Gardena’s Belizean Hub Has Orange Walk Tacos, Legendary Soca, and The Heart of Its Community ~ L.A. TACO [our site]

In a city that is famous for its endless tacos and a handful of Caribbean food gems, Belizean cuisine often gets overlooked. 

Belize, which sits in Central America, yet is part of the Caribbean, embodies a dual identity that runs through its food, where Afro-Caribbean spices meet Mestizo corn, Garifuna tradition, and Creole comfort. From the parking lot, The Blue Hole glows a bold, tropical blue, edged with yellow trim that cuts through the muted tones of Gardena’s strip malls. Inside, the brightness continues: the Belizean flag hangs above a room filled with laughter, the scent of coconut rice and fried plantains waft through the air, and soca classics, like “Tiney Winey” by Jamaican legend Byron Lee, spill from the speakers.