Restaurants in Playa Tamarindo
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Lazy Wave
Dine at a table if you must, but the best place to enjoy your meal and glass of wine is on the covered pavilion, where you can curl up amid pillows in cushy lounge chairs. If you're out to woo that hot thing you met last night, this hip nightspot, built around a huge tree, is a good place to start the evening. There's a solid wine list, good mix of cocktails and Asian- and Euro-influenced bocas as well as a full menu.
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Dragonfly Bar & Grill
Dragonfly is a local favorite, probably not just for its refined menu, but also for its lovely atmosphere in the festive tent-like structure of the dining room. The menu has a Californian bent, featuring fresh items such as pork chop with chipotle-apple chutney and the Thai-style crispy fish cake with curried corn. Linger a while over your wine and perhaps you can also find room for a divine dessert.
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Pachanga
Don't leave town without eating here - it may be the best meal you have in Costa Rica. The Israeli chef, Shlomy, serves innovative dishes with Mediterranean accents that change daily depending on the availability of local ingredients. The restaurant is understated yet elegant, which focuses your attention on the perfection of Shlomy's cuisine.
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Carolina's Fine Dining
This is one place worth the splurge. Sophisticated continental cuisine highlights skillfully prepared sauces, tender cuts of meat, delectable fish and an impressive selection of imported wines. To truly appreciate the culinary experience, opt for the five-course tasting menu with a full wine tasting (₡ 38,000).
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Wok & Roll
Korean-American owner Kandice routinely inspires fear in local fishermen throughout the Nicoya. She is famous for scrutinizing daily tuna and mahi-mahi catches, and will only buy the freshest of fish. The result: some of the best sushi we've ever eaten. Her woks and Vietnamese spring rolls are also popular.
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Nibbana
One of the nicest beachfront dining areas in town, Nibbana has tables scattered underneath the palms. It serves great pizza at lunch, and Tico-flavored continental cuisine, such as shrimp, lemon and basil risotto, or grilled tuna with a fresh mint-and-tomato compote. It also has free wi-fi access.
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Grinds/Kahiki
In the mornings, you can get breakfast grinds like giant pancakes and bottomless cups of coffee. Dinner is another story, with good Hawaiian-influenced fusion dishes emphasizing the local catch. The bar is a cool place to hang if you don't feel like eating, with a long and intriguing cocktail menu.
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Bar Nogui
This beachside restaurant offers upscale casados (set meals) with grilled fish, mixed meats and unbelievable shrimp and lobster. It’s consistently popular with locals and tourists alike, so come early for dinner or be prepared to wait at the bar for a couple of Imperiales with the rowdy regulars.
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Olga's Coffee Shop
In a new corner location with floor-to-ceiling windows, this sleek Russian-owned café serves up organic Costa Rican coffee and homemade pastries - the outside terrace is the perfect place to hang in the morning as you let the caffeine do its thing.
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El Coconut
Another recommended choice for seafood and pasta dishes. You can get a special dinner at this Norwegian-owned restaurant without having to get formal about it. The ambience is laid-back but elegant, with a tropical flair and a dessert menu that begs you to save room.
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Eat@Joe's
The best snack in town is at this US-run surf camp, where you can order the famous ‘nachos as big as your ass’ (or sushi rolls) while sucking down cold ones on the outdoor deck until 2am.
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Smilin' Dog Taco Stop
Those hankering for Mexican grub will appreciate the quality of offerings at this popular eatery, while shoestringers will revel in the generous portions and low prices.
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Café Café
About 3km outside of town, this super-friendly café is a great place to pick up an espresso, smoothie or panini on your way into or out of town.
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Frutas Tropicales
One of the few places you can get a good, inexpensive casado, this friendly spot serves up tasty local food…at a local pace.
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Restaurante La Vita Bella & Bruno’s Pizzeria
The amazing sunset ocean views from the 4th-floor location are surpassed only by the delicious Spanish, Italian, Lebanese and Jamaican cuisine. Somehow it works, because owner Tony Ziade is Lebanese-Spanish and raised in Jamaica. The eclectic menu includes sea bass with chimichurri sauce, chicken kebabs, steak, paellas and authentic pizzas.
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Elevation Gallery Café
Readers rave about the breakfast and lunch menu at this stylish coffeehouse. Co-owner Lane Patrick is a former Four Seasons chef. His partner Tara, a fashion photographer, runs the attached Raindolls Boutique and shot the amazing ‘babes and bowling’ photos gracing the walls of this open-plan, contemporary cafe. On Thursday and Friday nights the cafe is transformed into a tapas and wine bar.
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Sushi Club
We are real sushi snobs, so trust us when we say: this is the best sushi restaurant in Tamarindo. The Argentine-run, intimate (just four tables), open-air restaurant is located poolside at the boutique Hotel Luna Llena. The fresh sushi is divine and reasonably priced, including specials like the 40-piece ‘Love Boat’ of rolls, nigri and sashimi. With cool, chill-out music and atmosphere and superb service, this is a must for any sushi-lover.
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Seasons by Shlomy
Don’t leave town without eating here – it may be the best meal you have in Costa Rica. Israeli chef Shlomy serves innovative dishes with Mediterranean accents that change daily depending on the availability of local ingredients. One of our favorite plates was the Pacific yellow seared tuna in a chili marinade and honey glaze. Located at Hotel Arco Iris, the understated yet elegant open-air restaurant has indoor seating or romantic poolside tables. The food and service here are simply impeccable. Reservations are recommended.
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La Baula
By far the best pizza in Tamarindo – this casual open-air restaurant has real wood-fired pizzas, pastas and other Italian fare. It’s also one of the most family-friendly restaurants in town, with a nice playground to keep the kids entertained.
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Beach Burger
The only 24/7 eatery in Tamarindo, this Colombian-run shack has burgers, subs, hot dogs, arepas (corn pancakes) and other hangover-curing treats.
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