-
$ | |
It's easy to miss this unassuming eatery surrounded by cactus on the road to the beach, but you would be missing out on some of the area's best Costa Rican food. Starting with the humble dishes of his childhood, the chef elevates the menu with made-from-scratch corn tortillas made into tayuyás: sandwiches brimming with sweet and savory fillings like an omelet with cheese curd, ripe banana, honey, and custard, or shredded chicken spiced to perfection with avocado, tomato, and lettuce. There is also standard American fare on the extensive menu like burgers and pizza, and plenty for vegetarians.
Carretera Playa Avellanas, Playa Avellanas, Guanacaste, 50309, Costa Rica
Known For
- Breakfast with ice cream
- Mouthwatering casado
- Great value
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed daily 3--6
-
$$$ | |
A romantic setting, ocean breezes, and a creative Italian menu make this the one of the most popular restaurants in Sámara. By day, rustic wooden tables are shaded by white sails strung between palms; by night, diners bask in the glow of white globe lamps and light-festooned trees. You can sit under a covered area or out on the sand. The soundtrack is trendy, and the food is good too. Gusto starts the morning at 8 with great espresso and croissants; the rest of the day, there are salads, burgers, Italian fries sprinkled with Parmesan and pepper, and, of course, pizzas. Service is efficient and executed with style. Menu prices do not include the obligatory 25% tax and service.
Sámara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Tuna tartare
- Prosecco
- Toes-in-the-sand dining
-
$$$ | |
Dawn to dusk, this casually chic restaurant overlooking Playa Pelada is the most scenic place to have breakfast, lunch, cocktails, or dinner, with tables spilling out of the interior onto a wide, covered terrace and onto the sand. The menu is mostly Mediterranean, ranging from Moroccan-spiced or limoncello-marinated fish of the day, to beef or fish carpaccio and brick oven–fired pizzas. At sunset, you can cozy up in a settee on the sand with a cocktail, and share a Mediterranean platter of dips, including harissa-hot hummus served with fluffy pita. Breakfast, starting at 7 am, ranges from typical Costa Rican to full English, with eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, grilled mushrooms, and tomatoes. Vegetarians can opt for toast topped with avocado and goat cheese. Some outdoor, picnic-style tables make this restaurant family-friendly during the day, while the terrace tables are more romantic at night.
Playa Pelada, Nosara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Crispy-crust pizza
- Mediterranean platter with hummus and tzatziki
- Spectacular sunsets
-
$ | |
If you want to feel at home on vacation, head to this family-friendly neighborhood sports bar featuring in-house roasted deli meats, local artisanal products, and delectable salads. Choose dine-in or take out lunches like big turkey sandwiches with a side of pineapple slaw or the delightful pear Gorgonzola salad. After you eat, stay for a game of pool, Ping-Pong, or horseshoes.
Langosta Beach, Playa Langosta, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Fun atmosphere with lots to do
- Huge deli sandwiches
- Healthy, fresh ingredients
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
-
$$$ | |
An unexpected outpost of divine French cuisine, this oasis of elegance overlooks a sparkling blue pool edged by lush palms, while lounge chairs shaded by orange umbrellas tempt diners to stay overnight (six stylish rooms are available). Lunch and dinner feature lots of local seafood, produce, and goat cheese from the chef’s nearby farm. Try the fresh grouper fillet bathed in lemon-herb-butter sauce, or the seared ahi tuna with ginger-carrot puree. Vegetarians can feast on ravioli stuffed with wild mushrooms, sage, and sun-dried tomatoes. Desserts include classic French options—fruit crepes, crème brûlée—as well as chocolate lava cake with raspberry compote. The service here is exemplary. You can order wonderful wines by the glass or bottle—a rare opportunity in these remote parts. While waiting for your meal to arrive, ask to view the photo album of the chef’s famous clients.
Playa Negra, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Tantalizing pasta, steak, and seafood prepared in a French style
- Volcano dessert with chocolate lava
- Fresh catch of the day
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Sept.–Oct.
-
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
-
$ | |
Pop into this charming spot with “California cool” and cozy up in the corner booth, where the clean white walls set a backdrop for rainbow-hued books and surf-themed wall decor. Outside, be prepared to share the pura vida vibe and maybe a table—it's communal seating, and it gets busy during brunch with treats like homemade bagels with egg and avocado and rich ricotta pancakes.
