There are fish tacos and there are fish tacos. These are the latter. It’s night in Hopkins, Belize and the sound of Garifuna drumming fills the packed bar. It’s the second time I’ve been again in two days, with each visits together with these mouth-watering, out-of-this-world fish tacos with caramelized onions and a wholesome heaping of locally-made Marie Sharp sizzling sauce.
It’s not open every single day, however when it’s, the Driftwood Seaside Bar & Pizza Shack is the middle of the motion in little Hopkins, Belize, a city I fell in love with on my final go to and the type of quirky, funky seashore city that stays with you lengthy after you drive off.
There’s all the time some sort of dwell music right here, whether or not it’s roots reggae or loud thump of the native drumming, and after an hour or so (and some Belikin beers) the dance flooring fills up rapidly.
It’s the brainchild of Denise McCreary, a chef who plied her commerce in New Orleans, had her personal love story with this little city, and by no means left.
The outcome was Driftwood, a slim, thatched-roof bar and restaurant that stretches all the way in which from the city’s primary highway to the sand.
Everybody comes right here. The locals, the guests, the salt-life-devotees spending prolonged honeymoons on this nook of Belize. All of them adore it, all of them swear by it.
On Tuesdays, they arrive for Jam Evening. Saturdays are for drumming (extra on that right here). Regardless of the day, irrespective of the time, the rhythm is right here, and it’s all the time proper on.
The drink of selection is normally a Belikin, Belize’s signature brew, however for me it’s a glass of an area rum referred to as Outdated Grasp “Additional Mature,” a kind of rums you solely ever discover proper on web site.
As you stroll by means of the pathway towards the sand, you cross by the bar’s “Fence of Misplaced Soles,” a group of flip flops left right here for posterity.
This place is simply cool, it’s simply excellent. For those who’re a seashore bar aficionado, it’s the way in which a seashore bar is meant to be: carefree, pleasant and splendidly informal all belying a meticulous dedication to high quality behind the counter.
You would with out a lot problem argue that that is the most effective seashore bar in all of Belize; you’d even have hassle discovering a seashore bar wherever else within the Caribbean that rivals this one.
Such is the unusual alchemy of the seashore bar; there’s nothing linear, no direct path to cultivating this type of establishment, one which turns into a part of the material of a city.
However you simply realize it then you definitely see it.
And then you definitely strive the fish tacos.
And you understand for positive.
You get to Hopkins by driving about two hours from the airport in Belize Metropolis. The city has two glorious accommodations: the Seiri Del Mar (rooms from $243), a residential type resort on a beautiful stretch seashore (rooms from and the adventure-focused, rustic Hamanasi resort.
