Best Places To Eat In Caye Caulker (Backpacker Guide 2023)
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Looking for the best places to eat in Caye Caulker? You’re in the right place! We stayed in Caye Caulker for over 2 weeks and the food was just *incredible*. Here’s a list of the best places to eat in Caye Caulker.
As backpackers, we tend to opt for the cheapest food rather than the nicest whilst travelling. Sometimes we spend our last pennies on dodgy street food or save them altogether by cooking in the cluttered hostel kitchen.
For most of us, it’s rare to say, ‘let’s get dressed up and go to a restaurant!’
But one of the best things about Caye Caulker was that we could do this. And we definitely didn’t need to get dressed up!
Yes, we still ate street food (and it was yummy), but most of the restaurants in Caye Caulker are budget-friendly, meaning we could eat out most nights. Some of the restaurants are directed at holiday-makers, older tourists and families, so I’ll highlight those too.
In the following post, I outline the best places to eat in Caye Caulker. These are all restaurants I personally ate in myself. If a restaurant didn’t meet basic expectations, it’s not included on the list (meaning I can personally vouch for every single one of the venues below!)
So, let’s get started on the best places to eat in Caye Caulker!
Other Caye Caulker posts:
- Snorkeling in Caye Caulker: BEST Company
- Is Caye Caulker A Party Island? Backpacker Guide
- Shark Ray Alley Caye Caulker: Complete Guide
- Does Caye Caulker Have ATMs? Exact Locations
Best Places to Eat in Caye Caulker: A Summary
So, you’re visiting Caye Caulker? Yay! Caye Caulker was one of my favourite places in Central America for its relaxed way of life, abundance of wildlife and friendly locals.
If you’re looking for the best places to eat in Caye Caulker, there are a few things you should know first.
- The motto of Caye Caulker is ‘go slow’. And things really do go slow. You can expect to be waiting for your food for quite a while as nothing is done in a rush here!
- Not all places will have definite opening/closing times (and you definitely can’t trust Google maps). Things here are relaxed, so you may turn up somewhere and find it’s closed when it should be open!
- Names of food venues and restaurants may be different to Google maps. Again, this is down to the relaxed vibe of Caye Caulker, and some of the places on Google Maps don’t match what they say on the street sign.
- Everything is walkable – Caye Caulker is tiny!
- The national dish of Belize is rice and beans. Don’t worry, you can get this pretty much everywhere. It’s best served with BBQ chicken or fresh lobster!
I have personally eaten at all of the restaurants on this list. There are other venues in Caye Caulker (and more that pop up all the time), but it’s impossible to include them all! This is a selection of my favourites.
Best Places to Eat in Caye Caulker: A Quick List
If you’re in a hurry, here is a quick list of the best places to eat in Caye Caulker:
DAYTIME
- Kareem’s BBQ or any of the other BBQs along the beach
- Ice and Beans
- Auntie’s Take-Out Food
- Errolyn’s Fryjacks
- Amor Y Cafe
- Axios Sun
- The Lazy Lizard
- Sip and Dip
NIGHTTIME
- Yummy Yummy
- Roy’s Blue Water Grill
- Fantasy Dining
- Maggie’s Sunset Kitchen
- Iguana Reef Hotel
- Swings
- Pasta Per Caso
- The Happy Lobster
- The Taco Express Bar
For more information such as opening times and prices, keep reading!
Related post: 29 AMAZING Things To Do In Caye Caulker Belize
Best Places to Eat in Caye Caulker: Lunch and Day Time Restaurants
1. Kareem’s BBQ
🍽 Cuisine: Caribbean BBQ food (jerk chicken, lobster, rice and beans, coleslaw)
💵 Budget: Medium (££) – around £8 each per BBQ dish
📍Address: Front Street, Caye Caulker, Belize
🎶 Atmosphere: Beach BBQ set up
👍🏼 Recommended dish: BBQ chicken with rice and beans, or lobster if you eat seafood
⏱ Opening times: 11.30am – 5pm
Kareem’s was the first BBQ we had on Caye Caulker, and wow – we were not disappointed! We ordered our BBQ chicken, rice and beans and sat along the beachfront with a coconut waiting for our food. There was reggae music playing, and the vibe was the perfect introduction to Caribbean life.
