Our Cuisine.

The best places to eat on Roatan are sure to serve one or more of the following dishes. If you are traveling to the beautiful country of Honduras for the first time, you might be interested in the local cousine. We can say that Honduran food is a mixture of different ancient cultures. In this area of the country, the common ingredients are seafood and corn, which, together with other ingredients, achieve an exquisite Caribbean flavor, with a marked African, Spanish, and Creole influence. Let's learn a little about Honduran cousine and the traditional dishes of this beautiful destination and its ingredients.

Local Recipes.

Traditional Food on the Bay Islands of Honduras

 

These are one of the best known traditional dishes on Roatan. If you are a seafood lover, you will love the food of this beautiful destination. Try it with the ingredients that the islander uses, together they achieve an exquisite Caribbean flavor.

 
 

Baleadas.

 

Tortillas, Beans, & more

There is no sure origin of how this dish was invented, but there is a version that is supported by more evidence. In 1964 in La Ceiba, Doña Teresa, a 20-year-old woman, was abandoned by her husband and decided to apply for a loan to start her business of selling tortillas to support her five children. The business was located near the rail line where the train transported employees of the Standard Fruit Company, who quickly became customers. One day a customer who was eating a baleada made a funny comment about it, stating, "beans are bullets, cheese is gunpowder, and the tortilla is the gun," so everyone started calling them "baleadas" which means a person is injured by bullets. You can find this dish on the sidewalks, but the most famous ones are in the West End. Its ingredients are: 

  • Tortillas

  • Fried Beans

  • Mantequilla (Honduran-style sour cream)

  • Grated White Cheese

  • Scrambled Eggs

  • Chorizo or Steak (optional)

 

Desayuno Típico.

 

Traditional Breakfast

This traditional Honduran breakfast is the most delicious way to start the day. This dish is the definition of ''from the farm to your dish,'' and the ingredients can be found anywhere. Most hotels in Roatan offer this option as breakfast. Its ingredients are: 

  • Fried Egg

  • Fried Beans

  • Corn Tortillas or toasted bread

  • Avocado

  • Cheese

  • Mantequilla (Honduran-style sour cream)

  • Fried Plantains

  • Jam

  • Accompanied by an orange juice and a cup of coffee

 

Sopa de Caracol.

 

Conch Soup

This is a specialty dish of the Caribbean coast, so you might find it in most restaurants on the island. The origin of the Conch soup comes from the Garifuna ethnic group. The Garifuna arrived in Honduras, coming from the island of San Vicente. They settled on the Atlantic coast, specifically in the region near La Ceiba. As an established society, they were engaged in fishing, so it is not surprising that their strength is seafood. This ethnic group has an exquisite variety of gastronomy based on the species of the ocean, such as the Conch Soup. Its ingredients are:

  • Conch (cooked in coconut milk and the conch broth)

  • Vegetables

  • Corn

  • Yucca

  • Rice (optional)

 

Tamales.

 

Honduran Tamales

Tamales are a Mesoamerican origin generally prepared of corn dough. There is evidence that Mesoamerican cultures brought corn and its dishes, possibly from Mexico to Central and South America. They are wrapped in plantain leaves. This traditional dish is filled with:

  • Pork or Chicken

  • Peas (optional)

  • Olives (optional)

  • Rice (Optional)

 

Ceviche.

 

Ceviche de Caracol (Conche Ceviche)

Ceviche is a dish consisting of marinated fish, seafood, or both in citrus dressings. There are different versions of ceviche that are part of the culinary culture of Latin American countries, from where it is native. In Honduras, the dish includes conch marinated in lemon juice, salt, black pepper, red onions, coriander, bell peppers, and finely chopped garlic. It's accompanied by:

  • Lettuce leaf (served on it and it is optional)

  • Tortilla Chips or Soda Crackers

 

Sopa de Mariscos.

 

Seafood Soup

Among the most traditional recipes of Honduran food, seafood soup stands out. What is special about this soup is that it is made with coconut milk, which gives a unique touch to its texture and flavor. You will find this exquisite dish in several places on the island. Its ingredients are:

  • Conch 

  • Shrimp

  • Clams

  • Crab

  • Vegetables

  • Corn

  • Yucca

  • Rice (optional)

 

Pescado Frito.

 

Fried Fish

We know that in Roatan, you will find many seafood dishes, and the fish is a dish we cannot leave behind. This dish is arguably one of the most famous in Honduras. Fried fish is found on the Honduran coast, and there is nothing like eating fried fish by the sea while taking in the beautiful views the island has to offer. Its ingredients are:

  • A deep-fried fish 

  • Rice and Beans

  • Plantain chips