The quality of the food in Belize rarely bears much relation to the appearance of the restaurant it's served in, whether you're eating in a bar, a café or a smart-looking restaurant. Out on the islands and in small seashore villages some restaurants are little more than thatched shelters, with open sides and sand floors, while in other places you'll find upmarket hotels with polished floors, tablecloths and napkins. Most places, however, are somewhere between the two, serving up good food without too much concern for presentation. You'll soon become accustomed to the fact that lunch hour (noon-1pm) is observed with almost religious devotion. Abandon any hope of getting anything else done and tuck in with the locals. Only in Belize City, San Pedro and Placencia is there much choice, with fast-food and snack bars sprouting on street corners along with a few surprisingly elegant restaurants.

Travelling , you'll find that food sometimes comes to you, as street traders offer up tamales, empanadas , hamburgers (literally a slice of canned ham served in a bun) and fruit to waiting bus passengers, although the practice isn't nearly as common as elsewhere in Central America.