Where to Eat in Punta Gorda, Belize? 4 Restaurants You Have to Try!

Looking for a great place to eat in Punta Gorda, Belize? I’ve got you covered!

I don’t usually write about places to eat while traveling because I’m not really a foodie. And I rarely remember to take photos of what I’m eating or remember to jot down where I am anyway.

Typically, I like to cook when I travel solo. If my accommodation does not have a kitchen, then I’ll opt for simple meals sourced from a grocery store or market.

Don’t get me wrong! I do enjoy dining out, but one restaurant meal a day is good for me. A slice of pizza or a plate of tacos will do just fine. I’m easy to please and like to keep a tight budget!

However, it was a different story in Punta Gorda, Belize. The food was so great and so affordable that I couldn’t get enough of it. Even though I stayed with a friend who lived in a house with a kitchen… I enjoyed at least two restaurant meals a day during my stay. Sometimes at the same restaurant twice in one day!

Best Restaurants to Eat in Punta Gorda Belize

1. Joycelyn’s Cuisine

My first meal in Punta Gorda was a plate full of barbecue jerk chicken, fried plantain, rice, and stewed beans. This meal set the bar for the rest of my meals this week.

Boy, was I hungry when we finally found a restaurant that was open on my first day in town! Since it was Garifuna Settlement Day, a national holiday in Belize, Joycelyn’s was the only place we could find open for business.

Three things I loved: The subtle coconut flavor of the stewed beans as all the stewed beans I ate in Belize had. So, consider this fair warning if you’re not a fan of coconut. The picnic tables overlooked the Caribbean Sea from the large outdoor patio and were the only seating at the restaurant. Jocelyn sat with us while we ate and shared some bitter, fermented cherries with us.

Menu & prices: Jerk chicken with rice and beans (or beans and rice) was the only thing on the menu, and it was $10 BZD (about $5 USD).

Location: Front Street, across from the Petrol Station.

2. Asha’s Culture Kitchen

Lionfish, the specialty at Asha’s Culture Kitchen, is what most would expect to see in the tank next to their table, not on their plate. Its popularity in the kitchen sprung from the need for invasive species intervention.

Nerd alert! Of course, I found this intriguing because I did a lot of research on aquatic invasive species in college. I continued my research for the Forest Service during my first year of AmeriCorps. Lionfish is one of the worst. To make it a culinary specialty is a pretty creative environmental conservation effort.

Even though I ended up not getting a lionfish plate the night I ate at Asha’s (I am a native Cape Codder who happens NOT like seafood, after all), I fully support their effort to protect the Belize Barrier Reef from the repercussions of this noxious species. I did try a bite from my friend’s plate, and it is not for me.

Three things I loved: Asha introduced himself and chatted with me about invasive species when he saw me snapping these photos. My rice, also subtly coconut flavored, was served in the shape of a heart. The entire menu was on a decorative chalkboard wall.

Menu & prices: There’s plenty more than lionfish on the menu, including vegetarian dishes. Prices ranged from $10-$25 BZD (about $5-$12.50 USD).

Location: 74 Front Street

3. Waluco’s Bar & Grill

Not only will you enjoy the great food and atmosphere at Waluco’s Bar & Grill, but you’ll feel great about spending your dollars there. All proceeds support the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE), an organization promoting the sustainable use of the diverse mountain-to-sea resources of Southern Belize. They are helping to protect natural areas and resources through direct management, research and monitoring, and community outreach.

Three things I loved: Lime Juice! With the open-air seating and kitchen – you could watch the food being cooked and the local kids jumping off a dock into the Caribbean simultaneously. Free Wi-Fi makes it a relaxing working area between lunch and dinner for locals and ex-pats.

I loved the food here so much, especially the stewed beans, that I recreated the recipe at home! Try out my Belizean stewed beans recipe for yourself.

Menu & prices: A small but diverse menu and daily specials exist. Lunch and dinner entrees range from $7-$15 BZD (about $4-$7.50 USD).

Location: 1 Mile Hopeville

4. Backa Jama’s was my favorite place to eat in Punta Gorda, Belize!

Otherwise known as Piece of Chicken at the Piece of Ground Hostel, Backa Jama’s specializes in juicy chicken burgers. The restaurant is located on the third floor of the hostel and offers full views of the town and distant, misty mountains.

Of all the places to eat in Punta Gorda, Belize, I chose this place several times. I’m not ashamed to say that I ordered the same jalapeno chicken burger every time!

Three things I loved: Sitting on a swing at my table while drinking beers and listening to music played on a Youtube playlist. This was a popular dinner and drinks spot while I was in Punta Gorda, so I got to chat with lots of locals and tourists while playing pool. It’s on the outskirts of town and was a decent bike ride from my friend’s house near the airport.

Menu & prices: Chicken burgers and nachos pretty much make up the whole menu. A burger with fries will run you $8 BZD (about $4 USD), and a bottle Belekin Beer or Sprite is $3-4 BZD (about $1.50-$2 USD).

Location: Pelican Street, sort of on the outskirts of town.

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