.
2. Reina’s
- 📍 Location: Avenida Langosta on Google Maps here
- 🍴 Eat here for: dinner
- ⏰ Opening hours: 5:30 pm – 10:00 pm daily except Sunday
- 💰 Approximate cost: $25 – $40 BZD for mains
- 🦞 Must order: jerk chicken
Reina’s serves up typical Belizean food, and they do it well! All their food is of great quality, and their reviews are fantastic. Considered by many to have the best jerk chicken on the island (we agree!), this is some of the best food in Caye Caulker and one of the top places to try some local specialties.
They are only open for dinner, and the few tables are snapped up early! We would suggest arriving before 6:00 pm if you want a table during the busy season. The setting is super casual, with covered outdoor dining that is typical of the island.
If delicious food wasn’t enough, the dishes at Reina’s are very affordable with really large serves. We tried and loved the pineapple shrimp and the jerk chicken, and two huge meals were just $50 BZD.
3. Steve’s Grill
- 📍 Location: Avenida Hicaco on Google Maps here
- 🍴 Eat here for: dinner
- ⏰ Opening hours: 4:00 pm – 9:30 pm daily except Sundays
- 💰 Approximate cost: $35 – $50 BZD for seafood mains
- 🦞 Must order: seafood curry
Steve’s Grill is another one of the Caye Caulker restaurants that is only open for dinner. Their dining space is pretty small too, and it fills up quickly in the evenings. Expect a short wait unless you arrive quite early, but I promise it’s worth it!
Steve grills up delicious fish, shrimp and lobster on the BBQ out the front, which is complemented by curries and sides being whipped up by the ladies inside. It’s a little on the pricey side, but the serves are huge and so yummy. I’m still dreaming of my shrimp curry from here! It was our first dinner on Caye Caulker and it did not disappoint.
It’s located on the main street in town, which is always busy and bustling. You’ll get the chance to do plenty of people-watching while sitting up on their small balcony, but I wouldn’t say it’s a romantic setting.
4. Errolyn’s House of Fry Jacks
- 📍 Location: Avenida Langosta on Google Maps here
- 🍴 Eat here for: breakfast
- ⏰Opening hours: 6:30 am – 1:00 pm daily except Mondays
- 💰 Approximate cost: $6 – $10 BZD per fry jack
- 🦞 Must order: eggs, beans and cheese fry jack
If you don’t already know what fry jacks are, this typical Belizean breakfast consists of a deep-fried dough stuffed with goodies of your choice. Common fillings are beans, cheese, egg, ham or bacon.
There is a bit of debate on who makes the best fry jacks on the island, but it is widely agreed that Errolyn’s is the top choice! Fry jacks are a really cheap breakfast, ranging from $6 – $10 BZD for one depending on your fillings. They are quite substantial too, so one or two is enough to fill most people.
You’ll go up to the counter to order, and wait for your name to be called. Don’t forget to load up your fry jacks with homemade hot sauce and pickled vegetables. *Drool*.
5. Beach BBQs
- 📍 Location: Front Beach on Google Maps here
- 🍴 Eat here for: lunch
- ⏰Opening hours: 11:30 am – 5:00 pm daily except Mondays
- 💰 Approximate cost: $35 BZD for a lobster pack
- 🦞 Must order: BBQ lobster or jerk chicken pack
All along the front beach there is a line of BBQ stalls open for lunch throughout the day. I can’t think of a more quintessential Caribbean experience than having a BBQ lobster or spiced jerk chicken for lunch, with your feet in the sand and reggae tunes pumping!
Chef Kareem’s Unbelizable BBQ is the most popular stall and is what the above information specifically refers to. But there are a number of different stalls all clustered together offering essentially the same thing. Otis and Paula’s BBQ and Da Crusted Crab are both good options and where you eat will most likely depend on how big the lines are and who has chairs free!
They generally open from around 11:00 am – 12:00 pm and close around 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
All the stalls have lobster, fish, jerk chicken, corn, and more frying up on the grill. You choose which protein you want, and it will come served in a pack with rice and beans and salads.