Kareem’s gets busy – and it’s only open until 5pm, so make sure you head there for your lunch at least once whilst on Caye Caulker!
TOP TIP: Staying in one of the main backpacker hostels in Caye Caulker? Go Slow Hostel (my recommendation) is just a 2-minute walk from the main Caye Caulker BBQs! You can find out more about hostels in Caye Caulker here.
How do I pronounce ‘Caye Caulker?’
Surprisingly, it’s not pronounced ‘Caye’ (c-ay) Caulker at all. It’s pronounced ‘key’ (k-ee) Caulker. We didn’t learn this until after arriving in Belize!
2. Esther’s BBQ / Otis and Paula’s BBQ
🍽 Cuisine: Caribbean BBQ food (jerk chicken, lobster, rice and beans, coleslaw)
💵 Budget: Medium (££) – around £8 each per BBQ dish
📍Address: Front Street, Caye Caulker, Belize
🎶 Atmosphere: Beach BBQ set up
👍🏼 Recommended dish: BBQ chicken with rice and beans, or lobster if you eat seafood
⏱ Opening times: 11.30am – 5pm
We tried two other beach BBQs during our time in Caye Caulker. Again, both were delicious and right on the beach front! They’re similar in price to Kareem’s, and are just as tasty!
3. Ice and Beans Cafe
🍽 Cuisine: Bagels, smoothie bowls and coffee (the best coffee in Caye Caulker!)
💵 Budget: Medium (££) -£4.50 for a bagel and £3.70 for a cappuccino
📍Address: Front Street / Beachfront, Caye Caulker, Belize
🎶 Atmosphere: Casual beach cafe
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Apple Bee’s bagel, the Nutty Monkey bagel or ANY smoothie bowl
⏱ Opening times: 6.30am – 3pm
This was our favourite place in Caye Caulker for a casual lunch and coffee. I actually added Ice and Beans to my regular morning routine whilst we were staying.
They have incredible reviews on TripAdvisor – and for good reason. The second you walk in the door of Ice and Beans, you’re made to feel welcomed and at home. It’s special for a place that serves coffee and bagels!
If you’re staying in Caye Caulker for a few days, be sure to pick up a coffee reward card. They stamp it each time you buy a hot drink, and on your tenth visit, you get a free one!
The bagels are ‘unbeliezable‘ and are perfect for a light lunch. They also offer wifi, but we found it to be quite hit-and-miss (which, of course, is not a problem when you’re sitting in paradise).
Just remember the motto of the island is ‘go slow’, so you can wait up to 15-20 minutes for your food (which we didn’t mind at all, the views from the seating area are worth it).
4. Errolyn’s House of Fryjacks
🍽 Cuisine: Central American fryjacks
💵 Budget: Low (£)
📍Address: Avenida Langosta, Caye Caulker, Belize
🎶 Atmosphere: Hole-in-the-wall
👍🏼 Recommended dish:
⏱ Opening times: 6.30am – 11am
Only open for breakfast, Errolyn’s is one of those places in Caye Caulker you HAVE to try before you leave! Fryjacks are similar to an empanada, made of dough and fried in hot oil with a filling of your choice. They’re one of the most popular dishes in Belize, and are worth a try.
It’s a small, hole-in-the-wall type venue, so you can grab your fryjack and head to the water to enjoy your breakfast.
LOOKING TO BOOK A SNORKELING TRIP IN CAYE CAULKER? I’ve found the BEST company to do it with! Find out more here: Snorkeling in Caye Caulker: BEST Company!
