This hidden gem can be your next 🌯 foodie destination with popular dishes like 🫔 tamales & salpicon. There's also the local Orange Walk tacos 🌮 found in every corner.
Orange Walk might just be your next foodie destination. In this post, I'll list out exactly what locals eat, where you can find it and as a bonus include some cafes & bakeries.
What To Eat
The food in every region is normally influenced by the neighboring countries. This town is no different with most of the dishes originating from the Yucatan Area.
These are the most popular dishes & snacks the locals eat: 👇
Popular Dishes
- Tacos
- Garnaches
- Salbutes
- Panades
- Tamales
- Salpicon
- Escabeche
- Relleno
Local Snacks
- Coconut Water
- Wangla
- Cocobrut
- Peanut Fudge
- Seaweed Shake
- Coconut Tart
- Banana Bread
- Flavored Ideal
Where To Eat
This list is for places that sell local dishes with many being locally owned. While there are other restaurants with fancier views, the priority was authentic & tasty Belizean food.
These are the best places to eat in Orange Walk Town: 👇
Street Food
1. Ana's Pupusas
This little gem is located in the outskirts of town but it's my favorite pupusas spot because the owners are from El Salvador and serve it exactly like they do in their country. For the best experience, eat at the location but expect to wait a little bit.
- 🏆 What To Try: Mixed pupusas
- 🌱 Vegan Option: Chaya or pumpkin pupusas
2. Camie's Fast Food
Locals flock this tiny hole in the wall every weekend for salbutes, panades and anything that leaves a paper bag greasy. They also sell burritos, tostadas, burgers and tortas.
- 🏆 What To Try: Salbutes and panades
- 🌱 Vegan Option: Veggie burrito
- 🌮 Similar Food: Mayito's Panades
3. Lily's Tacos
For many local Orange Walkeños, this is their favorite tacos stand. Then again, taste is highly subjective but this is a perfect balance of taste, fast service and great price. You can try tacos from other stands for fun.
- 🏆 What To Try: $5 tacos with everything
- 🌮 Similar Food: Elma's Tacos
4. Mercy's Place
Everyone that's from out-district stops here because it's in front of the fire station. And because it's open till around 2AM. The tacos isn't the very best but the burritos are tasty, filling and good value for money.
- 🏆 What To Try: $3 Burritos with fruit juice
5. Garnaches Spot
This vendor might not have a name but the locals know it as the spot in front of the park (Queen Elizabeth Park). They sell garnaches for really cheap which is a big round tortilla chip with beans and cheese.
- 🏆 What To Try: $3 Garnaches with everything
Restaurants
6. Nahil Mayab
Nahil is an elegant restaurant with a beautiful green patio. It's perfect for fine dining and grabbing a drink. The menu is excellent offering wide variety of Mayan-inspired dishes at reasonable prices.
- 🏆 What To Try: Curry Shrimp
- 🌱 Vegan Option: Eggplant & Zucchini
7. The Dinner House
This restaurant recently expanded offering breakfast and a handful of authentic Belizean dishes. Check out their social media page for special of the day especially soups.
- 🏆 What To Try: Escabeche or Relleno
8. La Enramada
Everyone in town knows Enramada as the ceviche spot. It sells one thing only and that's ceviche - shrimp & conch. You can also get cold local beers while you're here.
- 🏆 What To Try: Salpicon or Shrimp Ceviche
9. El Establo
This restaurant was perviously managed by a family member so the recipes are actually from my grandmother. It's located in the outskirts of town has a rustic vibe and has all the mestizo dishes on the menu.
- 🏆 What To Try: Relleno or Escabeche
10. Victor's Inn
Having lived in Orange Walk as a child, I remember going to Honey Camp and coming back to eat salpicon at Victor's Inn. Locals rave about this spot as the best place to get salpicon.
- 🏆 What To Try: Salpicon
Cafes
11. Koffee Stainz
Finding a coffee shop in a small town in Belize is challenging. This coffee shop checks all the marks. It has plants, good coffee and a vibe. Possibly the best place to do some work or chill.
- 🏆 What To Try: Vietnamese Coffee
12. Maria's Bakeshop
This small coffee shop opened up relatively recently and brought a solid coffee & tea menu. It also has breakfast options with local options like meat pies. The only downside is the uncomfortable chairs.
- 🏆 What To Try: Matcha Horchata
13. Natural Balance
We're so lucky to have Taiwanese settlement in Belize to give us vegetarian options. This small cafe has been up for a decade and serves a small array of Taiwanese dishes and drinks.
- 🏆 What To Try: Bubble milk tea
- 🌱 Vegan Option: Dumplings
14. Ovenly Bites
This tiny bakery has a wide variety of bread and pastries. It's not a cafe and only offers takeout but there are so many options. If you go early in the morning, you can get their local meat pies as well.
- 🏆 What To Try: Banana bread and johnny cakes
15. La Popular Bakery
While this space is also not a cafe, it's where all the locals go to buy their bread. There's a wide assortment of bread and pastries. They also sell meat pies now.
- 🏆 What To Try: Honeybun or polvoron
- 🌮 Similar Food: Sister's Bakery
Resources
Comments
Did I miss something or see anything outdated? Leave a comment: 👇