I’ll admit, we ate better and cheaper lobster and sides elsewhere on the island, but I still think it’s worth experiencing the beachfront BBQs at least once. The setting and vibe are impeccable, and it is a quintessential Caye Caulker experience.
6. Chef Juan’s Kitchen
- 📍 Location: Crocodile Street on Google Maps here
- 🍴 Eat here for: lunch or dinner
- ⏰ Opening hours: 12:00 pm – 8:30 pm daily except Tuesday
- 💰 Approximate cost: $15 – $30 BZD for mains
- 🦞 Must order: chilli in a bowl and key lime pie
Chef Juan serves up Belizean food with a twist and is a great spot for when you’re craving something a bit different from the standard rice and beans.
The restaurant is a bit tucked away down a side street, so you may not come across it if you’re not looking, but it’s worth the short detour.
We tried Chef Juan’s famous chilli bowl, which was delicious and a juicy pulled pork bun. The meals are not too expensive at all and are very decent-sized serves.
We had no room to try the key lime pie, but other visitors rave about it and I definitely have regrets not getting a slice!
7. Wish Willy Bar & Grill
- 📍 Location: Park Street on Google Maps here
- 🍴 Eat here for: dinner
- ⏰ Opening hours: 5:00 pm – 9:30 pm daily
- 💰 Approximate cost: $20 – $30 BZD for mains
- 🦞 Must order: lobster
Wish Willy has to be one of the most casual places to eat in Caye Caulker (which is saying something for this ‘go slow’ island!). This cool local spot is literally in someone’s backyard and is a really laidback and unique dining experience.
The atmosphere is like going to a BBQ with friends, with a long communal table to encourage you to chat with other travellers. Willy and his team are grilling on the BBQ mere metres away, and you help yourself to water, soda or beer from the cooler.
There is no menu here, and Willy will give you the options for the day. Depending on the season, you can choose from fish, pork chop, curry, conch or lobster. These are served with sides like rice, beans, veggies and salads.
When we visited, all dishes were $20 BZD, except the lobster, that was $25 BZD, which is definitely the cheapest lobster on the island!
8. La Cubana
- 📍 Location: Front Beach on Google Maps here
- 🍴 Eat here for: lunch or dinner
- ⏰ Opening hours: 7:45 am – 9:00 pm daily
- 💰 Approximate cost: $3+ BZD for tacos
- 🦞 Must order: tacos and pupusas
La Cubana isn’t ranked amongst the best food in Caye Caulker, and it doesn’t always get the greatest reviews, but a sign for cheap tacos drew us in.
They have a full menu with a range of dishes, which along with their service might be the source of the bad reviews. But if you’re after a cheap meal and you’re not fussed about service, flick to their snack menu with basic tacos and burritos, pupusas and other snacky style foods that were super cheap.
We managed to get a decent dinner for both of us for just $20 BZD. We actually really enjoyed the food, and though it’s not Mexico, it was a nice change and easy on the wallet. We didn’t find anything cheaper on the island, and we were happy with a simple meal for the price.
9. Namaste Cafe
- 📍 Location: Pasero Street on Google Maps here
- 🍴 Eat here for: breakfast or lunch
- ⏰ Opening hours: 7:30 am – 2:30 pm daily except Sunday
- 💰 Approximate cost: $25 BZD for a breakfast combo
- 🦞 Must order: breakfast combo pack
Cafe cum yoga studio, Namaste Cafe is one of the best breakfasts in Caye Caulker if you’re looking for a light, healthy meal.
Sitting underneath the yoga studio, we stayed around after our class and had breakfast. It’s a gorgeous, leafy space and a great spot to work on your laptop for a while.
The breakfast combo deals are great, at $25 for a main, coffee/tea, juice and fruits. We chose the loaded peanut butter bagel, which was delicious, but they also had a baked croissant which I had my eye on but they were sold out. Let me know if you try it! For lunch, they have a range of fresh salads and sandwiches.
