Do Tonitos at Umaya Resort

The draw at Don Tonito's is the fire. This is a wood-fired pizzeria at Umaya Resort & Adventures on the Placencia Peninsula, and the pizzas come out of custom-built wood-fired ovens the restaurant calls "fogons." That is the reason to turn in off the road: a crust cooked over live flame rather than in a standard kitchen oven.

You will see the name written two ways. The resort lists it as Don Tonito's; some other sources spell it "Do Tonitos." Either way, it is the same wood-fired pizza spot at Umaya, in Maya Beach on the northern stretch of the peninsula.

Where it sits on the peninsula

Umaya Resort & Adventures is in Maya Beach, up the northern end of the Placencia Peninsula in the Stann Creek District. From Placencia Village it is roughly 6 miles, about a 20-minute drive along the peninsula road. That distance matters if you are deciding where to eat: this is a resort restaurant at the quieter north end, not a walk-up counter in the middle of the village. If you are staying south, plan the trip up rather than wandering into it on foot.

What comes out of the fogon

The menu centers on pizza. It is offered in two sizes, an 8-inch and a 12-inch, so a single diner and a table of four are both covered without over-ordering. The classic margherita is on the list, which is the honest test of any wood-fired oven: tomato, cheese, and crust, with nowhere for a weak base to hide.

Beyond the pizzas, the kitchen rounds out the menu with appetizers and pastas. It is a focused list built around the oven rather than a sprawling all-day menu, which is what you want from a place whose whole point is the wood fire.

Part of a larger group

Don Tonito's is not a one-off. It is a multi-location pizzeria brand inside The Belize Collection resort group, with sister kitchens at Almond Beach Resort at Jaguar Reef, The Lodge at Jaguar Reef, and The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant, in addition to this Umaya location. So the wood-fired pizza you order in Maya Beach is the same concept the group runs at its other properties around the country.

Who it's for

Come here if you want wood-fired pizza and you are already on the northern peninsula, staying at or near Maya Beach, or willing to make the short drive up from Placencia Village for it. The two-size format makes it easy for couples and families alike, and the margherita is the simple order to judge the oven by.

If you are comparing pizza options across the area, it is worth reading a few side by side: see our pages on Rustic Pizzeria and Jake's Pizza, or browse the full run of towns and areas we cover from the towns index.