I have been getting many requests on restaurant recommendations in Roatan, so here you are. The food served at most restaurants in Roatan tends to have both Western and Caribbean influences, catering more to the tourists visiting from North America and Europe. They charge in USD at comparable US prices. However, if you venture out to shacks, street food and some fast food places, the cuisine is more local and priced for the natives too.
Also, being on the island, ingredients are harder to source and therefore everything is more expensive. For 2 lunch entrees, a juice and a dessert at San Pedro Sula, I paid about $5. In Roatan, no meal was under $50 for two people.
Honduras is famous for rum so a safer bet is to order cocktails rather than wine. Even the local beer is quite popular and available for $2-3 at most places.
Udurau Restaurant located at the Turquoise Bay Dive and Beach Resort is a charming British-Caribbean style establishment. Udaurau meaning fish in Garafuna language. The menu reflect this rich cultural heritage and offers fried snapper in spicy coconut sauce with rice and boiled vegetable. Every piece of fish is fresh, flaky and cooked to perfection.
Beachfront Restaurant at Mayan Princess Beach and Dive Resort – Beautiful patios with excellent beach views. The lunch buffet is a good mix of local dishes (salads, fish, rice) as well as western (pasta, pizza, burgers) and elaborate banana, cheery and chocolate desserts. Everything tastes fresh and the servers are very friendly. The adjacent bar is also very fun and they have live entertainment on weekends. Try the Monchilala cocktail, made with coconut milk and a combination of different liqueurs, drizzled with chocolate sauce.
Geo’s at French Harbor – You will need to drive out to this family run Italian-Caribbean restaurant. They offer large plates of seafood including crabs, lobsters, shrimp and clams. Get a picnic style table on the patio with the backdrop of the water. The Mojitos here are really good. It’s a bit on the pricey side.
Street shack (random ladies at West End) – Best Baleadas and tacos can be found on the street carts and random shacks. Baleadas are typical wheat flour tortillas stuffed with meat or eggs, cheese and salad. The ladies will make them to order and charge you $1-2.
The Mayan at West Bay – Upscale and romantic date night restaurant located midst of high end resorts, where you can get the best ceviche on the island. The mixed ceviche causes a delightful salsa in your mouth with chunks of lobster, conch and shrimp flirting with lemon juice, onions and chili peppers. They also have ample steak and seafood preparations. Save this for a special evening.
Thongs Thai restaurant at West End – Known for the best food on the island, Thongs is a small family run establishment overlooking the water that serves authentic dishes with some island flavor. No one has left unsatisfied walking out of here.
The Blue Marlin at West End – the place to be on Thursday nights. Locals and expats flock here for live karaoke by the harbor. The bar is packed and you will hear many languages being spoken late into the night.
Mucho Bueno at West End – Located next to Thongs Thai, Mucho Bueno (or very good in Spanish) offers live reggae music on the weekend. It is also located by the water in the bustling night life area of West End. Generally, there is no cover charge at any of the bars and clubs. You can also carry your drinks around bar hopping as long as they are in platic containers.
