Stretched along a 7 km / 4.3 mile strip, the teenytiny town of Hopkins in the middle of Belize makes for an excellent stop if you either want to explore the inland jungle or the Caribbean reefs. I felt right at home in here. Hopkins just has a kind of old-school vibe that makes this place so awesome.
I’m pretty sure life hasn’t changed much in here last decades. Quite something to treasure these days and the reason why I ended up staying way longer than intended. Being there for so long, I tried out quite a few restaurants, bars and cafes in the area. I wouldn’t recommend all of them; but the ones below definitely were among my favourites!
Maxim’s
Looks can be deceiving. I’m not sure if I’d visited this plastic chair-paper napkin kind of joint without the recommendation of a local. But I’m thankful for the insider’s tip. Maxim’s is perhaps Hopkins’ best seafood restaurant in town, price-quality wise.
I visited this restaurant with a group and we were able to order a bit of everything for $30,- BZN / $15,- USD each (without drinks). With a lot of ceviche, conch, lobster, octopus and spicy fish that really was a great deal!
They also do breakfast and lunch in here (with fish burgers for only $12,- BZN).
Luba Laruga Cool Spot
Another favourite fish restaurant. If the sun’s out, this place is absolutely awesome to go to. I ate a couple of times at Luba Laruga. The staff is friendly, the fish is fresh (try the fish curry!) and you can enjoy all of it right on the beach.
Thong’s
Run by a long-term German expat, Thong’s is a great place to stop for a coffee, breakfast or lunch. Moreover, they sell quite some cool local handicrafts in the bar.
The place has a nice outdoor area with a couple of swings with views on the main road; great if you like to spy on local life. I ordered the ‘Thong’s salad’ in here which was fairly tasty, but a tad pricey. But then again, healthy food rarely is cheap in Belize.
Note that Thong’s closes at 3 pm.
Nice Cream
The loveliest ice cream joint in town! This lolly-hued building close to the main road sells eight flavours of ice cream. All made with local ingredients.
For the tiniest ice cream you only need to pay $1,- USD and it’s served in a home-made waffle too. I was lucky enough to see how they are making those – the cookie smell was all around in the air!
Exterior of Nice Cream - order that ice cream on the right side
Ella’s Cool Spot
Ella’s Cool Spot is both right on the main road and the beach. Whenever festivities are in town, Ella’s Cool Spot is thé place to go; for example during Garifuna’s Settlement Day. When I was there the owners had installed such a big sound system that I’m pretty sure the entire town was able to enjoy the drumming too.
Apart from that, during the day Ella’s is indeed a cool spot to hang out at on the beach. With a lot of local dishes, your tummy will be filled with all the jerky chicken you can possibly desire.
The Coconut Husk
Close to the main junction, this restaurant was a winner in my book. The cocktails are great and the dishes (or well.. at least the blackened fish and curry that I tried) were delicious, starring lots of veggies. Most of the mains cost around $25,- to $30,- BZN.
The interior is minimalistic with pretty wooden tables and has a great view, as the restaurant is located right in front of the sea.
The Coconut Husk is also a great place to visit if you’re low on cash as it’s one of the few places in this list where you can pay with credit card (without paying a fee, hurray it does exist in Belize)!
Siomara’s
I didn’t ate there myself, but I heard from a local that this is a favourite in town, if only because the prices are pretty decent in here.
A fellow traveller ordered the burritos for $12,- BZN and they seemed absolutely cheesy and awesome!
Driftwood Beach Bar
Best pizza’s in town! Also a tad expensive, but worth it if you’re looking for comfort food. Driftwood is also an excellent stop if you just want to chill out on the beach with a beer.
Here’s where to find those favs in Hopkins!
