Restaurants in Interamericana Norte
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Trio
From the same people who brought us Chimera and Sofia comes this amazing new fusion restaurant. We were in heaven after savoring the camarones mojitos – grilled shrimp drenched in a garlic, cumin, onion, rum and orange-juice sauce, served on a bed of potatoes, veggies and avocados. Follow up the flavor explosions with to-die-for desserts like the mango split sorbet. The contemporary, stilted building is oddly located in a dark corner behind the SuperCompro supermarket. It may not have the ambience of its sister restaurants, but this is hands-down our favorite dining experience in Monteverde.
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Chimera
Latin-infused tapas are complemented by an excellent wine list featuring robust reds like Chilean Syrah-cabernets and crisp whites like pinot grigio. Dine alfresco at the trellis patio or the big-windowed dining room with beautiful jungle views. Charming staff will lay out a spread of cocktails (like kiwi caipirinhas, with lime, sugar and rum) and tapas like sea bass with passion-fruit cream and spicy mayo, or fried yucca with chipotle garlic aioli, all on white tablecloths.
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Sabor Español
She’s from Barcelona. He’s from Ibiza. And together, Heri and Montse have created one of the most authentic and lovely Spanish restaurants in Costa Rica. The couple specialize in paella, fresh fish, meats and chicken. We loved the stuffed avocado appetizer, followed by shrimp flambéed in whiskey. Wash it down with some of the best sangria this side of the Atlantic. The ambience is super tranquillo and well worth the trip 2km north of downtown.
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Maravilla
Just about the cheapest and most authentic restaurant in Santa Elena, this charming soda serves typical Costa Rican specialties including excellent casados. The menu also features American favorites such as fajitas, pancakes, French toast and 12 kinds of milk shakes. This place gets very crowded during lunch hour, so plan accordingly.
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La Pizzería de Johnny
Woodfired, thin-crust pizzas will warm you right up after a long hike through the cloud forests (or up the hill from Santa Elena). The warm atmosphere and lovely dining area makes it feel as though you are having a nice dinner out without paying the price.
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Stella’s Bakery
Order your choice of sandwich on delicious homemade breads with a con-venient order form (one side is in English), and don’t skimp on the veggies, many of which are locally grown (and organic). You can also get soups, salads, quiches and lots of tempting sweet pastries.
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Tree House Restaurant & Café
Built around a half-century-old higuerón (fig) tree, this hip cafe serves up your favorite Mexican dishes from burritos to huevos rancheros (eggs served with tortillas and a tomato sauce), and has a healthy selection of salads and sandwiches. The burlap-bag ceiling and jungle-themed murals painted on the yellow stucco walls surround the airy atrium. It’s a cool, lively space to have a bite, linger over wine and sometimes catch good live music.
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Puerta del Sol
Peruvian-style ceviche is the bomb at this four-table establishment, done up in blue and deliciousness. In addition to the specialty of the house, there are interesting corn-based desserts and drinks like the refreshing, nonalcoholic chicha morada. And if you're with someone special, you might consider one of the aphrodisiac dishes, like the leche de tigre (tiger's milk), made from seafood and tantalizingly secret ingredients.
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Bar-B-Q Tres Hermanas
Long before you get here, you’ll notice dozens of signs on the Interamericana advertising the best steakhouse in Guanacaste – Bar-B-Q Tres Hermanas. Believe the hype! This local landmark’s specialty is barbecue beef and pork ribs, marinated and slow cooked for eight hours. Kids will love the playground and noisy bull and monkey animatronics. Leave your vegetarian friends at home.
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Musashi
Who ever thought you’d find good sushi in the middle of the rainforest? But look no further than this tiny restaurant in the heart of Santa Elena. Venezuelan owner Jesus is a classically trained sushi chef with an eye for perfection. The sushi boats are a good deal for groups. You’ll also find other favorite Japanese dishes including tepanyaki, teriyaki and lunch bento box specials.
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Rincón Corobicí
This attractive Swiss-run restaurant is 4km north of Cañas on the banks of the Río Corobicí, and is a great lunch spot. A terrace provides river and garden views, and a short trail follows the riverbank where you can take a cool dip. English, French and German are spoken here, and you can book tours with Ríos Tropicales for the Río Corobicí or other destinations in Costa Rica.
