The 17 Best Restaurants in Nosara Costa Rica 

When researching my first trip to Costa Rica, a lot of people both in person, and on the internet told me the food here wasn’t good. Well, that couldn’t be further from the truth! The food in Costa Rica is INCREDIBLE. It’s fresh, healthy, and balanced. Rowan and I are both in agreement that if we could only eat one dish here, it would be gallo pinto- there’s no contest. The food in Nosara is particularly amazing. There are so many different options- from tasty local food, to more westernized restaurants that are still incredibly delicious- there are a ton of great places to eat in Nosara. Over the last 5 years collectively, we’ve tried our hardest to eat at all the different Nosara restaurants. While there have been a couple flops, for the most part, it’s been great. Here’s our guide to the best restaurants in Nosara:

How much do restaurants cost in Nosara?

Compared to California where I’m from, the restaurants in Nosara are a bargain. However, they are by no means cheap. Nosara is one of the most expensive places in Costa Rica– and the food costs are certainly reflective of that. While groceries are a different story, here are some of the prices you can expect when dining at Nosara restaurants:

Gallo pinto: 3000-8500 colones ($5-$15)

A plate of gallo pinto with eggs will run you anywhere from 3000 colones at a soda to 8500 colones at a westernized restaurant. I’ve had gallo pinto at the fancy places here and let me tell you- it’s not worth it! Not only is it better at the sodas, but it’s also a fraction of the price. 

Casado: 3500-10,000 colones ($6-$18)

If you go to a soda, you’ll pay around $5/$6 for a casado. You’ll probably pay triple that at non-local restaurants. 

Entrees: 6000-8500+ colones ($10-$15+)

Unless you’re eating at a soda, expect to pay $10-$15+ for an entree. That’s pretty standard for breakfast, lunch, and dinner here.

Batidos: 1500-2500 colones ($3-$5)

Batidos, or “bebidas naturales” are fresh fruit drinks blended with either water or milk, and sometimes added sugar. 

Beers: 1500- 3000+ colones

For Costa Rica’s national beers, Pilsen & Imperial, you’ll usually pay in the 2000 colones range. If you get a craft beer, it’s going to be 3000+.

Cocktails: 3500-6000+ colones

Cocktails aren’t nearly as expensive here as in the states, but they’re still not cheap. Most of the time too, they’re not very good. Don’t get me wrong, a few places on this list have AMAZING cocktails, and I’ll mention where in this post. But for the most part, you’re better off with water, a batido, or a Pilsen.

Note: At the time of writing, the conversion rate is one USD to 565 CR colones. 

The 17 best places to eat in Nosara Costa Rica

Here’s our list of the 17 best places to eat in Nosara. This list includes places to eat in Nosara from when you’re on a backpacker’s budget (we’ve both been there!) all the way up to when you’re looking to splurge on a nice meal in Nosara. With that said, all of these places deliver great value. 

Traveling to Nosara on a budget can be done! Rowan and I both did it, and many other people do it as well. Here are some of the best budget places to eat in Nosara. 

1. Rosi’s Soda Tica- Best value restaurant in Nosara

• Locations:
  • Guiones Central: W8WP+8C3, Downtown Guiones, Guanacaste Province
  • Guiones Norte: Plaza Guiones Norte 130 Metros Sur de Hotel Kaya Sol, Provincia de Guanacaste, Guiones, 50206
  • Playa Pelada: 50206, Provincia de Guanacaste, Nicoya, 50206

• Type of food: Typical Costa Rican food
• Price Range: $
• Hours:
  • Guiones Central: Monday- Saturday breakfast and lunch
  • Guiones Norte: Saturday, Monday- Wednesday 8 am-3 pm, Thursday-Friday 8 am-9. pm, closed Sundays
  • Playa Pelada: Saturday 8 am- 3 pm, Sundays closed, Monday-Friday 9 am- 9 pm

Rosi’s Soda Tica serves delicious typical food at three different locations- Guiones Central, Guiones Norte, and Playa Pelada. The Rosi’s in central is open for breakfast and lunch, and the locations in norte and Pelada are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

If you’re looking for a good post-surf breakfast- you MUST try the gallo pinto from Rosi’s. It’s amazing. Rosi’s also has super delicious casados, and their bebidas naturales (blended fresh fruit with either water or milk) are amazing. 