5. Auntie’s Take-Out Food
🍽 Cuisine: A mix of everything; American, Chinese, Caribbean
💵 Budget: Low (£) – under £5 for a burger and chips with a drink
📍Address:
🎶 Atmosphere: Hole in the wall take out food
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Hamburger with fries or the vegetable fried rice
⏱ Opening times: 7am – 7pm
For a really cheap lunch, head to Auntie’s. We were recommended to Auntie’s by our hostel and I’ll be honest, at first, I wasn’t impressed. It’s a hole-in-the-wall type place, and it’s quite dingy and dark. But, the prices and the taste of the food made up for it!
It serves everything from American to Chinese, Caribbean and more. It’s a bit odd, but it does the job and it’s super cheap.
6. Amor Y Cafe
🍽 Cuisine: American and Belizean Breakfast
💵 Budget: Low (£)
📍Address: Playa Asuncion, Belize, near the Coral View Hotel
🎶 Atmosphere: Causal cafe
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Veggie omelette
⏱ Opening times: 6.30am – 1pm
If you’re in need of somewhere for breakfast, Amor Y cafe is the perfect spot for good coffee and a hearty meal that won’t break the bank. It was one of our favourite breakfast spots; especially as the staff were so friendly and welcoming!
7. Axios Sun
🍽 Cuisine: Breakfast bagels and smoothies
💵 Budget: Low (£)
📍Address: Playa Asuncion, Belize, next to Amor Y Cafe
🎶 Atmosphere: Causal cafe/hole-in-the-wall
👍🏼 Recommended dish: the bagels!
⏱ Opening times: 6am – late
Axios Sun is another great breakfast spot in Caye Caulker, but can easily be missed due to its size. It’s a small hole-in-the-wall type cafe that serves bagels, smoothies and a range of breakfast and lunch items. Perfect for backpackers on a budget!
8. The Lazy Lizard
🍽 Cuisine: Caribbean and American
💵 Budget: High (£££) £15-20 per person minimum
📍Address: The Split
🎶 Atmosphere: Beach club
👍🏼 Recommended dish: The cerviche!
⏱ Opening times: 10am – 12am (although it gets quiet after sunset)
If you’re looking for a boozy day out with friends, The Lazy Lizard is the perfect spot. Its essentially a beach club (without the beach), but with access to the sea, floating tables, a 20ft diving platform and expensive cocktails.
Most backpackers went here for a drink or two, but the high prices meant we could only have a couple! It’s great during the day if you want a swim and enjoy a beer overlooking the Split.
9. Sip and Dip
🍽 Cuisine: A mix of everything; American, Caribbean, Pizza
💵 Budget: High (£££) £15-20 per person minimum
📍Address: Playa Asuncion, Belize
🎶 Atmosphere: Beach club
👍🏼 Recommended dish: The pizzas and nachos
⏱ Opening times: Lunchtime – sunset
Another beach club near the Split is the Sip and Dip. It’s fun here but again has higher prices. We enjoyed pizza on the deck overlooking the Caribbean Sea and went for a swim afterwards.
It’s more expensive, but worth it if you’re going to enjoy a cocktail in the water!
Best Places to Eat in Caye Caulker: Evening and Dinner Restaurants
1. Yummy Yummy
🍽 Cuisine: Chinese
💵 Budget: Low (£)
📍Address: Playa Asuncion, Belize, opposite the Sports Bar
🎶 Atmosphere: Small, casual takeaway venue with some dine-in seats
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Vegetable fried rice
⏱ Opening times: Lunchtime – late
Ok, I have to be honest about this one. We may or may not have visited Yummy Yummy 3 nights in a row.
As a backpacker, we need two things. Cheap food, and good (filling) food. And Yummy Yummy does just that! The portion sizes are HUGE (enough for lunch and dinner) and they are so decently priced compared to other restaurants on the island.
If you like Chinese food that tastes good and costs practically nothing, I highly recommend starting at Yummy Yummy.
It’s also the perfect place to start your night out before heading to drinks at Swings or the Sports Bar (more info on partying in Caye Caulker here!)