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Sofia
Sofia has established itself on the Monteverde restaurant scene as one of the best places in town with its Nuevo Latino cuisine – a modern fusion of traditional Latin American cooking styles. The ambience is flawless – soft lighting, hip music, picture windows, romantic candle settings, sloping wooden ceilings, pastel paintwork and potent cocktails to lighten the mood.
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Restaurante De Lucía
On the same road as El Jardín de las Mariposas, this Chilean-owned place is Monteverde’s most famous restaurant. Chef José Belmar, who speaks more languages then you and your friend put together, regularly chats to guests and asks for feedback on the cuisine, and dishes (a good mix of Italian and South American specialties) are always flawless, and reasonably priced.
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Dulce Marzo
Yummy home-baked sweets, wraps, sandwiches, good espresso drinks and a favorite-cafe feel make this one of those places to linger over a late-morning coffee as you skim the paper or your guidebook. Foreign magazines scatter the tables and there’s also a book exchange if you need reading material for the next leg of your trip. Located next door to Atmosphera gallery.
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Café Caburé
Looking for something different? Argentine owner Susana Salas has created one of the most eclectic menus around, including Mexican chicken mole, chipotle-rubbed steak, sweet-and-sour chicken wraps, curries and mouth-watering, homemade chocolates and other desserts. The balcony has some of the most incredible sunset views in town. Located in Paseo de Stella.
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Morpho’s Restaurant
This romantic, downtown restaurant spices up typical Costa Rican food by adding a gourmet flair. Casados feature a variety of European-influenced sauces (think sea bass in a fruity demiglaze), and are served with a traditional batido (fruit shake) or a more sophisticated glass of wine. The menu also has a good variety of vegetarian dishes.
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Hacienda La Pacífica
Once a working hacienda and nature reserve, this elegant restaurant is 4.5km north of Cañas on the Interamericana and is now part of a private hotel for researchers. Many of the ingredients are grown right here on experimental organic plots, including the only large-scale organic rice cultivation site in the country.
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Panadería Alemania
A German bakery with beautifully flaky croissants, a respectably authentic sushi counter doing what it can with the local rice and an international kitchen turning out Euro-style numbers can all be found at this local hangout. The patio is also a great place for a beer under the canopy of the huge guanacaste tree.
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Pizzería Tramonti
It’s worth the trip out here if you hanker for authentic Italian, as the pizzas are baked in a wood-fired oven, and the pastas and seafood are consistently fresh. The atmosphere is also relaxed yet romantic, and the picture windows are perfect for admiring the cloud forest and passers-by.
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Pan y Miel
The best breakfast in town can be had at this branch of the local bakery, which serves its excellent bread as sandwiches and French toast, as well as offering a buffet line with casado fixings, pastries and fresh fruit. There’s a surlier bakery-only branch a block north of Parque Central.
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Restaurante Los Mangos
The nicest restaurant in town (we know it’s run-down, but there aren’t exactly a lot of options here) is on the main road, and does your standard mix of casados, ceviche and fried chicken, and it’ll get you liquored up at night.
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Pizza Pronto
Situated in a handsome 19th-century house, this romantic pizzeria is in a class of its own. You can choose from a long list of toppings for your wood-fired pizza, including fresh, local seafood or pineapple; the pastas are also good.
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Hotel Cañas
You can count on the most reliable quality at this hotel restaurant, serving up a number of Western dishes, including chicken cordon bleu and beef stroganoff. Dine here if you’re pretty sure you can’t stomach another casado.
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Café Liberia
Run by a sweet Tica named Radha, this hip spot is a dream: serving organic juices, Costa Rican coffee, fresh sandwiches, salads and crepes, pastries, wines and lots of vegetarian items. Plus, there’s free wi-fi, a gallery and sometimes live music. The lovely Radha also runs a small boutique shop on the premises.
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Food Mall de Burger King
Yearning for the gringo-style fast-food you left behind? Don't worry, it's followed you to Costa Rica: this food mall houses Burger King, Church's Chicken, Papa John's Pizza, Subway, TCBY and Pizza Hut.
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