Restaurants in Costa Rica
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A
Koki Beach
Reminiscent of Miami Beach, this sleek spot cranks reggae-lite and sports colorful Adirondack chairs that face the ocean from an elevated wooden platform on the east end of town. There’s a decent selection of Peruvian-inflected ceviches (seafood marinated in lemon or lime juice, garlic and seasonings), meat and seafood dishes, but slim pickings for vegetarians.
reviewed
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B
Colbert Restaurant
At this charming French restaurant with lovely views, you'll find a chef who looks like he’s straight out of Central Casting: Joël Suire is not only French, he is also amply moustachioed and wears a toque. Naturally, the menu is loaded with traditional French items such as onion soup and house-made paté. A good wine list (bottles from US$16) is strong on vintages from South America and France.
reviewed
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Jade Luna
A delectable dining experience, starting with the linen napkins and candlelit tables, and ending with tropical-flavored homemade ice cream. Not to gloss over what comes in between: the menu varies, but always features fresh Cajun-style fish and garlicky jumbo shrimp straight from the gulf, plus a host of appetizers and salads prepared with the freshest organic produce.
reviewed
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C
Restaurante Coral Reef
This place attracts fish-lovers, who arrive for steaming portions of seafood stew served in a pleasant 2nd-story balcony overlooking the main drag. The place gets packed, especially in high season (make a reservation).
reviewed
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D
Trio's
A touch of class in sweet Santa Elena, this rather Ikea-chic dining room behind SuperCompro is perched in the trees and the menu also aims high. At first blush you may be shocked at how un-tipica it is. What with coconut curry, pork ribs slathered in guava barbecue sauce, chicken breasts stuffed with figs and goat cheese, and a Tico version of Cobb salad on the menu, but dishes deliver big time. Even the green salad is special – packed with avocado, hearts of palm and blessed with a passionfruit feta vinaigrette (yes, it works). The cocktails are tasty too, and for dessert it has an amazing looking mango split.
reviewed
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E
La Chimera
Latin-infused tapas such as fried calamari with green chili-coconut sauce, slow-cooked white beans and pork, and sea bass with passionfruit cream and spicy mango chutney, are complemented by an excellent wine list featuring robust Chilean reds and crisp whites. Dine alfresco on the trellis patio or in the groovy, burnt orange dining room. The cocktails rock. Skip dessert.
reviewed
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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. They specialize in paella, papas bravas, fresh fish, meats and chicken. Wash it down with some of the best sangria this side of the Atlantic. The ambience is rustic, intimate and super tranquilo and well worth the trip 2km north of downtown.
reviewed
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F
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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G
@ E's
This restaurant and bar at Rocking J’s is much more than just a travelers hang-out. Run by a Cordon Bleu–trained chef, Eric, the menu is a pan-everything fusion of Thai, Mexican and US cuisine – covering the gamut from burgers to stir-fries as well as fancier dishes, like seared marlin.
reviewed
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H
Restaurante Maravilla
Just about the cheapest and most authentic restaurant in Santa Elena, this charming soda serves typical Costa Rican specialties, including excellent meaty and vegetarian casados, pasta dishes and burgers. It can get crowded during lunch hour.
reviewed
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I
Veronica's Place
This delightful vegetarian cafe along the main road through town offers fresh, healthy interpretations of Caribbean food, using fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as soy products. Veronica rents cabinas, has a macrobiotic health-food store onsite and runs a volunteer work exchange on her organic farm.
reviewed
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J
Cafe Chocolatte 100% Natural
There's no better place in Cahuita to greet the morning with a cup o’ joe or unwind in the afternoon with a refreshing jugo. Hearty sandwiches on homemade whole-grain bread are perfect for beach picnics at the national park.
reviewed
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K
Como en Casa
With its white tablecloths and festive atmosphere, this Argentinean grill is a popular weekend lunch spot, serving a comprehensive round-up of grilled meats and a strong selection of pastas (including vegetarian options). A good wine list is composed mostly of Chilean and Argentinean vintages (about US$25 a bottle).
reviewed
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L
Restaurante Shakti
This informal neighborhood health-food outpost has simple, organic-focused cooking as well as freshly baked goods. Favorites include veggie burgers, along with various fish dishes, but most people arrive for the casado of the day – which is always vegetarian.
reviewed
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M
Jalepeños Central
Run by an animated Colombian–American from New York City, this popular Tex-Mex spot will introduce some much-needed spice into your diet. You’ll also find Tico specialties, spit-roasted chicken and New York–style cheesecake.
reviewed
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N
Johnny's Pizzería
Johnny's has been serving up wood-fired, thin-crust pizzas since 1993. We're partial to its original Traviesa with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, red onion and tomato sauce spiced with oregano, but the Monteverde sounds good too. Think: prosciutto, green olives and home-grown organic leeks. There's a warm and elegant atmosphere, and the tapas bar upstairs serves mussels, tortilla soup and mixed ceviche.
reviewed
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O
Restaurant Carolina
This is the hub in Puerto Jiménez. Expats, nature guides, tourists and locals all gather here for food, drinks and plenty of carousing. The food is famous locally and the fresh-fruit drinks and cold beers go down pretty easily on a hot day.
reviewed
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Organico
Attention Whole Foods addicts, let this be your methadone. Here you'll find a healthy helping of organic fruits and veg, exotic and local spices, almond and soy milk and a fair amount of goods that are not organic in the slightest (we're looking at you, Cup O' Noodles). But they have bulk nuts and dried fruit and enough organic goods that it qualifies. There's a deli, and a wine and liquor selection too. It's on the highway south of Marlin Bill's.
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Cafe Sante
This cheery new spot is set in the quaint crossroads town of San Francisco de Coyote. They serve espresso, sandwiches and salads but are only open for lunch during the week.
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P
Agua Azul
Perched on the 2nd floor with uninterrupted ocean views, Agua Azul is a killer lunch spot on this stretch of road – perfect for early morning park visitors who are heading back to their hotel. The breezy, unpretentious open-air restaurant is renowned for its 'big ass burger'. But the burger is only the beginning of satisfying menu choices. Selections like the panko-crusted catch of the day or seared tuna on tequila lime cucumber salad are executed with artful precision.
reviewed
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Q
Café Milagro
The sister cafe of the one in Quepos is an obligatory stop on the way to the park for exquisite coffee – pure black gold. Breakfast and sandwiches are well priced and filling, and patrons can grab them en route to the trails or linger at the wooden tables out front to watch the world go by.
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Umi Sushi
In the courtyard of the Centro Comercial Playa El Carmen, this sushi bar has a pleasant dining room and tables outside. If you’re lucky, it will have a surf movie projected on the outside wall while you savor your Mal País roll. Beer drinkers, beware: it only serves Japanese beers, at exorbitant prices.
reviewed
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R
Orgánico
When they say ‘pure food made with love,’ they mean it – this healthy cafe turns out nine vegetarian or vegan dishes including spicy Thai burgers, a sopa azteca with tofu, burritos, falafel, smoothies and other meat-free treats you can feel good about. But they do meat dishes, like spaghetti Bolognese, too. Whaddaya want? They're Italian. They have live music almost nightly, including an open mic on Monday nights.
reviewed
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Artemis Café
They have a menu to satisfy any homesick extranjero, with steak frites, oven-roasted turkey or pastrami sandwiches, cheese plates, and heaping Western breakfasts. There's also a groovy lounge scene at night with DJs spinning cool tracks and occasional live music.
reviewed
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Andre’s Beach Bar
The best pizza place in town also has one of the best breakfast spots, serving omelettes and eggs Benedict. English and French are spoken.
reviewed