64 Best Restaurants in Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

This hip beach café has exactly the kind of ambience one comes to Costa Rica for, with tables scattered along the beach amid palm and almond trees, hammocks swinging in the wind, palm fronds rustling, and surfers riding the glistening waves in front. Seating, or more precisely, lolling, is on reclining, African-style hardwood chairs, or at shaded tables. Along with fresh fruit smoothies, ultrathin vegetarian pizzas, and veggie soy burgers, the menu includes organic chicken and "responsible fish" (caught in nets that don't also trap turtles). Seared ahi tuna with sun-dried tomatoes and olive tapenade served on ciabatta bread is a winner, as are the ceviche, fish-and-chips, pesto pasta, and assorted salads. Mahi tacos are the latest addition to the menu, served with rice and beans. 

It's easy to miss this unassuming eatery surrounded by cactus on the road to the beach, but you would be missing out on some of the area's best Costa Rican food. Starting with the humble dishes of his childhood, the chef elevates the menu with made-from-scratch corn tortillas made into tayuyás: sandwiches brimming with sweet and savory fillings like an omelet with cheese curd, ripe banana, honey, and custard, or shredded chicken spiced to perfection with avocado, tomato, and lettuce. There is also standard American fare on the extensive menu like burgers and pizza, and plenty for vegetarians. 

A romantic setting, ocean breezes, and a creative Italian menu make this one of the most popular restaurants in Sámara. By day, rustic wooden tables are shaded by white sails strung between palms; by night, diners bask in the glow of white globe lamps and light-festooned trees. You can sit under a covered area or out on the sand. The soundtrack is trendy, and the food is good, too. Gusto starts the morning at 8 with great espresso and croissants; the rest of the day, there are salads, burgers, Italian fries sprinkled with Parmesan and pepper, and, of course, pizzas. Menu prices do not include the obligatory 25% tax and service.

Dawn to dusk, this casually chic restaurant overlooking Playa Pelada is the most scenic place to have breakfast, lunch, cocktails, or dinner, with tables spilling out of the interior onto a wide, covered terrace and onto the sand. The menu is mostly Mediterranean, with options like whole red snapper, grilled kebabs, beef or fish carpaccio, and brick oven–fired pizzas. At sunset, you can cozy up in a settee on the sand with a cocktail, and share a Mediterranean platter of dips, including harissa-hot hummus served with fluffy pita. Breakfast, starting at 7:30 am, ranges from a tropical papaya boat with yogurt and granola, to full English breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, grilled mushrooms, and tomatoes. Vegetarians can opt for toast topped with avocado and goat cheese. Some outdoor, picnic-style tables make this restaurant family-friendly during the day, while the terrace tables are more romantic at night.

If you want to feel at home on vacation, head to this family-friendly neighborhood sports bar featuring in-house roasted deli meats, local artisanal products, and delectable salads. Choose dine-in or take-out lunches like big turkey sandwiches with a side of pineapple slaw or the delightful pear Gorgonzola salad. After you eat, stay for a game of pool, Ping-Pong, or horseshoes.

As if the breathtaking view high in the hills above Playas del Coco weren't enough (you may recognize it from its feature on the television series Restaurants on the Edge), the innovative menu at one of the few oyster bars in Costa Rica takes it a step further. Try the oysters raw or grilled or order the tuna nachos alongside a spicy ginger margarita or watermelon mojito. More creative dishes include avocado fries with chipotle dip, lobster grilled cheese, Korean beef tacos, and the ahi tuna sticky rice bowl. Come for happy hour from 1 to 3 and stay until the sun goes down. Reservations are recommended for sunset dining.

You can’t get any closer to the water than at this outdoor beach garden, where rustic tables are shaded by enormous ficus trees draped with wicker lamps. Classic French cuisine with Costa Rican flavors include dishes like fresh seafood with fruit reductions and organic meats seared on hot lava stones. It's one of the few places in Tamarindo serving lamb, and 100% of the ingredients are local. For something light, try the tropical goat cheese salad with mango chutney or the yellowfin tuna tower topped with mango and avocado.

Arty driftwood tables and sculpted chairs scattered along the rocky beach and an inventive Mediterranean menu have made this one of the most scenic, as well as one of the best, restaurants in the country for almost 30 years. The eclectic menu changes daily and features local seafood, lamb, beef, and even duck. The decor is funky with "found" art and hanging lamps, and the restaurant is most spectacular at night, when flickering lanterns combine with crashing surf to create a dramatic and romantic dinner experience. Daily pasta specials focus on seafood. Portions are plentiful and artistically presented on huge platters.  Don't pass up the velvety dark-chocolate tart if it’s on the dessert menu. The restaurant is sometimes open Saturday night, on the chef's whim; call ahead to find out.

