Restaurants in Central Pacific Coast
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Café Milagro
Serving some of the country’s best cappuccino and espresso, this is a great place to perk up in the morning – try the perezoso (meaning ‘lazy’ or ‘sloth’), which is a double espresso poured into a large cup of drip-filter coffee. Or, if you want to simply relax and read the English-language newspapers that are available, you can indulge in a baked good or a freshly made deli sandwich.
reviewed
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B
El Patio
This Nuevo Latino spot is adored by locals and tourists alike, in part because its menu changes daily yet never fails to entice and surprise. The unspoken rule here is fresh and local, which means that meats, seafood and produce are always of the highest quality, and always prepared in a way that highlights their natural flavors. If you’re a fan of tapas, sample a few dishes here, though go slow and enjoy your meal over a few glasses of imported wine.
reviewed
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C
Pacific Bistro
This deservedly popular place is run by a gourmet chef from California who specializes in Pan-Asian–style fusion dishes. Whether you’re partial to Indonesian-style noodles and fiery Thai curries, or more refined Japanese soba and fish fillets topped with exotic Chinese sauces, one thing is for certain: this gem of a restaurant really hits the spot, especially if you’ve been craving fine Asian cuisine.
reviewed
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D
El Hicaco
It’s hard not to be impressed by the innovative offerings at this oceanside spot brimming with casual elegance, generally regarded as one of the finer dining experiences in Jacó. Although the menu is entirely dependent on seasonal offerings, both from the land and the sea, the specialty of the house is seafood, prepared with a variety of special sauces highlighted by Costa Rica’s tropical produce.
reviewed
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E
Rioasis
There’s pizza, and then there’s pizza – this much loved pizzeria definitely falls into the latter category, especially considering that there are more than 30 different kinds of pies on the menu. Of course, considering that each one emerges from an authentic wood-fired oven, and is topped with gourmet ingredients from both Costa Rica and abroad, you really can’t go wrong here.
reviewed
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F
Tropical Sushi
Quepos has gone cosmopolitan – for authentic Japanese (yes, the sushi chef is from Japan!), try this colorfully decorated restaurant, which occasionally has all-you-can-eat specials. If you’re a purist, you can stick to the tuna sashimi spreads, though it’s worth venturing out a bit and sampling some of the local Costa Rican–style rolls.
reviewed
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G
Calinche’s Wishbone Eatery
Overseen by the charming Calinche, this is the most famous restaurant in town, and has been so for years and years. The eclectic menu includes pizzas, pitas, stuffed potatoes, pan-seared sea bass and tuna-sashimi salads, though its justifiable fame comes from the fact that everything is quite simply fresh, delicious and good value.
reviewed
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Bar Restaurante Colonial
Centered on a large bar facing the alfresco table settings, this breezy tapas-style bar and restaurant is perfect for some light noshing followed up by a crafted cocktail or two. Fast-food staples are balanced out by local seafood options, while signature drinks make excellent use of regional liquors and fresh fruit juices.
reviewed
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Monchados
Something of a Quepos institution, this long-standing Mex-Carib spot is always bustling with dinner-goers who line up to try traditional Limón-style dishes and Mexican standards. Food here is eclectic, innovative and never bland, a theme that is also reflected in the vibrant decorations and fairly regular live music.
reviewed
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Soda Flor
This Jacó institution is a perennial favorite of locals and budget travelers alike. Remarkably, the menu hasn’t changed in years despite the fact that nearly every other place in town is now offering every-thing from sushi to sirloin. Food is fresh, tasty, cheap and 100% Costa Rican, and the portions here are huge.
reviewed
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K
Tsunami Sushi
If you’ve got a hankering for raw fish, don’t miss Tsunami, a modern and lively restaurant that serves up an exquisite assortment of sushi, sashimi and Californian rolls. The Far East may be a long way away, but the nearby Pacific is home to some seriously tasty sport fish, such as dolphinfish, tuna and wahoo.
