197 Best Restaurants in Costa Rica

Beer-battered onion rings, fresh hand-cut fries, and burgers have taken Dominical by storm at this laid-back alfresco kiosk in the Pueblo del Río complex on the riverfront. The fish tacos are outstanding—crispy beer-battered fish fillets accompanied by guacamole, red cabbage, and a spicy sauce are folded into a thin soft tortilla. You can substitute fried shrimp or go vegetarian with mushroom and cauliflower. The tortillas even come in a gluten-free version. Ultra-healthy grilled fish and salads are also on the menu, along with less healthy but delicious classic fish-and-chips. Beer, sodas, and fruit smoothies wash it all down. Seating is at wooden benches and tables on a covered wood patio.

Montezuma’s first natural-food restaurant is named after the chewy dried bananas made by the owners, who also own the upscale Ylang Ylang resort on the beach. This popular eatery serves the best vegetarian fare in town, including scrambled tofu for breakfast and excellent wraps, salads, fajitas, and spring rolls, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options. You can enjoy a delicious Mocha Chiller, made with frozen yogurt, or a fruit smoothie made with local coconut milk. The homemade cakes and pies are scrumptious. The standout is the Chocolate Volcano, a mountain of ice cream atop cake, with a lava of chocolate sauce. For vegans, there's a nondairy chocolate mousse. A shaded garden terrace behind the restaurant is cool and pleasant, but bring mosquito repellent. A battalion of ceiling fans keeps the air moving in the spacious dining room decorated with murals of tropical beach scenes.

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.

Just inside the doors of this popular café you'll find sweeping views, organic cuisine, and a chic vibe that sets the stage for all kinds of good eats (and drinks). Breakfast offerings include eggs Benedict, waffles, or delectable French toast, while sesame-crusted tuna, falafel pita, or one of the vegetable sandwiches served with homemade pesto or salsa picante are available for lunch or dinner. If you're looking for a sweet treat, try the passion fruit pie or peanut butter cake with fresh fruit juice, frozen mint lemonade, or a frothy cappuccino. Vegetarians and gluten-free eaters have plenty to choose from, as does anyone obsessed with chocolate. Polished concrete floors and glass balconies give this place a more refined feel than their original building just next door. They often host live-music events on weekends during high season.

Between us—that's the translation of the French name—it’s the crepes—salty or sweet—that draw the crowds here. It’s a bright, cheery place with a covered terrace to stop for dessert after an evening out in Barrio Escalante. There are also heavier, main-course items, such as burgers or panini, on the menu if the hunger pangs get to you. The folks here also operate branches in Alajuela and Heredia out in the Central Valley.

Fresas means "strawberries," and they’re the star at this rustic wooden place on the way to the volcano. They end up on your corn pancakes, in juices, as desserts, or as sides to the variety of típico dishes here. Gallo pinto (rice and beans) is on the menu for breakfast, of course. Hearty olla de carne and sopa de pozol—meat and bean soups, respectively, make for filling lunches. A good, economical bet is the casado lunch special, a Costa Rican specialty of meat, rice, beans, and salad.

An upscale tour of the street food of East and Southeast Asia focuses primarily on the owner’s mother’s native Taiwan, with flavors from Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore mixed in for good measure. The wealth of riches includes gua bao (a Taiwanese steamed meat or chicken sandwich), gyoza (Japanese-style pork and ginger rolls), pad Thai, and Singapore noodles. The menu does vary slightly every few months just to shake things up a bit. If you come for dinner, make it an early one; the place closes at 7 pm.

We have to admit that Costa Rican baked goods tend toward the dry-as-dust end of the spectrum, but Italian-style bakery Giacomín is an exception—a touch of liqueur added to the batter makes all the difference. Stand European-style at the downstairs espresso bar or take your goodies to the tables and chairs on the upstairs balcony. You'll also find branches in suburban Moravia, as well as Escazú, Alajuela, and Heredia out in the Central Valley.

