Whether you visit the Bay Islands, the capital of Tegucigalpa, a beach in Trujillo, or the Copan ruins, Honduras dining is sure to be a highlight of your trip. Food in Honduras is typified by fresh fruit, rice and beans, fish near the coast, and beef in the interior. Honduras dining is not as distinctive and varied as in Mexico and in other Central American countries, but sampling Honduran food is still one of the best things about taking a vacation to Honduras.

In Honduras restaurant refers to an upscale dinner place, often catering to the tourist trade. For a great way introduction to Honduran food, visit an average Honduras restaurant known as a comedore.

The best bet in Honduras dining is to order the plato tipico ("typical plate," or dish of the day). This usually consists of eggs, beans, sausage, and tortilla in the morning and beef, pork, or chicken with beans, rice, and tortilla in the afternoon or at night. Be wary about eating the side salad as it is often washed in unpurified water.

Unpurified water in Honduras is generally not safe to drink. Be sure to order bottled water when dining in a Honduras restaurant.

For appetizers, a good Honduran food is anafre, a bean dip served with tortilla chips. This often comes with a drink order in a Honduras restaurant or bar; if not, it's worth seeing if it is on the menu.

On the Atlantic Coast or the Bay Islands, the best bet for food in Honduras is the fresh fish. Another must-eat Honduras food is sopa de caracol ("conch soup"), made with conch, potatoes, and coconut milk. On Roaton Island, bando seafood stew is worth a try.

Some of the best Honduras food is found not in a restaurant but from a small street vendor. Fast food in Honduras includes baleadas (delicious buttered tortilla), pinchos (grilled meat), grilled corn. You cannot go wrong if you choose a food stand that appears popular with locals.

As with elsewhere outside the Western world, vegetarian food in Honduras is fairly limited, although most eateries serve rice, beans, and tortillas.

You probably will not be able to visit La Ceiba, Roatan Island, or anywhere else in Honduras without eating bananas and plantains. Fresh fruit in Honduras is among the best in the world: pineapples and melons are sold almost before they have been picked. A fresh fruit juice provides a great accompaniment with any Honduras food.

After your Honduras dining experience, settle down with a local coffee. For good local liquors, try Aguardiente or Chicha, the latter is made for distilled pineapple juice. Food in Honduras is sure to be something remembered after any vacation to the country.