Flamingo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Acai bowls bursting with healthy goodness like fruit, chia, and homemade granola
- Innovative smoothies with eco-friendly metal straws
- Miami-inspired Cuban sandwich
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
-
$$$ | |
One of Montezuma's most scenic and sophisticated restaurants, Ylang Ylang is nestled between the beach and the jungle, offering views of waves crashing against the rocks. The lunch menu lists a selection of sushi, salads, wraps, and sandwiches with various vegan, gluten-free, and raw dishes. The ocean view and elegant terrace setting make it worth the 10-minute walk down the beach. At night, the restaurant turns on the romance with flickering candles and an inventive dinner menu that ranges from Thai-style teriyaki tuna steak to penne in seafood sauce. Whatever you choose, you'll want to save room for desserts, such as the tiramisu espresso crepe.
On beach, ½ km (¼ mile) north of town, at Ylang Ylang Beach Resort, Montezuma, Puntarenas, 60111, Costa Rica
Known For
- Remote location
- Fresh flavorful sushi
- Blackened tuna
-
$$ | |
You can usually count on good food at this second-story restaurant in the trees. You can get wild with crocodile fingers, or try something more familiar, like the handmade pizzas. There are several vegetarian, lactose-free, and gluten-free options on the menu. Presentation is always beautiful, and service is efficient and friendly.
Hotel Cantarana, Palm Beach Estates, Playa Grande, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Fresh seafood like tuna poke bowl and fish tacos
- Unfussy breakfast fare
- Homemade tortillas and sauces
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
-
$ | |
Take a beach break and stop at this funky open-air café for a smoothie or espresso, and stay for a panini or avocado toast—just make sure to get here before the freshly baked bread runs out. The seats may be unconventional (think swings and couches) but the food is pure delight.
In front of Sámara Natural Center, Sámara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Spicy panini
- "Bohemian" smoothie
- Strong coffee
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
-
$$ | |
Vestiges of the original Swiss-French owners linger on at this bakery and alfresco eatery, open for breakfast and lunch. In addition to hearty sandwiches, the café serves burritos, bowls, and salads. It's a good place to cool off, and perk up, with a café frappé (espresso blended with bananas and ice cream). The adjoining bakery is great for take-out beach picnics, with French-style bread and an array of pastries and tarts, including chocolate mousse. There's free Wi-Fi.
Main road, on corner of Playa Guiones entrance, Nosara, Guanacaste, 50206, Costa Rica
Known For
- Lunch with a dip in the pool
- Bakery goodies like baguettes, tarts, and pastries
- Coffee and espresso
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Café closed Sun. No dinner
-
-
$$$ | |
There's something for everyone any time of day at this three-story bakery/bistro/lounge/cocktail bar. In the morning, there are savory quiches and homemade granola as well as tartlets, pies, and every other type of sweets and bread (including gluten-free), while lunch has a more upscale menu with delectable soups (bouillabaisse), salads (poached lobster), sandwiches, and artisanal pizza. Dinner standouts are linguine del mare with lobster, shrimp, octopus, and clams, or tender grilled guava barbecue short ribs.
Corner Of Hwy. 911, Potrero, Guanacaste, 50304, Costa Rica
Known For
- Tapas like fresh-from-the-sea tuna tiradito and sea-bass ceviche
- Rooftop cocktails
- European-style patisserie breakfast noshes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
-
$$ | |
This surf café features such Peruvian specialties as ceviche and causa (cold mashed potatoes studded with shrimp and tuna chunks). The menu also includes a few familiar favorites like hamburgers and BLTs. Desserts are homemade and delicious, and the pisco sour cocktail is not to be missed.
Main street, Playa Negra, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Ceviche and sushi
- Pisco sour cocktails
- Beautiful presentation
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Oct.
-
$$ | |
A feast for the senses, this plant-filled haven has coffee, smoothies, and food that look lovely and taste delicious. Whether you order the impeccably presented "Eggs Nest" (sous vide eggs in a nest of crispy, fried sweet potatoes) or the art-topped green matcha latte, having an enjoyable meal here is practically kismet. Don't worry about trying everything on the menu, you'll likely be back. Note that the restaurant closes early at 3 pm.
Playa Guiones Norte, Nosara, Guanacaste, 50206, Costa Rica
Known For
- Fresh salads, poke bowls, and brunch food like truffle avo toast
- Outdoor garden setting
- Thirst quenchers like the blue majik (spirulina) smoothie
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner. Closed Mon.
-
$$ | |
Montezuma’s first natural-food restaurant is named after the chewy dried bananas made by the owners, who also own the upscale Ylang Ylang resort on the beach. This popular eatery serves the best vegetarian fare in town, including scrambled tofu for breakfast and excellent wraps, salads, fajitas, and spring rolls, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options. You can enjoy a delicious Mocha Chiller, made with frozen yogurt, or a fruit smoothie made with local coconut milk. The homemade cakes and pies are scrumptious. The standout is the Chocolate Volcano, a mountain of ice cream atop cake, with a lava of chocolate sauce. For vegans, there's a nondairy chocolate mousse. A shaded garden terrace behind the restaurant is cool and pleasant, but bring mosquito repellent. A battalion of ceiling fans keeps the air moving in the spacious dining room decorated with murals of tropical beach scenes.
