Woke up early buzzing to hit San Ignacio Market, Belize. Heard legends about the street food there. Threw on shorts and flip-flops – not a fancy place, you know? Grabbed my notebook and phone, ready for some serious eating and scribbling.
First Stops & Bold Choices
Marched right past the touristy fruit stands near the entrance. Headed deeper where locals cluster around sizzling fryers and smoky grills. Loud sizzling hit me first. Followed my nose straight to a woman frying tiny golden garnaches. Handed her a few Belize dollars. She piled crisp tortillas high with spicy shredded chicken, tangy pickled onions, and that salty crumbly Belizean cheese. One bite? Knocked me sideways. That sharp onion crunch with the warm chicken and salty cheese – unreal combo.
Saw an older guy near the butcher section ladling thick stew into bowls. Conch soup, he called it. Looked murky, smelled… fishy. Took a deep breath and ordered a small bowl. Chewy bits of conch, soft potatoes, and a spicy, sea-salty broth. Wasn’t pretty, but tasted way better than it looked. Needed some Marie Sharp’s hot sauce to kick it up though!
Fried Goodness & Serious Heat
Spotted a crowd huddled around another fryer. Had to investigate. Found huge, flat discs frying – panades. Asked for two: one fish, one beans. The bean one was solid, kinda like a tasty fried empanada. But the fish panade? Boom. Flaky salted fish mashed right into the dough before frying. Golden outside, steamy inside. Squirted some fiery habanero sauce on top. Tears. Actual tears. But couldn’t stop eating it.
Neared lunchtime, stomach groaning but still curious. Found a stall advertising salbutes. Thought, “Okay, lighter option.” Nope. Fried fluffy tortilla puff topped high with shredded chicken, cabbage, beets, avocado… the works. Messy as heck. Grease dribbled down my wrist trying to hold it. Crunch gave way to soft layers. Tangy, sweet, creamy, all fighting in my mouth. Worth the mess.
Sweet Relief (& Lessons Learned)
- Grabbed a bag of sugary powder buns – soft, sweet bread rolls dusted in icing sugar. Pure relief after all that spice.
- Finally, spotted fresh coconut water hacked open right there. Pure, cold, sweet – perfection washing it all down.
Walked out hours later, stuffed like a lizard in the sun, notebook smudged with grease. Learned:
- Go early – best stuff disappears fast.
- Say “a little hot sauce” unless you enjoy mouth pain.
- Cash is king – nobody takes cards.
- Skip the “looks nice” stalls – the real magic is with the noisy, smoky, packed-local spots.
Totally knocked me sideways how good it was. Garnaches and conch soup still top my must-eat list. Bellyache tomorrow? Guaranteed. Zero regrets. Needed a nap like you wouldn’t believe.