6 Best Restaurants in Monteverde Cloud Forest and Santa Elena, Arenal, Monteverde, and the Northern Lowlands

An astonishing level of culinary perfection comes out of this A-frame shack serving breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. The menu is enormous, with crepes, pancakes, granola, and French toast alongside tomato soup, veggie panini, 25 types of coffee, and fresh smoothies made with homemade yogurt and local ingredients like pineapple, cucumber, carrot, and basil. With free Wi-Fi, ambient music, and local artwork, the cheerful setting in the center of town is the ideal place to take a break.

In the wood-polished dining room of Hotel Belmar, this elegant restaurant, whose name means “sunset clouds,” is indeed the best place to admire the stunning views, with soft jazz and artisan cocktails that set the tone for the farm-to-table menu. Start with the gorgeous made-on-the-farm cheese platter before moving on to the salt-cured beef tenderloin or homemade pasta stuffed with pejibaye (a regional super fruit). Although the chocolate tamalé is big enough to share, after one bite you may suddenly become a little selfish. 

Attentive, friendly service and a cool, relaxed dining room set the scene for artisanal bread, organic Monteverde greens, housemade pasta, and inspired cocktails. The ribs, steak, and fish are seasoned and cooked to perfection and pair well with the South American wine list, just make sure to save room for the churros. Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan menus are available.

Waiters in crisp black aprons scurry attentively around the three dining rooms here, serving a wide variety of dishes. Start with yuca croquettes filled with local provolone, followed by mouthwatering favorites like shrimp in mango-coconut curry or chicken served with a guava reduction.