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Count on finding lots of fresh fish and tropical fruits on the menu, whether at a roadside soda (casual eatery) serving comida tipica (typical food) or a sophisticated restaurant in Dominical or Ojochal. Up in the mountains, don't miss out on eating fresh, farmed trout. The food at most remote eco-lodges is excellent.
Tangy, tart, and refreshing, this ultrasophisticated restaurant lives up to its name, both in its daring decor and inventive fusion menu spanning the globe from the Far East, across the Mediterranean to chef Marcella Marciano's culinary homeland, France. The menu careens from classic French escargots and moules marinières to Japanese wasabi-spiced shrimp, to Indian chicken curry. Make a light meal of international tapas, say: Korean steamed kimchi-and-shiitake dumplings, Belgian cheese croquettes, or a duo of salmon and tuna tartare. Local seafood makes appearances as Greek-style fish fillet with almonds and caper butter or in a seafood-packed umami sushi bowl. The signature seafood platter reigns supreme with lobster, mussels, calamari, and shrimp bathed in a creamy lemon-and-garlic sauce. Craft beers are on tap, along with a wide-ranging wine list. Presentation is exquisite. Desserts are de rigueur; if you like chocolate, don't pass up the divine choco-choco flourless chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. In the off season (December through March), it's open only 7--10 am.
Fabulous French cuisine with tropical accents served on an intimate alfresco patio in the tiny French-Canadian enclave of Ojochal keeps this romantic restaurant at the top of locals' list of go-to special-occasion restaurants. Raked sand, red lanterns, and "curtains" of fairy lights set the tone for a menu that includes an intriguing Tahitian fish carpaccio bathed in a creamy banana and coconut marinade, a hearty serving of fish or shrimp in a banana-curry sauce, or a spicy Vietnamese chicken soup. French favorites include cognac liver pâté and a pricey but excellent duck breast with orange sauce. Presentation is artistic, with garnishes of flowers and sprigs of exotic greenery. The wine list is international and reasonably priced. Desserts are all homemade and luscious. Chocoholics won't want to miss the Devil's Fork flourless chocolate cake, rich and dense, with a hint of chili pepper. For a refreshing finish to a meal, the passion-fruit ice cream with a blackberry coulis will leave your taste buds tingling. This restaurant has just 14 tables encased in greenery under a thatch roof.
Authentic paella, made with nutty, saffron-infused Spanish rice and the freshest seafood, is the main reason to wend your way along a rutted dirt road behind Playa Ballena to this jungle outpost of Catalan cuisine. The smallish, open-air rancho is nothing fancy, with wooden chairs and tables and a few potted palms, but it fills up fast. The warm welcome along with the expertly executed Catalonian menu quickly dispel any qualms about the seriousness of this restaurant. There's a classic, spicy, Andalusian gazpacho for starters or tapas to share while you wait the 40 minutes for your cooked-to-order paella. Try the delicate, sweet mussels, bathed in a spicy wine sauce, or the succulent mushrooms marinated in garlic and olive oil. The list of seafood specialties includes whiskey-flambéed shrimp, and meat-lovers can sink their teeth into sirloin slathered with a wine-and-fresh-grape sauce. Chicken takes on tropical flavors with sauces featuring mango, rum, and curry. The pace is a little leisurely, but a pitcher of excellent sangria, studded with tropical fruit chunks, helps to pass the time enjoyably. There are only five or six tables at this dinner-only restaurant, so reservations are advised.
Besides crusty baguettes, buttery croissants, and divine pastries to go, this French bakery near the entrance to Ojochal serves hearty breakfast omelets and light lunches of fish soup, sandwiches, quiches, crepes, salads, and mussels with French fries. Customers perch on high stools at tables and counters in this casual thatch-roof café, many with their laptops open, taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi. Take-out dishes (which are great for picnics) include pork rillettes, smoked trout and salmon, and stuffed crabs.
It's not always easy to find a great cup of coffee around Uvita, but the espresso here, brewed using organic coffee beans from the high-altitude Dota region, is excellent and ready by 7 am. Pair it with a homemade pastry for a heavenly morning. This hip café also serves salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, and divine desserts, including a tart lemon pie with clouds of perfect meringue topping. You also can buy Sibu's coffee beans to take home. Sit on the popular terrace and enjoy the free WI-Fi and laid-back vibe.
Bamboo decks the walls at this hilltop restaurant with a spectacular view of land and sea, but it's the upscale menu that grabs one's attention due to its innovative takes on fish, shrimp, chicken, and out-of-the-ordinary bar food. Crunchy, panko-crispy shrimp make appearances in salads and on their own, and the beer-battered sea bass keeps customers on repeat. Save room for homemade ice cream in unique flavors. Craft beers, cocktails, and wine are all on tap. The upbeat Canadian owner provides an enthusiastic welcome and makes sure everyone is happy. There's live music (Monday, Friday, Saturday at 6 pm) by local and guest musicians playing popular music for grown-ups, from oldies to jazz to country.
No worries if you can't decide between lunch or the beach, because you can get both at this cheerful, casual restaurant and beach club, complete with swimming pool and showers. Just steps from Playa Ballena, Villa Leonor allows you to stroll down to the beach between courses or chill out with ice-cold beer while the kids play in the pool. Typical casados are a bargain, with fish or chicken and lots of sides. Local lobsters, broiled in garlic butter, can be ordered ahead. The restaurant also offers mixed chicken and fish fajitas, excellent fruit smoothies, and tropical cocktails. Service is sprightly, and the friendly owners are usually on hand to greet customers.
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