This tapas restaurant, featuring Asian and Mediterranean flavors, is in a modern glass-and-steel tree house that's cantilevered on the side of a hill and includes a spacious deck. Delectable appetizer-size offerings include seared pepper-crusted tuna atop pickled ginger slaw, or pan-fried sea bass fillets with a divine ginger-and-mandarin-orange butter sauce. Not to be missed are Ginger's crispy shoestring fries, served with roasted garlic mayo. Portions are small, but layers of condiments and garnishes make them surprisingly satisfying. The fun thing to do is order several dishes and share. The varied wine list includes old- and new-world wines by the glass, and specialty martinis and tropical cocktails go well with the tapas. For dessert, warm chocolate lava cake is rich enough to share, but only with someone you truly love. Be aware that the menu prices do not include tax and service (another 23%). It's open 5 to 10 pm.

Choose from the ever-changing menu, or let the chef guide you through what might just be the best meal you’ll have in Costa Rica. You'll discover fresh dishes like filet mignon, shrimp risotto, organic Greek chicken, and blackened tuna. The menu is always changing, with a rotation of hits like palmito artichoke salad, mussels with mushrooms, and tender pork. Family-style is a great option; it lets you have a variety of dishes. Opt for a table on the patio rather than a booth near the U-shaped bar, unless you like a lot of noise with your meal.

The artisan pizzas at this breezy indoor/outdoor wine bar hit the spot after a day at the beach, and the homemade pasta with Bolognese sauce is just like your Italian grandmother made. Part of the Gracia family of restaurants, this one continues the tradition of excellent food and service, with delightful cocktails and an extensive imported wine menu that round out the experience.

The gritty-gourmet concept of this upscale Jacó hot spot plays with the senses with a menu that features fresh, locally grown ingredients. Check the blackboard for specials—whatever has inspired the chef that day—and wash it down with a signature lemongrass martini. Save room for extraordinary desserts like chocolate cheesecake or peanut-butter-and-banana flambé.

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, because credit cards are not accepted.

Offering everything from vegan to gluten-free dishes, this café popular with artists serves meals prepared with organic ingredients delivered daily by local farmers. The ever-changing chalkboard menu usually features home-ground burgers, pasta, vegan bowls, or seared ahi. Breakfasts are hearty, ranging from banana pancakes to eggs Florentine. Salads are topped with fresh strawberries, and cocktails are made with natural fruit juice—try the lemon basil margarita. There's live music nightly at 8 pm. 

This trendy vegan and vegetarian restaurant occupies a prime beachfront location, serving burritos and bowls in savory sauces for lunch, and dinner entrees centered around falafels and vegan proteins. There is a lively party vibe here that’s not commonly found at vegan joints, fueled by the full bar serving cocktails, craft beers, and wines in an open-air patio overlooking the busiest stretch of beach in town.

An exuberant mix of American and Venezuelan favorites makes this breakfast spot a favorite of locals and tourists alike who come for the coffee and stay for the pillow-soft cinnamon rolls and other tasty baked goods. Make sure you try the pollo avo chachapa (a Venezuelan sweet corn pancake with shredded chicken in hogada sauce, cheese, avocado, and egg) or the eponymous guayoyo (a Venezuelan pour-over coffee), or a dirty chai latte. For the less adventurous, there are smoothies, Caesar salads, and bagels with cream cheese and homemade jelly.

On the main road across from Playa Chiquita, this farm-to-table café serves creative coffee drinks using local ingredients like turmeric and habanero accompanied by an extensive menu of flavorful, attractive breakfasts, including inventive takes on eggs benedict and smoothies of fresh tropical juices, all served in a colorful gardenside rancho where sunny reggae tunes waft through thick calathea and juicy tendrils of red heliconia.

Upscale dining at the marina is hosted by the eponymous Hazel who prides herself on top-notch service and food. Presentation is chic, and the dinners are, quite simply, delicious and filling—bring in your fishing excursion catch and they will cook it for you, but if you come back empty-handed, their mahimahi is not to be missed. Hope you're thirst—Hazel's Tonic and Hazel's Margarita perfectly pair with appetizers like beef carpaccio and tropical ceviche, and their wine list is lovely for this area. Guests can dine outside overlooking the yachts or inside where the decor is fancy but not fussy, with an especially beautiful ceiling.

