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Count on finding lots of fresh fish and tropical fruits on the menu, whether at a roadside soda (casual eatery) serving comida tipica (typical food) or a sophisticated restaurant in Dominical or Ojochal. Up in the mountains, don't miss out on eating fresh, farmed trout. The food at most remote eco-lodges is excellent.
Head to this casually chic, open-air beachfront restaurant for the most upscale and memorable dining, with a dazzling, postcard-perfect beach view and the most sophisticated menu in the Puerto Jiménez area. Standouts on the tantalizing menu include a four-soup sampler: black bean with egg, avocado, and cilantro; warm carrot ginger with red-pepper coulis; and a cold, spicy gazpacho as well as a green version. Fish cakes with sesame-cabbage slaw and ginger marmalade come with heaps of homemade chips. Mahimahi can be prepared tropical style, with a spicy Veracruz sauce, or in garlic butter. Vegetarian options include vegetable stir-fry with tofu, vegetable burritos, and pasta puttanesca. Wines and craft beers, along with exotic fruit drinks, are on tap. Save room for homemade ice cream and brownies. Portions are huge and served with style. The restaurant is owned by Iguana Lodge and high standards of service apply at both. Tuesday is BBQ night; come early to watch the sunset. Be aware that menu prices do not include tax and service, which adds another 23%.
If you want to enjoy a little local atmosphere, join the anglers, families, and backpackers at this tiny restaurant that has spilled over into a large waterfront garden. You can spend $9 for a plate of grilled fish or $36 on lobster. The menu is truly vast, with more than 50 platos fuertes (main courses) that run the gamut from seafood rice to whole lobsters to sirloin steaks. Wash it down with the only draft beer served in town, including microbrews, and gaze out at the Golfo Dulce. Marking the center of the dining area is a massive tree growing through the rafters. An added bonus: there's free Wi-Fi.
This cheerful, family-run café comes with an authentic pedigree: the Colovattis are from Trieste, and the pizza is simply the best in the area. The crust is toasty crisp on the outside and chewy inside, topped with high-quality fixings and sauce made fresh every day. Calzones and homemade pastas are also on the menu, but pizza reigns supreme. Eat in the dining room—the fresh blue-and-white decor is reminiscent of the owners' hometown on the Adriatic Sea—or order takeout and bring your meal back to your hotel. The restaurant's rather odd name refers to the fact that this building used to be the post office.
This simple alfresco restaurant in the heart of Puerto Jiménez is the most likely spot to meet locals and run into just about every visitor in town, making it a good place to pick up information. It serves decent comida típica, salads, pasta, reliably fresh seafood, and excellent fruit smoothies. For a taste of home, the menu has several "fast food" options ranging from burgers and hot dogs to tacos and chicken wings.
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