Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sahara Grill
Mile 3 Philip Goldson Hwy, across from
Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza
T
202 3031.
For a
refreshing change from Belizean cuisine, stop by this well-
run restaurant to feast on Lebanese and other
Mediterranean dishes, including creamy hummus, falafel
and grilled kebabs. Mains Bz$15-30.
Hours vary, but
usually Mon-Sat 11am-3pm & 5-10pm, Sun 5-10pm.
★
and butter. Start off the evening at the nightly happy hour
(3-7pm), with nicely priced rum cocktails.
Daily
7am-10pm.
Stonegrill
In the Radisson, Cork St
T
223 3333.
Poolside restaurant where you select your dish - seafood,
chicken or beef, kebab-style (Bz$40 upwards) - and cook it
yourself on a slab of volcanic rock heated to 350ºC. Mild or
spicy sauces accompany your creation. Sizzling fun and
surprisingly healthy, as there are no added fats or oils.
Daily 11am-10pm.
Sumathi
190 Barrack Rd
T
223 1172,
W
sumathi.2get2u
.com.
Good North Indian and tandoori food (Bz$20-40) in a
quiet, smart environment. Vegetarian dishes include
chickpea curry and
aloo gobi
(cauliflower, potatoes, sweet
pepper and ginger).
Tues-Sun 11am-11pm.
1
Smoky Mermaid
In The
Great House, 13 Cork St
T
223 4759,
W
smokymermaid.com.
Want to enjoy
seafood alfresco? There are few better spots in Belize City
than here, where you can sit amid the gnarled roots and
heavy branches of native trees - alongside a mermaid
fountain - with the colonial
Great House
looming behind.
Try the
ceviche
, the catch of the day crusted with shredded
yucca, and “Naked Lobster”, steamed and served with garlic
DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
While Belize City's nightlife pales in comparison with the easy-living bars of the cayes, there is a decent variety, from
outdoor bars with fruit cocktails to lively karaoke nights. The more sophisticated bars are in the higher-end hotels, from the
poolside one at the
Biltmore
(with occasional steel band music) to the
Smoky Mermaid
, in the patio beneath
The Great
House
, where you can enjoy frothy drinks amid tropical foliage. The liveliest strip in the city is the relatively safe stretch of
Barrack Road around BTL Park. At weekends, the pavements fill with a youngish, local crowd traipsing from one nightspot
to the next.
Hour Bar & Grill
1 Princess Margaret Drive
T
223
3737.
Enjoy cocktails with spot-on views of the Caribbean
Sea at this breezy waterfront bar and grill. In between
drinks, fill up on juicy burgers, pulled pork and nachos.
They also host all sorts of fun events, including sports
nights, all-you-can-eat Taco Sundays and more.
Daily
noon-midnight; kitchen usually closed Sun.
Jet's Bar
Philip Goldson International Airport
T
660
6111.
Run by the diminutive (and proud ladies' man) “Jet”,
this divey, friendly joint - open whenever there's air tra
c
- serves rum punch, Belikin and hot dogs.
Daily 10am-
when last flight arrives/departs.
Princess Hotel and Casino
Barrack Rd
T
223 2670,
W
princessbelize.com.
This massive hotel and casino
looms over the waterfront, and offers one-stop-shopping
entertainment - under one roof you'll find a flashy
casino (daily noon-4am) where you don't have to be
a high roller to try your luck at blackjack poker and
roulette, though you will need a passport or photo ID to
enter. The casino features nightly entertainment, from
local bands to scantily clad dancers. For the viceless or
underage, there's an eight-lane bowling alley (daily
11am-11pm) as well as two cinemas (Bz$10) showing
the latest releases in a/c comfort. For cocktails and club
music, head to the
Vogue Bar and Lounge
. Hours vary,
but usually Mon-Wed & Sun noon-midnight, Thurs-
Sat noon-2am.
★
Riverside Tavern
2 Mapp St
T
223 5640.
The
classiest nightspot in this part of town swells with a lively
crowd of Belizeans and foreigners. Dark-wood-and-brass
YO HO HO AND A BARREL OF RUM
Rich and dark, with a hint of molasses and tropical fruit,
Travellers One Barrel
is the finest
rum
in Belize. History has a lot to do with it: Travellers Liquors is Belize's oldest rum distillery,
originally launched as a bar in 1953 by Jaime Omario Perdomo Sr and given the name
“Travellers” because its customers were always en route to somewhere else. Since the 1970s, it's
been run by Don Omario's sons and continues to flourish; for an overview of the rum's history
(and, more importantly, a tasting), head to the
distillery
(Mile 2.5 Philip Goldson Hwy;
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Bz$2;
T
223 2855,
W
onebarrelrum.com), where you can peruse displays of
old photos, vintage rum bottles and storytelling dioramas, as well as views of the bottling
factory. The tour also includes tastings of the famous One Barrel rum, along with white and
flavoured rums. If the tasting's not enough, head to the adjoining raised wooden
bar
(usually
Mon-Fri noon-9pm, but hours vary so check upon arrival), a lively spot where the rum flows
freely, as do the Caribbean sounds.