reviewed
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L
Restaurante Kaite Negro
On the north side of town, this rambling restaurant is popular with locals, and serves good seafood and a good variety of tasty bocas (appetisers). If you really want to see the place swinging, the open-air courtyard comes to life on weekends with live music and all-night dancing.
reviewed
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Pancho Villa’s
The food here certainly isn’t gourmet by any stretch of the imagination, but it caters to every conceivable taste from Tico and Western to Asian and Mexican. Even if you skip dinner, you’ll probably end up here at some point since the kitchen is open until the wee hours of the morning.
reviewed
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La Casona
This bright-yellow house is marked with a small, modest sign, but it’s an incredibly popular lunch spot, attracting countless locals who jam onto the large deck and into the interior courtyard. Portions are heaped, and soups are served in bathtub-sized bowls – bring your appetite.
reviewed
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Food Stands
The cheapest food is available in the small stands and restaurants near the Palí supermarket. This area is also inhabited by sailors, drunks and prostitutes, but it seems raffish rather than dangerous - during the day, at least.
reviewed
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La Yunta Steakhouse
Your culinary mecca for every imaginable cut of meat has professional service, great ocean views and enough hunks of dead animal to arouse your doctor’s anger.
reviewed
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P
Café Milagro
The sister cafe of the one in Quepos is an obligatory stop on the way to the park as its coffee is pure black gold. Breakfast and sandwiches are well priced and surprisingly filling, and they’ll most definitely put that extra spring in your step once you hit the trails.
reviewed
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Q
Taco Bar
A one-stop shop for Mexican, seafood, salads and smoothies. Get your drink with the gargantuan 1L sizes, or your greens at the salad bar featuring more than 20 different kinds of exotic and leafy combinations. And of course, there’s the obligatory fish taco, which may be one of the planet’s greatest food combinations.
reviewed
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San Clemente Bar & Grill
This classic Dominical watering hole complete with broken surfboards on the walls serves up big breakfasts and Tex-Mex dishes. It’s also one of the more popular places around to get absolutely tanked with like-minded travelers from around the world.
reviewed
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Maracutú
The self-proclaimed ‘world-music beach bar and Italian kitchen’ serves up an eclectic culinary offering that is highlighted by some delicious vegetarian and vegan fare. Each night of the week it features a different genre of music, a good amount of which is live.
reviewed
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Hotel Vela Bar & Restaurant
Hotel Vela is primarily known in these parts for its justifiably famous bar and restaurant, which serves up some of the freshest seafood in the Manuel Antonio area. However, the hotel is also a surprisingly affordable spot to post up for a night or two – rooms here are fairly basic, but it’s hard to beat the price considering that you can literally wake up, have your morning coffee and stroll over to the entrance to the Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio before your caffeine perk sets in.
reviewed
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R
Hotel Poseidon Restaurant
This is one of the most sophisticated restaurants in town, and the specialty here is fresh seafood served up with Asian flare. Sauces are inventive, the staff professional and the atmosphere upscale yet relaxing. A good bet for top-quality food and refined European-style dining that consistently receives good marks from travelers.
reviewed
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S
Escalofrío
Here you’ll find more than 20 different flavors of gelato, which may just be the perfect way to beat the tropical heat. There is also a spacious alfresco seating area where you can sample other Italian treats including espressos and cappuccinos as well as an assortment of pizzas and pastas.
reviewed
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ConFusione
Italian-Latin fusion gets top billing at the Domilocos’ main dining room, which has a warm candlelit Mediterranean ambience and a nice selection of Chianti. You can stick to classics from the peninsula such as penne pasta and flatbread pizzas, stay local with freshly caught seafood and aged tenderloin, or strike a healthy balance – authentic gelato with tropical fruits.
reviewed
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Complejo Arena y Sol
A local eatery that serves up a hearty gallo pinto (rice and beans) breakfast spread, this is where you can carbo-load before a serious surf session. Stop by in the afternoon or evening for typical casados (cheap set meals), or the usual assortment of Western-style fast foods.
reviewed
