Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Sorry! We don't have any recommendations for Roatan and the Bay Islands right now.
Traditional Bay Island cuisine centers on the obvious ingredient: seafood. The undisturbed reefs and endless waters provide the islands with a bounty of fish such as grouper, wahoo, snapper, and yellowtail, all cooked up in a variety of options. Fried chicken is equally as popular for lunch and dinner. The crispy dish is served along with Honduran staples like rice and beans, plus fried plantain chips. Mainland cuisine such as baleadas (tortillas with beans and cheese) is typically served at beachfront stands or in local dives, although they're not nearly as ubiquitous as on the coast. The Garífuna culture is strongest in Roatán, where residents munch on pan de coco (coconut bread) and dine on sopa marinera (seafood soup) and machuca (a uniquely Garífuna conch stew).
The most fascinating part of the islands' gastronomy, however, is the eclectic offering of international fare. As more foreign expats grow to call the Bay Islands home, more restaurants offering European, Asian, and Latin American delights are popping up. In Guanaja, there are velvety German sausages and roasted pork at a two-story bar-restaurant. Utila boasts eateries serving authentic Italian dinners, American-style brunches, spicy Indian curries, zesty Caribbean barbeque, and cheesy Mexican treats. In Roatán, there's incredible Thai food, Argentine steak joints, brick-oven pizzerias, sushi fusion, and Memphis-inspired smokehouses. The wide variety of cuisines here is a tasty alternative to the ubiquitous seafood or heavier Honduran dishes of the mainland. Most international dishes will set you back around L300 to L450. For the most part, the Bay Islands proudly boast about their lack of American chain restaurants and wealth of local eateries.
Travelers opting to stay in dive hotels (as in "diving") or all-inclusive resorts will have most meals provided as part of the package. In-house meals and buffets tend to serve underwhelming beef, chicken, fish, and pasta dishes, but with the generous portions you'll never be hungry.
Looking a bit like a psychedelic museum, this longtime favorite is decorated with island paraphernalia and tunnels, sculptures, and gazebos built from mosaics of colored glass. The best place to enjoy the big platters of seafood is in the pleasant garden. Stop by for one of the best fresh fruit shakes you'll find on the islands, and top off the evening with a drink in the tree house bar. If you want to stay the night, the Nightland cabins have two double beds, spacious bathrooms, and stunning interior decor.
As you would expect from a restaurant with this name, Hole in the Wall is a local favorite—so much so that the community helped rebuild it after a 2005 fire burned the place to the ground. Come here for the lobster, shrimp, and sirloin steaks; it's a quick boat ride from Oak Ridge, and any water taxi will know exactly where to take you. If you call ahead, they'll send a boat for you.
The main drag's most popular sports bar offers breezy harbor views from the open-air, third-floor restaurant. Bacon cheeseburgers, nachos, chicken fingers, and buffalo wings are the house specialties, and La Pirata has the island's largest liquor selection. The place gets packed around 10 pm or during any major sporting event, and live bands play during the week.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
