Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
The many open-air dining spots out here provide you with that ultimate tropical dining experience, with Puerto Viejo de Talamanca offering one of Costa Rica’s most varied dining scenes. Think seafood, chicken, coconut, and fruits in the Caribbean. Restaurateurs take advantage of the bounty of the land and sea in this part of the country.
Pizza, crepes, pastas, and fresh fish are on the menu at this small, canal-side café in the center of town. Wood lattice over the windows, a thatch roof, and, not surprisingly, a small Buddha statue make up the furnishings. Ambient chill out music might be playing in the background.
At first glance, this small café could use a spelling lesson, but since Caribeans deals in coffee and chocolate, the play on words is apt. Treat yourself to a latte, mocha, or coconut cappuccino, all made from organic, fair-trade coffee from the Turrialba region in the far-eastern Central Valley, and roasted here. For something more substantial, opt for a smoothie or pastry.
Everything is made on-site at this small second-floor café. Start off the day with an order of vegan pancakes and fruit smoothie, or ease into lunch with veggie burritos and a tomato, oregano, and olive oil bruschetta. You'll find some gluten-free options on the menu, too. Bopping tunes make for an upbeat vibe, and there is a nice balcony with Wi-Fi for dining outdoors.
Follow your nose to this bakery where breads, cakes, and pastries lure customers from the point of "just a bite" to breakfast-on-repeat---it’s hard to resist the chocolate-filled cream puffs, cinnamon rolls, French toast, and pancakes. Swing by later in the day for a vegan burger or burrito. If you plan to grab a coffee and go, avoid the glass display case tempting chocolate croissants dusted in powdered sugar.
What this small bakery misses in ambience and decor, it makes up for in quality baked goods to go. This is a great place to stop for breads made with banana, carrot, and natilla (sour cream), or for something more substantial, grab pizza, pasta, or sandwiches before a day of sightseeing.
An easy-to-miss Caribbean-style clapboard house near the bus stop makes a great place to fortify yourself for a day of sightseeing. The industrious staff here start the day with omelets and freshly baked banana bread, bagels,and pastries, and lunch gives way to a variety of sandwiches—you choose from ingredients to construct your own.
Miss Edith—women in Caribbean communities are addressed as "Miss" regardless of marital status—is revered for her flavorful Caribbean cooking, vegetarian meals, and herbal teas for whatever ails you. She dishes up food (albeit at a slower pace than you might be used to back home) at her semi-open-air restaurant on an easy-to-miss street at the north end of town. Jerk chicken and rondón, a fish stew, are specialties (the latter is quite labor-intensive; stop by in the afternoon to see if it will be on the menu that night). There is a bit of Christian overlay here—a Jesús te ama (Jesus loves you) sign greets you at the entrance—but nothing about the place crosses a line into proselytizing.
The sel (salt) in this restaurant's name reflects the ham, chicken, spinach, goat cheese, and roasted almonds you'll find as ingredients in a huge selection of crepes. Sucre (sugar) shows up in the sweet versions of crepes, with the Grand Marnier a special standout. Light side salads, waffles, and cheese fondue round out the menu. Top it all off with a gourmet coffee or fruit smoothie.
Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:
There are no results for {{ strDestName}} Restaurants in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions:
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