An unexpected outpost of divine French cuisine, this oasis of elegance overlooks a sparkling blue pool edged by lush palms, while lounge chairs shaded by orange umbrellas tempt diners to stay overnight (six stylish rooms are available). Lunch and dinner feature lots of local seafood, produce, and goat cheese from the chef’s nearby farm. Try the fresh grouper fillet bathed in lemon-herb-butter sauce, or the seared ahi tuna with ginger-carrot puree. Vegetarians can feast on ravioli stuffed with wild mushrooms, sage, and sun-dried tomatoes. Desserts include classic French options—fruit crepes, crème brûlée—as well as chocolate lava cake with raspberry compote. The service here is exemplary. You can order wonderful wines by the glass or bottle—a rare opportunity in these remote parts. While waiting for your meal to arrive, ask to view the photo album of the chef’s famous clients. Transportation can be arranged for dinner guests by calling the hotel in advance.

This marina spot gets busy during brunch with treats like homemade bagels with egg and avocado and rich ricotta pancakes (Bloody Mary recommended). And while they're best known for breakfast, the lunch and dinner menus are interesting, with entrees like Chinese chicken salad, tropical tacos with grilled shrimp, and dry-aged prime rib eye. Early birds can stop for a cappuccino and watch the marina and mountain views through the floor-to-ceiling glass. Inside, charming shelves of rainbow-hued books curve around the California cool retro diner booths while pura vida service abounds.

This roadside grill is home to the country's best barbecued pork and beef, slow roasted for 16 to 18 hours over a wood fire and served with dynamite barbecue sauce. Sides go beyond coleslaw or fries to include lentils stewed with bacon and onions. If you've been tempted to try Costa Rican–style chicharrones, try them here—served with refried beans, local cheese, tortilla chips, and salsa. Beyond barbecue, there are imported beef steaks, plus a filet mignon smothered in mushroom sauce. If you can persuade any noncarnivore to enter the premises, the menu also has salads and fish. A playground keeps small children occupied while parents dig in. And there's a Pops ice-cream parlor attached to the restaurant.

The Tres Hermanas restrooms are the poshest and cleanest on the long stretch of highway between Puntarenas and Liberia.

One of Montezuma's most scenic and sophisticated restaurants, Ylang Ylang is nestled between the beach and the jungle, offering views of waves crashing against the rocks. The lunch menu lists a selection of sushi, salads, wraps, and sandwiches with various vegan, gluten-free, and raw dishes. The ocean view and elegant terrace setting make it worth the 10-minute walk down the beach. At night, the restaurant turns on the romance with flickering candles and an inventive dinner menu that ranges from Thai-style teriyaki tuna steak to penne in seafood sauce. Whatever you choose, you'll want to save room for desserts, such as the tiramisu espresso crepe. 

Known by the locals as just "Nico's," you'll find big traditional Costa Rican breakfasts at this friendly outdoor favorite as well as surprises like savory crepes and Mediterranean specialties. The pasta and chicken shwarma for lunch are both winners, and so are the veggie pesto sandwiches with eggplant and zucchini and the falafel salad, which are every bit as good as the meat dishes if not better. The bread is freshly baked in-house and the fresh fruits burst with flavor.

Guanacaste-inspired and locally sourced, the cuisine here pays tribute to the owner's Italian roots with dishes like lobster tail served with homemade black pasta, and there are vegan and gluten-free options. The restaurant has marble tables, parchment lamps, and driftwood-integrated decor under an open-air patio. The wine list is extensive and microbrews are on tap. It’s worth saving room for the flourless chocolate cake with coffee reduction and homemade ice cream.

There’s not much “aqua sport” going on at this Peruvian beachfront restaurant, unless drinking margaritas in a hammock somehow qualifies. It’s the kind of place you drop by on day one, and find yourself coming back to for the remainder of your vacation—blame the setting of Adirondack chairs lining the beach combined with fresh fish like grilled snapper served with shoestring fries. There are seven types of ceviche and a seafood soup that is good enough to make you miss the sunset between bites. For something absolutely non–Costa Rican, try the Peruvian Causa, a spicy potato-layered dish with tuna, octopus, or shrimp. You can also order familiar favorites like tacos, burgers, and surf and turf. Service is slow and prices are high, but there’s live music and tables in the sand.

The hammocks, palapas, pool, and beach here are open to the public, so take a dip, grab some beach food, and take in a sunset, all the while trying to spot some red macaws. Showers, toilets, tables, chairs, towels, and more are available for use with a $70 minimum food and beverage purchase. 

As soon as you cross the bamboo bridge, you’ll be instantly transported from a strip mall to an ocean-side Zen garden where the fish is bought fresh from the boats. Try a frozen mojito and start with a seaweed salad and steamed dumplings, then dive into the sashimi and sushi.