10. Caye Caulker Bakery
- 📍 Location: Avenida Langosta on Google Maps here
- 🍴 Eat here for: take away goodies
- ⏰ Opening hours: 7:30 am – 11:30 am and 2:30 pm – 7:00 pm daily except Sunday
- 💰 Approximate cost: $1 – $4 BZD for sweet and savoury items
- 🦞 Must order: cinnamon rolls
If you’re heading out and about for the day and want some snacks, Caye Caulker Bakery is the place to go! They open in two shifts throughout the day, once in the morning at 7:30 am, and again at 2:30 pm after a break for lunch.
For a chance at scoring one of their famous cinnamon rolls, be sure to arrive at the start of either shift. They have a range of other sweet and savoury pastries, which are great to take out for a day tour or to have a picnic-style lunch on the beach.
We brought a few different things across to the Caye Caulker North Island with us for lunch while we were at the technically closed Northside Beach Club, and it was a yummy, filling and cheap meal.
Other Caye Caulker restaurants
I’m going to limit this list to the 10 best places to eat in Caye Caulker that we tried ourselves and loved. But there are a couple of honourable mentions that I want to briefly include here!
We couldn’t try everything when we visited, and unfortunately, a few of the places that had great reviews were closed for the holiday season. So, if you have some more time and need more restaurants in Caye Caulker to fill your eating itinerary, we recommend researching:
Best bars on Caye Caulker
If you’re looking for somewhere to sip on a cocktail or Belikin, there are some great bars on Caye Caulker. Many of them are waterfront, with plenty of spots to swim, or even sit and enjoy your drink in the water!
Most bars also serve food, but prices can be high and quality not as good as the restaurants on Caye Caulker, so we suggest saving your meals.
Our top bar recommendations:
Final thoughts: restaurants on Caye Caulker
We loved checking out so many of the best places to eat in Caye Caulker. I’m still drooling, remembering back to eating lobster, delicious Caribbean-style curries and Belizean jerk chicken.
For such a small island, there are so many great options to choose from, and I’m sad we didn’t make it around to all of the best options.
I hope this post helps plan your eating adventures in Caye Caulker, let me know which is your favourite!
MORE CAYE CAULKER POSTS
- Caye Caulker, Belize Travel Guide: The ‘Go Slow’ Island
- Where to Stay in Caye Caulker – 16 Top Rated Options for all Budgets
- 17 Very Best Things to Do in Caye Caulker
- How to Visit the Caye Caulker North Island (Best Beaches!)
- Caye Caulker Snorkeling Guide – Dive Into an Underwater Wonderland
- How to See the Great Blue Hole Belize – Scenic Flight vs Scuba Diving
- Ragga Sailing Adventures 3D/2N Tour from Caye Caulker Review
The Comments
Jax
You left out some of our faves! 😉
– BFast:
Caye Breeze Cafe is AMAZING and right on the water. (next to seaside cabanas)
– Dinner:
Elba’s Little Kitchen – a bit out of the way but Miss Ruby and her family is the best. This a great spot for local food and to catch the sunset on the lagoon side.
– Street food – North of Weezies, before the airport is a husband and wife duo (near OASI)
called RJ’s Roadside Grill. FANTASTIC BBQ and omg the banana bread. We always get some
to have with our morning coffee.
and a +1 for Wish Willy.
Mo is hilarious and a fabulous chef and a friend at this point, and his wife does amazing local rescue work for the caye caulker humane society.
Love this little island!
Sally Rodrick
JaxThanks so much for this Jax! There are SO many good places to eat on the island I’m drooling reading this. You’d need weeks to eat your way through all the amazing places!
Bruno Chacur
Thank you very much and congratulations for the good information on Caye Caulker! We followed almost all your tips. It was very useful for our trip! Food on Caye Caulker was just delicious. We loved it!
Sally Rodrick
Bruno ChacurThanks so much for taking the time to let me know Bruno! 🙂 So glad you had a great trip and my blog was helpful. I am missing fry jacks and lobster that’s for sure!