Literally, the coolest place in town is this blissfully air-conditioned ice-cream parlor with an array of refreshing Italian gelato flavors, cool fruit smoothies, and milk shakes. It's airy and bright, with large windows looking onto the main street and an outdoor terrace. Lavazza coffee is served, along with homemade Italian savories, including toasted panini and bruschetta. Portions are small but refreshing, and you can grab bites as well like empanadas. 

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.

Indian cooking is difficult to find in Costa Rica, as are gluten-free dishes, but this family-owned restaurant serves both well. The exhaustive menu is a trip around India, from the northern palak paneer to the variety of South Indian dosa pancakes. Ask the helpful wait staff for recommendations or any questions about dietary requests. You’ll also find an Indian Palace branch in Heredia out in the Central Valley.

Located at the end of a rocky road on top of a mountain, you'll be rewarded with incredible views and delicious dishes at this family-owned restaurant. Brimming with Costa Rican hospitality, the restaurant's reasonably priced and extensive menu features standouts like salmon and ceviche that are seasoned with fresh herbs from the garden or the Caribbean chicken paired with a refreshing Paloma. Get there before dark to enjoy the vista.

Tasty, hearty, filling Tex-Mex food and a gregarious owner make this basic downtown joint a great place for lunch or dinner. Everybody seems to know everybody else here—this is a favorite hangout among the area’s expat community—and you’ll be welcome, too. Fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, and tacos make up the fare, all spiced up or simmered down according to your wishes. The kitchen is always happy to prepare a vegetarian version of any dish, too.

This sleek, modern west-side coffee shop and store is an island of all-Colombian products, both beverage and souvenirs, in Costa Rica. They serve cakes, pastries, and delicious coffee milkshakes. We won’t tell anyone if you go here.

In the center of Playa Carmen, this trendy sushi place off a dusty dirt road is one of the most popular restaurants in the area. Fabulous sushi, sashimi, and tempura are carefully crafted, and there's a daily QR-code menu featuring hand rolls and wraps. About 30 wood tables are scattered around a gravel-bottomed, Zenlike garden, with mango trees and a stand of bamboo. The decor is mainly votive candles and hanging market lights. There's also tempura shrimp, beef sukiyaki, and ginger-pork main dishes. With veggies coming from the owner's garden, vegetarians can order spring rolls and steamed vegetables with quinoa, but it hardly seems worth it to make the trip here unless you are going to chow down on fish and seafood. To wash it down, there is homemade ginger beer, sake, Costa Rican craft beer, and notably expensive wine.

A favorite local hangout, this rustic pizzeria has an outdoor clay oven and an open kitchen. There are 14 types of pizza, like the house special with goat cheese, pesto, and caramelized onions. They also serve salads and gluten-free pizzas, as well as barbecued meats from the pizza oven (with 24 hours’ notice). If you can’t find a pizza that sounds good, you can build your own from a list of toppings. As the area’s top local hangout, the place gets packed, so plan to enjoy some sangria while you wait for your food and bill.

The vaulted ceilings and a vineyard mural on one wall evoke old Italy at this restaurant serving homemade pastas—spinach cannelloni and linguine with clam sauce are popular dishes. An extensive wine list rounds out the offerings, and service is attentive—the chef makes the rounds to ensure that you’re satisfied. The scant dozen tables mean that reservations are a good idea for dinner. The smallness of the restaurant does create one drawback: it can be difficult to carry on a conversation when things get busy, although that does add to the liveliness of the place. The same owners behind the west-side lodging Suites Cristina also operate L’Olivo. The restaurant is most easily entered from around the corner, however—it's physically separate from the hotel.

This colorful (literally) Italian spot within earshot of the surf serves savory bruschetta and 16 varieties of the town's most authentic pizza: crispy, with a thin crust, Neapolitan-style. The four-seasons pizza is a triumph, with thin, spicy pepperoni, flavorful ham, olives, eggplant, peppers, onion, and zucchini. The medium size is more than big enough for two. Save room for the knockout gnocchi, pillow-soft dumplings made with potatoes and cheese and bathed in olive oil and rosemary. Other choices include tortelloni in cream sauce and filet mignon. Tiramisu, piled high with whipped cream, and key lime pie do dessert duty. Japanese lanterns add a vibrant touch, along with fuchsia and lime tablecloths. To find the place, look for the "La Piña" sign.