Arenal & Around
La Ventanita is the ‘little window’ where you place your order. Soon, you’ll be devouring the best chifrijo (rice-and-pinto beans bowl with fried pork,…
Must-see restaurants in Arenal & Northern Lowlands
Gingerbread Hotel & Restaurant
Arenal & Around
Larger-than-life chef Eyal turns out transcendent meals from the freshest local ingredients (some from the gardens outside). Favorites include mushrooms…
Arenal & Around
Charming Christian, from the Sicilian highlands, has created a lakeside wonder, featuring both open-air and indoor dining. Southern Italian specialties…
Arenal & Around
With glorious sunsets and a dock for boat access, this is a hidden gem. The chef – who works in tandem with his talented mom Cinia – has created a menu of…
La Fortuna
Though nothing fancy from afar, the love radiates outward from Mari and Alvaro's kitchen to warm your belly and your heart. Cheap, delicious casados (set…
Arenal & Around
The plates really do fly out of this carry-out joint right in the center of Nuevo Arenal, which gets raves for its homemade pasta. It’s mostly Italian –…
La Fortuna
Best place in town, hands down. Cesar cranks up weepy ranchera music while you drink in the atmosphere: a troika of sombreros and painted skulls complete…
La Fortuna
If you have a hankering for pizza, you can’t do better than Anch’io, where the crust is crispy thin, the toppings are plentiful and the pie is cooked in a…
La Fortuna
The vibe is trendy at this indoor-outdoor grill. The highlight is the perfectly prepared grilled meats: the New York Steak with mushrooms is to die for…
Arenal & Around
If you don’t mind a little detour, here is your lunch stop between Monteverde and Arenal. Simple Tico fare is done with panache at this dressed-up soda…
Arenal & Around
Murals, masks and other indigenous-inspired art adorn the walls at this friendly cafe. Take your pick from the delicious sandwiches, well-stuffed wraps…
Arenal & Around
Follow your nose to this authentic stone-built tavern, 14.5km west of Nuevo Arenal, where the meat is cooked in an open fire pit, producing decadent,…
La Fortuna
This open-air restaurant has become a go-to spot for post-activities lunch or dinner. There is pizza and pasta, wraps and salads, and loads of vegetarian…
La Fortuna
This delightful osteria is worth the trip, cooking up homemade pasta and pizza such as the Arenal: bacon, egg, ham, mushroom and basil. Customers rave…
Arenal & Around
Set in an open-air dining room with incredible volcano views, Fusion Grill shows off a little swank (at least, more than other restaurants in El Castillo)…
La Fortuna
When you’re surrounded by mountains and cattle farms, who’s thinking of sushi? Well, you should. The fish is fresh (you’re not that far from the ocean)…
La Fortuna
A lovely little family operation that preaches better living through better eating, and the proof is in the pudding (or maybe the falafel). Delicious,…
La Fortuna
If you’re looking for a change of taste – a real change from casados and pizza – check this out. Chifa is Peruvian Chinese fried rice, and chef Martin…
La Fortuna
Travelers adore the local flavor that’s served up at Soda Víquez (in all senses of the expression). It’s a super-friendly spot, offering tasty típico …
Arenal & Northern Lowlands
Recommended by locals as the best soda in this humble town, La Suyapa offers a fresh take on the traditional. Casados come with noodles and potato salad…
Sarapiquí Valley
Here's a spot for the frugal gourmet. Chef Horacio prepares everything from spaghetti in white sauce, with patacones (plantain fritters) on the side, to…
Arenal & Around
Better known as the ‘German bakery,’ thanks to the signs that litter the lake road, this landmark is a famous rest stop for road-trippers heading to/from…
Arenal & Around
A cheap and cheerful soda near the top of the hill as you approach town, with ample wooden-table seating. It does Western-style breakfasts, pasta dishes,…
Restaurante y Pizzeria La Casona
Sarapiquí Valley
The restaurant at Hotel Ara Ambigua is particularly recommended for its oven-baked pizza and traditional homemade cuisine served in an open-air rancho …
Arenal & Around
Old John has gone to the pie-in-the-sky, but his recipes and legacy live on with his widow Myra, who still whips up delicious pizzas, calzones and…
Sarapiquí Valley
Rancho Magallanes is a sweet roadside restaurant with a wood-burning brick oven where it roasts whole chickens and serve them quite simply with tortillas…
La Fortuna
What began as a snack counter on the last pass before La Fortuna waterfall has turned into a full-blown fusion excursion by Scott, famous for his love of…
La Fortuna
We know it’s bad form to start with dessert, but the irresistible sweets at this popular spot are beautiful to behold and delicious to devour. There’s…
Sarapiquí Valley
Heaping helpings of Costa Rican food and other items dominate the menu: three different vegetarian pastas are on offer, as well as steaks, rice-and-beans…
Arenal & Northern Lowlands
Overlooking a bull pen, this place is bustling with hungry campesinos (farmers). It has an expansive menu of local dishes, and is a great spot for a cold…
La Fortuna
You forgot to eat or pack a lunch before your hike? Plan B. Cheap, filling sandwich and omelette fillings at this corner stand include chicken, three…
Arenal & Northern Lowlands
If you need a place to rest your weary feet while awaiting the next bus (the terminal's just 300m away) you can't do much better than Horacio's. The…
La Fortuna
This thatched landmark has been around so long that the faltering palapa roof is almost as big an institution as the volcano it mimics. It has a small bar…
Sarapiquí Valley
This La Virgen favorite has welcoming service and the food is tasty and filling. The place is popular (and it has televisions); it can get loud, and now…
Arenal & Around
Kind of a tourist trap. The souvenir shop is a turnoff, and US$4 is a lot for a muffin, even if the banana macadamia muffins are accompanied by a cup of…
Restaurante y Pizzeria La Parada
La Fortuna
Facing Parque Central and all the street action, this popular soda does a brisk trade in, well, everything…from decent pizzas to satisfying tipica. Surely…
La Fortuna
Locally beloved and set conveniently next door to the bus station, this open-air lunch counter is one of the quaintest, cheapest sodas in town. It does…
Arenal & Northern Lowlands
Across from the immigration office and next to Hotel Wilson Tulipán, this is a decent option for lunch or a smoothie. It also provides information on…
Arenal & Around
Sit down at the picnic tables for Mama’s tasty, tipica home cooking. A good old-fashioned Tico soda, across the street from the Hummingbird's Nest.
La Fortuna
Next to the bus terminal, on the river road, this spacious supermarket is a good place to visit before that next long ride.