On the road connecting Potrero and Flamingo, this beachfront restaurant welcomes travelers with cheerful decor and witty signs like “Trespassers will be offered a shot.” Water laps just a few feet from your table, and there’s a pier out back, making this a popular lunch spot for American classics like hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, BLTs, and fried shrimp. The tasty sangrias and margaritas are sure to keep you dazed during sunset. If you hook it, they’ll cook it with a side of fries for $10. Like many restaurants in Costa Rica, service is slow, but worth the wait. Kids eat free on Wednesday. The Beach House is easy to spot by the rainbow-colored picket fence; parking is limited so prepare to walk.

You can usually count on good food at this second-story restaurant in the trees. Take advantage of the seaside location and try the spicy poke bowl, or something more familiar, like the handmade pizzas. There are several vegetarian, lactose-free, and gluten-free options on the menu. Presentation is always beautiful, and service is efficient and friendly.

Vestiges of the original Swiss-French owners linger on at this bakery and alfresco eatery, open for breakfast and lunch. In addition to hearty sandwiches, the café serves burritos, bowls, and salads. It's a good place to cool off, and perk up, with a café frappé (espresso blended with bananas and ice cream). The adjoining bakery is great for take-out beach picnics, with French-style bread and an array of pastries and tarts, including chocolate mousse. Regardless of what you order, you'll be sure to find a menu promising free range, gluten-free, organic, and biodynamic farms. There's free Wi-Fi.

This surf café features such Peruvian specialties as ceviche and causa (cold mashed potatoes studded with shrimp and tuna chunks). The menu also includes a few familiar favorites like hamburgers and BLTs. Desserts are homemade and delicious, and the pisco sour cocktail is not to be missed. 

Its strip mall location doesn't give this eatery the best ambience, but the bustling plaza is a terrific place to fill your belly before or after flying; you'll find something for everyone on the huge menu along with mighty portions. Scrumptious breakfasts feature Costa Rican and American favorites like bagels, crepes, and breakfast burritos which are served either inside in the air-conditioning or outside on the sidewalk, where people-watching is a pleasant pastime. For lunch and dinner, there are healthy options like a teriyaki shrimp bowl or artichoke salad, as well as sandwiches, pasta, and burgers. Grab a cappuccino to go before your next venture.

It might not be beachfront, but this snazzy restaurant has an upscale vibe with hardwood floors, white brick walls, and a wine bar shaking up divine watermelon martinis. For more ambience, grab a table on the outside deck where dishes like salmon risotto, poached sea bass, and shrimp sautéed in coconut milk are served. For something from the land, try the caramelized pork in a honey-and-lime sauce or the heavily requested Dijon beef tenderloin. Don’t skip dessert—try the Bailey's panna cotta with passion-fruit coulis.

Follow the glow of multicolor lanterns to this open-air eatery within sight and sound of the ocean. The simple wooden tables, on a patio bordered with gardens or, during the drier months, practically on the beach, are where the owners serve an eclectic menu ranging from shrimp curry to squid in spicy puttanesca sauce to tenderloin with porcini mushrooms. Service can be hit or miss but the food makes it worth the gamble. Be sure to take note of the strange operating hours.  

You’ll need four-wheel drive, deep pockets, and most likely reservations to dine here, but the experience and the sunsets are half the draw. The menu at the mountaintop restaurant features starters like tuna tartar, fish carpaccio, and smoked oysters (all locally fresh), and hearty mains like tomahawk steak and smoked short ribs that come with rosemary fries, seasonal greens, and crispy cauliflower. Natural light floods into the glass-walled restaurant, but at golden hour, most people gather around fire bowls or at picnic tables in the garden where sunsets are on the agenda for everyone with an Instagram account. Understandably so, since guests wait for their chance to pose on the tree swing that hangs near the cliffside. 

A feast for the senses, this plant-filled haven has coffee, smoothies, and dishes that look lovely and taste delicious. Whether you order the impeccably presented "Eggs Nest" (sous vide eggs in a nest of crispy, fried sweet potatoes) or the art-topped green matcha latte, having an enjoyable meal here is practically kismet. Don't worry about trying everything on the menu, you'll likely be back. Note that the restaurant closes early at 3 pm. 

An ample selection of good Italian food, including crispy pizzas, decadent pastas, generous salads, and a lengthy Italian wine list (available by the glass, too), makes this sidewalk trattoria a good spot for lunch or dinner. Tuna carpaccio is a lighter option, or try the insalata caprese, with fresh basil. There's also a selection of local tico dishes and seafood. Unlike the checkered tablecloths you'd find elsewhere, here you have glass tabletops showcasing shells or plain wooden tables by the pool. Save room for a delicious mint-chocolate panna cotta.