2. Roy’s Blue Water Grill
🍽 Cuisine: American and Caribbean BBQ
💵 Budget: Medium (££)
📍Address: Pasero Street, Belize (around a 2 minute walk from Sports Bar)
🎶 Atmosphere: Fun, casual restaurant with loud music
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Vegetable or chicken fajitas
⏱ Opening times: 4.30pm – late
Roy’s is a hidden gem off of the main street of Caye Caulker. It’s only a 2-minute walk from Sports Bar, and is perfect for cheap drinks and food in the evening.
When we ate at Roy’s, it was full of other backpackers and locals, with loud music and a buzzing atmosphere. We loved it!
3. Fantasy Dining
🍽 Cuisine: American and Caribbean BBQ
💵 Budget: Medium (££)
📍Address:
🎶 Atmosphere: Casual restaurant with music and beach access
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Belizean stew
⏱ Opening times: 10am – 10pm
If you’re looking for a casual restaurant for dinner, Fantasy Dining has a large menu (full of vegetarian options) and it isn’t too expensive. It’s around a 30 second walk from the Sports Bar, so it’s also in a great location if you want a night out after.
4. Maggie’s Sunset Kitchen
🍽 Cuisine: American and Caribbean BBQ
💵 Budget: Medium (££)
📍Address: Linds Cocal Caye Caulker, Belize (on the same road as the Sea and Sun Guesthouse)
🎶 Atmosphere: Casual restaurant with sunset views
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Belizean stew
⏱ Opening times: 10am – 10pm
Maggie’s Sunset Kitchen is one of the best places to eat in Caye Caulker for fresh, tasty and cheap food. It’s right on the water so you can enjoy your Belikin beer and BBQ food whilst watching the sunset. It also has a fun, social vibe and is perfect for a chilled evening drink.
5. Iguana Reef Hotel
🍽 Cuisine: American and Caribbean
💵 Budget: High (£££)
📍Address: Chapoose Street, Caye Caulker, Belize
🎶 Atmosphere: Beach club style restaurant with sunset views (and stingrays!)
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Nachos
⏱ Opening times: early – late
If you’ve been doing your research about Caye Caulker (or have been on my Instagram), you will have seen the stingray feeding at sunset. Iguana Reef is where it happens!
The Iguana Reef Hotel isn’t just the place to see stingrays, the sunset, eels, seahorses and tarpons (yep, there’s a lot), it’s also an amazing place for dinner and cocktails. However, this does come at a price! Being an expensive tourist hotel, you can expect to pay at least £10-15 for a cocktail and £15+ for a meal.
TOP BUDGET TIP: You CAN visit the Iguana Reef Hotel to see the stingrays without buying anything at all. Just turn up and head down to the water at sunset!
Need more information about spotting stingrays on Caye Caulker? Check out my post: Where To See Stingrays in Caye Caulker: Complete Guide!
6. Swings
🍽 Cuisine: American and Caribbean
💵 Budget: Medium (££)
📍Address: Opposite Sports Bar
🎶 Atmosphere: Fun, casual restaurant and bar for evening food and drinks
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Belizean stew
⏱ Opening times: early – late
Swings is a great place to grab food in Caye Caulker, as it has such an extensive menu full of both American and Caribbean meals. It’s also decently priced for backpackers and has a range of cheap cocktails and beers for pre-drinks.
Swings is also one of the best places to go for a night out in Caye Caulker, which you can find out more about here: Is Caye Caulker A Party Island? Backpacker Guide.
7. Pasta Per Caso
🍽 Cuisine: Italian
💵 Budget: High (£££)
📍Address: Near the Coral View Hotel
🎶 Atmosphere: Upscale Italian restaurant with al fresco dining
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Pasta of the day
⏱ Opening times: early – late
Pasta Per Caso isn’t your typical backpacker restaurant, but if you have a budget that allows it, it’s worth checking out. It’s always full, with hungry customers queuing out of the door, so you’re recommended to Whatsapp +5016026670 with a reservation time before arriving!
If you want a hearty Italian meal and a glass of wine, Pasta Per Caso is your place. It’s family-run and one of the most well-known restaurants on the island. Not to be missed!
