Delicious Traditional Food at El Fogon Restaurant

We eat lunch in town every single day.  Generally sticking to two…maybe three spots.  Creatures of habit.

But yesterday we drove past El Fogon Restaurant on the way to an errand in the San Pedrito area and passed this specials board.

I’ve been wanting to try the Tamalitos de Chaya for years!  (I LOVE chaya – and need to find lots more ways to eat it.  Especially since we have TREES of the stuff at the camp)

PLUS, when I’d last visited El Fogon (WAY TOO LONG AGO) with the Belize Food Tours – the salbutes were DEEElicious.

When we circled back, we parked and went in.  El Fogon is named after the fire hearth – the traditional center of the Belizean kitchen.

El Fogon spanish for Fire Hearth = Faya Haat in Creole

They are still making their rice & beans and their stewed meats on the fire hearth.  And the result is ridiculously good.

As soon as we started eating we both said “Why don’t we eat here for often”, “we should recommend this spot to guests!” and then Jeff said “I should bring my mom here”…all very good indicators of very good eats.

Here are some pictures of the restaurant.

Salbutes that are SOOO good.

The BEST conch fritters I’ve ever tasted.  Seriously.  Fluffy and conchy and not-oily and SO GOOD.

A quick look into the men’s room…shhhh….

Love this sink!

The Ladies has a conch shell faucet…

The chaya tamale with stew pig tail.  You can get it with stew chicken or any other meat you like too.  What a nice change from rice & beans.  Delicious and HEARTY.

We chatted with the lovely Olive, one of the owners, and paid the bill and noticed that they have opened a pub/sports bar just across the street in the Castillo building.

If you want to eat these DELICIOUS fritters with a beer while watching football…the spot is SUPER comfortable.  And cool…

I’ll have to stop in again to take pictures.

Bellies full from the faya haat we headed out to continue our errands.  Slowly…

We stopped to check in on the boat.  And while taking this picture of this cute puppy, I caught Jeff imitating his ears in the background.

I ran into a guy with a giant bin of fresh fresh donuts and bought two.  For later!

And I took a picture of this sign…and the creative spelling.  Love it.

Go to El Fogon.  As you sit there for lunch and watch COUNTLESS locals come in to pick up “to-go” lunch, you’ll know you made a good choice.

HAVE the conch fritters, each from the daily specials menu.  I’ll be back soon for the once a week Belikin Fried Chicken.

Thank me later.