Main road, Montezuma, Puntarenas, 60111, Costa Rica
Known For
- Sandwich with chicken and patacones (smashed and fried plantains)
- Great people-watching
- Super breakfasts
-
$ | |
An exuberant mix of American and Venezuelan favorites makes this breakfast spot a favorite of locals and tourists alike who come for the coffee and stay for the pillow-soft cinnamon rolls and other tasty baked goods. Make sure you try the chicken avo chachapa (a Venezuelan sweet corn pancake with shredded chicken in hogada sauce, cheese, avocado, and egg) or the eponymous guayoyo (a Venezuelan pour-over coffee), or a dirty chai latte. For the less adventurous, there are smoothies, caesar salads, and bagels with cream cheese and homemade jelly.
La Chorrera Shopping Center, Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, 50101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Delicious coffee selection
- Arepas and other Venezuelan delights
- Baked goods
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
-
-
$$$ | |
At El Mangroove’s trendy poolside restaurant, guests can dine with a glimpse of the ocean or head indoors to the more formal dining room enclosed in glass. Most ingredients are locally grown, and nearly every item on the menu is organic, including the grass-fed beef. Start with red snapper carpaccio with grapefruit and fennel, or the seared scallops with caramelized cauliflower. Signature entrées include cavatelli pasta with grilled octopus, and the remarkably tender ribs served with apple-jalapeño puree. Portions are small, which means you may have room for the chocolate cheesecake. The mosquitoes are enough to ruin your meal, so wear long pants or dine indoors.
Playa Arenilla, Guanacaste, 50503, Costa Rica
Known For
- Seared scallops
- Worcestershire-glazed short ribs slow-cooked for 24 hours
- Extensive wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
-
$$ | |
A Flamingo institution serving beachgoers and locals for more than three decades, this popular restaurant has an array of sandwiches and salads, as well as reliably fresh seafood in large portions at reasonable prices. Settle in at one of the wooden tables beneath the ceiling fans and massive thatch roof for a traditional Costa Rican ceviche, avocado stuffed with shrimp, or heart of palm and pejivalle (palm fruit). The main fare includes whole fried red snapper, shrimp and fish kebabs, and a delicious plato de mariscos (shrimp, lobster, and fish served with garlic butter, potatoes, and salad). For a lighter meal, you can't beat the scrumptious fish tacos. Save room for Marie's signature banana-chocolate bread pudding. At breakfast, try the unusual papaya pancakes, French toast made with cream cheese and jam, or eggs Benedict. There's free Wi-Fi for customers and live music three times a month (call ahead for schedule).
Plaza commercial center, Flamingo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Big breakfast menu
- Kebabs featuring fish, chicken, and shrimp
- Whole red snapper
-
$$$ | |
Pleasing a loyal legion of local fans since 1974, Nogui's offers a hearty menu of seafood and meat dishes that pair perfectly with a tamarind margarita. With feet-in-the-sand dining and ocean views, it's a great place to let the kids play on the beach while you enjoy one of Tamarindo's best places to watch the sunset.
Tamarindo, Guanacaste, 50309, Costa Rica
Known For
- Legendary selection of pies like pineapple, chocolate, and coconut cream
- Colorful Adirondack chairs on the beach
- Breakfast
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
-
$$ | |
Grab a table at the second-floor lounge overlooking the pool while the kitchen cooks up fresh seafood delivered daily by local fishermen. Dinner reservations are recommended, so call ahead to try the coconut shrimp, sesame-crusted tuna, or Thai curry. There are also delicious salads with shredded papaya and tangy dressings, as well as local casados to remind you that you’re in Costa Rica. Wash it all down with an unparalleled passion fruit mojito. The breakfast specials are a bargain. There's live music on Tuesday night.
Brasilito, Guanacaste, 5159, Costa Rica
Known For
- Guacamole and homemade chips
- Wide array of vegetarian meals
- Fresh fruit juices (also used in cocktails)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed., Reservations essential
-
$ | |
Cool off inside or relax outside on the deck at this little gem on the beach, the perfect spot to replenish the reserves with some healthy food or a good cup of coffee while you watch surfers ride the waves. Pico has the best Wi-Fi in town, so if you must look at your computer on your vacation, do it from here.
Calle Central, Tamarindo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Fresh salads and Buddha bowls
- Brunch
- Unimpeded beach views
