Lately I have noticed that more locals are paying attention to the coffee that they are drinking. With the recent craze in specialty coffee drinks, islanders are demanding more flavorful coffee and all the sweetness of the lattes, cappuccinos, frappucchinos and iced coffees. But in a tropical island with no Starbucks, Tropic Al’s at Ramon’s Village, is filling the gap and perking up coffee lovers in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.
The one thing I love the most about Tropic Al’s is that they decided to brew local coffee beans from island roasters Caye Coffee Roasting Co. Ltd. They are not importing any Starbucks flavors or using pre-packaged coffee; it’s all fresh coffee that is very rich, flavorful and delicious. Three staff members are trained baristas after a professional instructor from the Seattle Barista Academy was brought down to train them. They even took a tour of the Caye Coffee operations to learn more about the coffee they serve. Tropic Al’s baristas Alexis, Ron and Kareem are some of the friendliest servers around; they are quick, witty and very attentive.
Tropic Al’s took the place of The Purple Parrot Bar at Ramon’s Village and is now more of a lounge area where you can kick back and relax poolside with your coffee or tropical smoothie.
I recommend the White Chocolate Latte; it is one of my favorites at Tropic Al’s. Chocolate always goes perfectly with coffee, but there is a wide assortment of flavors in which you can enjoy your latte, coffee, frappuccino, cappuccino or macciato – how about toasted marshmallows (YUM), caramel, mango, amaretto, toasted almond mocha, to name a few.
There is also a great selection of ‘Tropic-A-Licious’ smoothies with endless combinations of tropical fruits such as pineapples, bananas, coconut, guava, kiwi, cantaloupe, payapa, mango, watermelon, including apple, blueberry, strawberry and raspberry. The sweet and delectable concoctions are endless. There are even healthier (non-too-sugary) choices like the Lazy Gringo that has a protein boost or the breakfast replacement smoothie like the Good Morning San Pedro.
Tropic Al’s is open daily from 7a.m. to 10p.m. and also serves locally made banana bread, carrot cake and brownies; those don’t last all day though, the mornings are the best time to get a hold of those sweet treats. Live music sets the mood on Tuesdays and Saturdays and Tropic Al’s is open to the public for takeout or enjoying the cool ambience at Ramon’s Village.
Click to view Ramon’s Village Restaurant – Pineapples Restaurant
