hello! so we've finalized our plans. we're gonna be manuel antonio/quepos from sat thru thurs staying at villas nicolas. now we just need restaurant suggestions.
do local or street markets have food we can purchase and keep in our room?
anywhere we absolutely must go? please help!! thanks.

in quepos the best restaurant is El Banco Bar, great sush and seafood!
in manuel antonio, Marlin Restaurant on the beach is good for breakfast & lunch!
El Avion on the hill- the plane- is a converted plane with great sunset views and for a 'tourist trap' surprisingly the foods not bad. but id go there for a coicktail.
bambu jam has good `fusion´style food and is buzzy with regular live local bands!

http://costa.rica.typepad.com/manuel...nio/index.html

My husband and I really enjoyed the outdoor terrace restaurant at Si Como No (The Rico Tico) when we visited. It's high on a hill overlooking the ocean, and has spectacular views and good food. We liked it enough to drive 40 miles each way to eat there twice during our stay at Los Suenos a couple of years ago.

Good rec, Polly. We always make a point of eating there. Lisa, who used to post regularly on this board, recommended a place to us that, unfortunately, we didn't get to try this past June. Perhaps someone remembers the name of it? Mar y Luna, perhaps? Or maybe I'm thinking of another part of the country. I just remember her telling us it was an excellent Tico restaurant with comida tipica, which we really enjoy.
Anyone know what I'm talking about?

oo! thanks for all the great suggestions.
here's one more...what do people usually do for breakfast? are there little cafe's? are there markets we can purchase snacks and fruit?
best types of fruit? anything that we should try that i might not be too familiar with??
we'll be there in less than 48 hrs!! can't wait!!!!

mar y luna was knocked down a few months ago as part of the governments plans to demolish properties built past the 50 meter high tide line!

Guanacaste:No - it was Mar y Sombra right on the beach that was knocked down... mar y Luna is another place - on the road between Quepos and manuel Antonio - somewhere not too far from Barba Roja or Salsipuedes. As far as I know it is still there. Maybe tomorrow I will check - it is raining now.

raquel

Thanks, Raquel! That is the one I am referring to. We've heard a lot of good things about it.

Yes, Guanacaste, I remember Mar y Sombra--the party place. Haven't been there, but there were a few horror stories, right?

dagny - there are a couple of markets / c-store type places along the road to Manual Antonio. We stayed at Tulemar and there was a store within walking distance that had pretty much everything we needed (food, beer, wine, soda, sun tan lotion, etc.) There are also some bigger markets in Quepos.

Bummer on the Mar Y Sombra demolition. We were partial to the quiter beach front place next door (can't remember the name) Is that gone too? We are headed back in February and I was looking forward to that place!

oopsd got my `mars´mixed up

yep, it was Mar y Sombra got knocked down.
it was a `party´place, i dont think in the town many people were sad to see it go!

fun places to lounge and drink? we're 3 girls just wanting to have a little fun!! i can't wait!! i'm leaving tomorrow morning!! just hope the weather is good... i look forward to this trip and many more back to cr...