8. The Happy Lobster
🍽 Cuisine: Seafood and Caribbean
💵 Budget: Medium (££)
📍Address: Playa Asuncion, near the E-Z Boys Tour hut
🎶 Atmosphere: Laid-back casual restaurant
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Coconut shrimp curry
⏱ Opening times: 6.30am-9pm
If you’re big on seafood, I recommend checking out the Happy Lobster. It’s a casual restaurant on the main strip with fair prices for what you get (and good portion sizes). We found the Happy Lobster to always be relatively busy with locals and tourists.
9. The Taco Express Bar
🍽 Cuisine: Tacos and Caribbean food
💵 Budget: Medium (££)
📍Address: Next to Roy’s
🎶 Atmosphere: Laid-back casual restaurant with a pool table and loud music
👍🏼 Recommended dish: Tacos!
⏱ Opening times: lunchtime – late
Equipped with a pool table, The Taco Express Bar is great as a pre-drinking stop before a night out in Caye Caulker. It also does great tacos!
It was always busy with locals whenever we visited, and as it is next to Roy’s Grill, the crowd crosses between the two. It’s definitely worth checking out!
Is Caye Caulker a party island?
Not necessarily, but there are still some places to have a great night out. Caye Caulker is exceptionally small, so everyone tends to go to the same places in the evenings (including the locals; we recognised everyone in every bar!)
As backpackers, we started our evenings in Swings, a small bar with decently priced food and delicious rum punch. After Swings, most move onto Sports Bar. A typical dive bar, the Sports Bar hosts different events each night, ranging from Trivia quizzes to karaoke. Past 9pm, the tables are moved and the whole place becomes a dancefloor with a small smoking area on the beach.
After Sports Bar, most people either head home (it closes at midnight), or south to the Reggae Bar. The Reggae Bar is the only place on Caye Caulker that is open past midnight. It’s more of a club than anywhere else on the island, so if you’re not into overcrowded dance floors, head home at midnight.
If you’re hungry, the only places still serving food past midnight on Caye Caulker are the street food vans opposite the Reggae Bar. You can get hotdogs, burgers and nachos for under £5, so even if you’re not continuing the party, you can stop off for some food!
Want to know more about partying in Caye Caulker? Check out my post: Is Caye Caulker A Party Island? Backpacker Guide.
Best backpacker travel insurance for Central America
If you’re visiting Central America as a backpacker, or even for a short vacation, it is so important to have travel insurance. And if you ended up on a post that’s called ‘epic party tips’, you know (just as well as I do) that you definitely need travel insurance.
Personally, I recommend SafetyWing. As a digital nomad and world traveller myself, I can confirm it is the best travel insurance out there. And one of the cheapest – they have deals that start at just $42 USD per month.
I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘but I can’t afford that!’. I was the same! It’s tough to fork out $42 a month on something ‘you might not need’. But what if something DOES happen? That extra Mezcal shot results in you falling down the stairs, or you eat something dodgy from a street food van.
If you need medical help at any point whilst in Central America, you need travel insurance.
With SafetyWing, you’re covered on travel emergencies, basic medical costs and medical expenses throughout your trip, so you can travel without worry (at a backpacker’s price!)
Don’t even think twice about getting travel insurance for Central America. Trust me, I have heard enough horror stories about backpackers who haven’t had insurance and have ended up in a lot of debt. Don’t be that person!
If you’ve been putting the job off because it takes a lot of time and effort to research the best travel insurance companies, I understand. That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you. Sign up for SafetyWing, and the job is done!
Best Places to Eat in Caye Caulker: In a Nutshell
So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about the best places to eat in Caye Caulker.
When you’re planning a trip to Caye Caulker, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t come across my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently backpacking Central America with my boyfriend (read more here!), whilst creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more Belize content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
Related post: 29 AMAZING Things To Do In Caye Caulker Belize
Other Belize posts:
- Snorkeling in Caye Caulker: BEST Company
- Shark Ray Alley Caye Caulker: Complete Guide
- Best Hostels In Caye Caulker For Backpackers
MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
