You will find many places to eat and drink in Honduras, typically serving cuisine which is a fusion of African, Spanish and indigenous foods. Notably the food includes more coconut than other Central American countries, in both savory and sweet dishes. On the Bay Islands there are many fish and seafood plates prepared using coconut milk. Fish is also widely available and popular on the mainland, and other specialties include baleadas (a wheat flour tortilla stuffed with cheese and mashed beans) and tamales (a corn-based dough steamed in a leaf filled with cheese, fruit or vegetables). Honduras has tasty home-grown beers that will cool you down on a hot day, or you can try the local sugar-cane liquor called guaro. If you are on the Caribbean coast, be sure to taste giffity, a fiery liquor produced by the Garifuna people.

Bars and Pubbing in Honduras

If you are staying on the Bay Islands, many of the resorts will have beachside bars with Caribbean hospitality to relax over a drink. If you seek a wider choice of nightlife, head to West End on Roatan, where you can go to Sundowners Bar and Restaurant (West End, Roatan) on the beach, open between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. daily. Another good spot on Roatan is Nova’s (West End, Roatan) which has different themed music nights, such as electronic/techno and Latin. If you are staying on Utila, life moves pretty slow, but you can still find a lively time at Tranquila Bar (Utila Town, Utila), open between 3:00 p.m. and midnight Sunday to Thursday and 3:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

If you are on the mainland Caribbean coast, you will find a good selection of nightlife in La Ceiba, which is the largest town in the region and considered the party capital of Honduras. There is a huge stretch of nightclubs along the beach, although many are only open Thursday to Sunday, so get here on the weekend. One of the most popular spots is Hibou (1 Calle, La Ceiba), open 7:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m, which offers a good selection of music and smart clientele. La Casona (1 Calle, La Ceiba) is also popular, playing mostly techno and locally adored “reggaeton.” The far end of 1 Calle (1st Street) has a number of other clubs.

Honduras’ two main cities, Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, also provide decent nightlife if you are staying in town. In San Pedro Sula, head to the Zona Viva (the “Living Zone”) around the intersection of 9 Calle and 6 Avenida (9th Street and 16th Avenue, San Pedro Sula) for the b142 lounge, and its nightclub downstairs 1201, which plays a mix of trance, techno and merengue. Another lively club here is Luca Luca (9 Calle and 15 Avenida, San Pedro Sula). If you are in Tegucipala, the glamorous nightclubs of Light (Boulevard Morazon, Tegucipala) and La Grotta (Boulevard Morazon, Tegucipala) are good options, providing music and dancing late into the night.

Dining and Cuisine in Honduras

If you are staying on the Bay Islands, the town of West End in Roatan provides the widest selection of restaurants. For sampling the local seafood, head to The Lighthouse Restaurant (West End, Roatan), which has a variety of fresh fish, seafood and shrimp cooked in escabey sauce (a fiery concoction of island chili peppers). In the center of town, Mavis and Dixie’s (West End, Roatan) offers shrimp, fish and lobster dishes. On Utila island, Seven Seas Restaurant (Utila Town, Utila) serves seafood and a selection of grilled meats, including the traditional baleada, which is great for lunch.

For seafood on mainland Honduras, head to Chabelita (1 Calle, La Ceiba) in La Ceiba, which features conch soup, fried snapper and shrimp. It is open between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. For something typically Honduran, you can try Pupusería Universitaria (1 Calle and Avendia 14 de Julio, La Ceiba), which has pupusas (fried tortillas stuffed with cheese and meat), and pinchos (grilled meat on a stick). In La Ceiba, Baleadas Alma (near the central park) which as its name suggests has baleadas, as well as burritas (two flour tortillas served with meat, refried beans and cheese).

For more traditional Honduran food, the popular Rancho Palos Blanchos (northwest San Pedro Sula) in San Pedro Sula, offers a great selection of grilled meat and is open between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. daily with live music on Saturdays. San Pedro Sula is a large city, so a host of international cuisine including Asian and Italian food can be found. A good vegetarian option is Fuente de Salud y Juventud (7 Calle and 19 Avenida, San Pedro Sula), which has a wholesome buffet of beans and vegetables. If in Tegucigalpa, it is worth heading slightly out of the city into the hills for La Cumbre, where you will be awarded spectacular views to accompany your meal.