Roatan Food and Drink Specialties to Make Foodies Happy!

The baleada is likely the most well-known Honduran specialty. This wonderful breakfast food is basically a large flour taco filled with refried red or black beans, crumbled cheese, crema, and whatever other toppings you want. (If you don’t want extra toppings, ask for a baleada sencilla–simple baleada.) What makes the baleada really special is the tortilla. Being from New Mexico, I grew up on tortillas and have eaten them in several Central American countries. The Honduran tortillas have a different texture–they are thicker and chewier and absolutely delicious! I didn’t get a bad tortilla or baleada anywhere on my trip, including the San Pedro Suala airport on the mainland.

These puffy pillows of fried dough, called flitters, are another delicious breakfast specialty. They are popular in the Bay Islands of Honduras, including Roatan. If you were in France or New Orleans, you would call them beignets, in New Mexico, sopapillas, and in Belize, Fry Jacks. But I’ll tell you, a flitter by any name is a lovely way to start the day!

This delicious seafood stew is the most unique of the dishes I tried. Machuca is a food particular to the Garifuna culture. The Garifuna are descended from shipwrecked Africans and indigenous Caribs from the island of St. Vincent. Their culture, language, and food are colorful and unique, as represented by this delicious dish. Manchuca has a rich coconut broth, crab, fish, and most importantly, a plantain mash. You put the mash patty into the soup so you can get a bit of it with every bite. The place to get machucha is the Garifuna town of Punta Gorda on the East End. It’s a bit of a drive if you are staying west, but hey, all the more reason to just stay east at the Reef House 😉

While crispy whole snapper is certainly not unique to Roatan, it’s hard to pass up when it’s freshly caught and cooked well. The fish is grilled, the skin is crispy, the flesh is tender… doesn’t really matter what else is served with it, it is always delicious! Some presentations were simple with just a side of fries, this one pictured with pickled onions was one of the fancier ones I had. It was at Mila del Mar in the West End and I highly recommend it. However, I don’t think you can go wrong with this dish anywhere in Roatan!

Fly international, but always drink local! There are a few Honduran beers available, but none are my preferred amber or dark lager style. I was a bit concerned that I wasn’t going to find one I liked. Salva Vida is a golden pilsner style lager, and I was surprised at how flavorful it is! It’s also available everywhere, including on tours and in tiny shops. Drink it ice-cold with a lime, it goes perfectly with the sea, the sun, and whatever adventures you are chasing that day!

One thing I loved about Roatan, is that the drivers don’t just provide transport, they make each ride an experience. On the way to the airport to catch my flight out of Roatan, my driver asked if I had any problem with lactose. When I said no, he pulled over and called to a woman selling frozen drinks in baggies from a cooler. He told me they were basically frozen milkshakes called Charamusca. She listed her flavors and all I had to hear was “Tamarindo“. Tamarind is a fruit with a distinct sweet, sour, and tangy flavor. If you haven’t tried it, you need to! The drink was delicious and fun–you had to bite off the corner of the bag to get to the frozen beverage, no straw necessary!