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Relax beachside at the most laid-back yacht club you'll ever visit. There are bonfires after dark, live music, and sometimes an event like a chili cookoff or beer fest; plus, the kids can play in the pool while you enjoy a craft beer and good food. They also rent boats, paddleboards, snorkel gear, kayaks, and more to the public.
South of Hotel Bahía del Sol Surfside, Potrero, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Cold drinks
- Sunset views
- Sailing lessons and boat rentals
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With an atmosphere as fun and funky as the luchadora (Mexican wrestler) legend for which it's named, everyone will have a great time and an even better meal at this Mexican cantina. A large garden strung with lights beckons to families, and the long bar is a great place to try some churros after your meal.
Nosara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Gorgeous garden with kids' playground
- Taco Tuesday specials
- Jalapeño margaritas
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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, ranging from Moroccan-spiced or limoncello-marinated fish of the day, to 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 am, ranges from typical Costa Rican to full English, 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.
Playa Pelada, Nosara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Crispy-crust pizza
- Mediterranean platter with hummus and tzatziki
- Spectacular sunsets
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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.
Palo Verde National Park, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Barbecue ribs
- Costa Rican–style chicharrones
- Playground to keep the kids busy
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Take a beach break and stop at this funky open-air café for a smoothie or espresso, and stay for a panini or avocado toast—just make sure to get here before the freshly baked bread runs out. The seats may be unconventional (think swings and couches) but the food is pure delight.
In front of Sámara Natural Center, Sámara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Spicy panini
- "Bohemian" smoothie
- Strong coffee
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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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. There's free Wi-Fi.
Main road, on corner of Playa Guiones entrance, Nosara, Guanacaste, 50206, Costa Rica
Known For
- Lunch with a dip in the pool
- Bakery goodies like baguettes, tarts, and pastries
- Coffee and espresso
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Café closed Sun. No dinner
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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.
Hotel Giada lobby, main road, 150 m north of beach, Sámara, Guanacaste, 50205, Costa Rica
Known For
- Poolside dining
- Seafood
- Tiramisu
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Sink your chops into steak (rib eye, New York, or T-bone) grilled on an open fire and served Argentine-style with garlicky chimichurri sauce at this family-run, pleasant rancho restaurant. Other specialties include grilled chorizo sausages or Milanesa, the classic Argentine breaded steak, served with french fries. Wash it down with a glass or bottle of Argentine vino tinto. There's salad, chicken, and, yes, fish when available, but people come here mainly because of the meat. Six air-conditioned cabinas, eight with kitchens, face a small pool next to the restaurant.
Carrillo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Mouthwatering steaks cooked to perfection
- Mussels with white wine sauce
- Argentine wines
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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Tucked into the hills of the gated Mar Vista community, this open-air restaurant comes complete with dazzling ocean views, infinity pools for guests to enjoy, and a made-from-scratch farm- and sea-to-table menu. Chef and owner Frankie Becker cooks up fresh seafood, but vegetarians are in luck too, because the crispy cauliflower and hummus platter are mouthwatering. Their cocktail list is extensive and delicious, the passion fruit mojito is a must. There is also a playground.
Off Route 180, Mar Vista, Flamingo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Lobster bisque
- Cajun barbecue shrimp
- Amazing views
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Sit back and relax in the outside swinging seats at this taco and burrito haven. The polished wood and laid-back atmosphere are perfect for sipping a cocktail and snacking on chips with a trio of dips before indulging in made-from-scratch tortillas and mama's secret beef stew. Vegetarians and folks with food sensitivities will be happy with the large selection. Make sure to bring cash, credit cards are not accepted.
Behind Oveja Negra Hostel, Tamarindo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Fresh and innovative tacos and burritos
- Amazing homemade hot sauce
- Friendly staff
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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Head to this spot for the biggest pizzas in town in a large, roofed-over garden near Playa Pelada. The house pizza is thin crust with carrots, broccoli, olives, red peppers, onions, mushrooms, ham, and pepperoni. If you like it hot, dribble on some of the house specialty: red-hot flavored oil. You can watch your pizza being dressed, or choose from a full menu of salads, pasta, grilled fish, seafood, and meat—all done Italian-style. It's cheerful and hearty; no one leaves here still hungry. In high season there's sometimes live music at dinner.
Across from Condominios Las Flores, road to Playa Pelada, Nosara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Known For
- Wood-fired brick-oven pizzas
- Spicy dipping oil
- Family-friendly setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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While the day away listening to reggae, sipping on cold drinks, watching the surfers, and snacking on beach food. You can't beat the views or the service, and it's a great family spot owing to the large portions, good prices, and on-site ice cream parlor. American fare includes hamburgers and pizza and the casados (a plate filled with white rice, black beans, and salad) are fresh and delicious. Don't miss the breathtaking sunsets.
Main entrance to Playa Avellanas, Playa Avellanas, Guanacaste, 50303, Costa Rica
Known For
- Fish tacos
- Beautiful vistas
- Wonderful hospitaity
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Wildly popular, this casually chic, alfresco pizzeria on a quiet side street has plenty of cars parked outside most nights, with patrons inside feasting on the consistently delicious thin-crust pizzas. Families are especially fond of La Baula (the Costa Rican name for the leatherback turtle) because of its reasonable prices, noisy buzz, and adjacent playground and picniclike dining area.
Next door to Dragonfly Bar & Grill, Tamarindo, Guanacaste, 50309, Costa Rica
Known For
- Prosciutto, arugula, and Parmesan pizza
- Great place for large groups
- Open-air dining in a lighthearted atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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The aroma of baking bread is irresistible as you pass this German bakery, just south of the Liberia airport, whose baked goods are delivered all over the peninsula. The display case is filled with tempting strudels, Bundt cakes, and flaky fruit pastries. The cheesecakes and cinnamon rolls are so soft and moist, you might lose your fork. There is also a full-fledged restaurant, serving everything from wood-fired pizzas to fish sandwiches. Vegan and gluten-free choices here as well. The menu is huge, and so are portions, making this the ideal place to come pre- or postflight. The German owner has made sure that Deutsche classics hit the table, including bratwurst with sauerkraut, pork schnitzel, and hearty dark breads. The restaurant also has a gluten-free menu, a beer garden, and playground. It's open daily from 7 am to 8 pm.
Liberia, Guanacaste, 50101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Apple strudel and other tempting bakery desserts
- Savory scallops
- Beer garden with a playground for the kids
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Robin's is famous for homemade ice cream in an array of tempting flavors—the Mayan Chocolate is a standout—along with refreshing tropical-fruit sorbets. This casual patio café also serves breakfast all day and lunch and dinner options like overstuffed veggie quesadillas, pad thai rolls, and yummy vegan veggie burgers. Locals line up to buy the dense, fudgy brownies when they come out of the oven. Gluten-free brownies and cookies are also on offer.
Road to Playa Guiones, 25 m west of Banco Popular, Nosara, Guanacaste, 50206, Costa Rica
Known For
- Tasty sandwiches on home-baked bread
- Gluten-free options
- Fudgy brownies
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, No credit cards
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