2. El Local

• Location: 300 m norte de Cafe de Paris, Provincia de Guanacaste, Nosara, 50206
• Type of food: Farm-to-table typical Costa Rican food, sandwiches, steak, fish, woodfired pizzas
• Price Range: $$-$$$
• Hours: 7:30 am- 9 pm

El Local is an amazing, farm-to-table, organic restaurant in Nosara. They cook exclusively with high-quality oils, all of their meats are organic, and all of their fish are wild-caught. El Local serves woodfired pizzas, steak & fish entrees, sandwiches, and an amazing casado. My personal favorite is their fried chicken sandwich with the yogurt and dill dressing. 

3. Celajes Restaurante

• Location: Nosara, Barrio San Carlos, frente al aeropuerto de, Guanacaste Province, Nosara, 50206
• Type of food: Typical Costa Rican food
• Price Range: $$-$$$
• Hours: 7 am- 9:30 pm daily

Celajes Restaurante is my favorite in Nosara for lunch and dinner. It’s a local restaurant located right by the airport in Nosara town, and it has an amazing ambiance. The food is delicious- they have tasty local Costa Rican dishes and lots of great seafood dishes. 

The cocktails at Celajes are amazing- it’s definitely a great restaurant in Nosara for cocktails. I recommend going to Celajes solo, or with a group of two or three- we’ve gone a few times with bigger groups and I think the experience is much better going with a smaller party. 

4. Blue Zone Brewery

• Location:  W8XH+JW, Guanacaste Province, Nosara
• Type of food: Pub food and snacks
• Price Range: $$
• Hours: Tuesday- Sunday, 12 pm- 9pm, closed Mondays

Blue Zone Brewery is one of the newest restaurants in Nosara and it’s SO good. They have some great craft beers, AMAZING craft cocktails, and a really tasty pub menu. 

For food, they have tacos, a few appetizers, and two deserts. The menu is small, but REALLY good. Personally, I think their avocado taco is delicious, and I’ve heard all the other ones are great too. 

In terms of drinks, I think Blue Zone Brewery has the best cocktails in Nosara. My personal favorites are the Mexican Mule, and the Explosion de Caz. They’re not cheap, but they’re worth it. The craft beers are great too- the Pelada Blonde is really nice, and I’m looking forward to trying some of their other beers.

5. El Chivo Cantina

• Location: Coming from the main road, a little past Sunrise Coffee which is at Local 1, Condominio Bocas del Nosara, Playa Pelada, Nosara, Guanacaste Province, Nicoya
• Type of food: Tacos, sandwiches, noodle bowls, pub food
• Price Range: $$
• Hours: Sunday 10 am – 9 pm, Monday- Thursday 10 am- 10 pm, Friday/Saturday 10 am- 11 pm

In the last few years, El Chivo has really pivoted their style of service from full-on table service, to mostly takeout and counter service. Honestly though, I think their new setup is pretty great. You come in, order from the bar and get a number, and they bring the food to your table.

El Chivo has a pretty diverse menu, including items like burgers, tacos, sandwiches, fish & chips, and burritos. Where El Chivo really shines though is their Asian menu Red Lantern– their noodle bowls like the Bami Goreng, Pad Thai, and Drunken Noodles are really good. 

The cocktails at El Chivo are also super good, and they have happy hour daily from 4-6 pm. The food at El Chivo does take a while, we’ve often waited 30-45 minutes or longer for our food. It’s worth the wait, but don’t go in expecting to get food right away.

6. Il Pepperoni

• Location: X83G+HR5, Provincia de Guanacaste, Nosara
• Type of food: Typical Costa Rican food, sushi, pizza, burgers
• Price Range: $$-$$$
• Hours: 11 am- 9 pm daily

Il Pepperoni is a delicious restaurant in Playa Pelada. They have a pretty diverse menu that includes wood-fired pizzas, typical dishes, pastas, salads, and sushi! The atmosphere at Il Pepperoni is lovely- the staff are incredibly kind, and they have weekly live music. Il Pepperoni is one of the best restaurants in Nosara for groups- they take reservations, and have quite a few large tables that can easily accommodate larger parties. The cocktails at Il Pepperoni are excellent. My personal favorite is their sangria- it’s made in-house. 

7. Destiny Cafe- Best brunch in Nosara

• Location: La negra hotel, Guanacaste Province, Nosara
• Type of food: Brunch/ smoothies/ coffee drinks
• Price Range: $$-$$$
• Hours: Tuesday- Sunday 6 am- 3 pm, Closed Mondays

Destiny Cafe is located inside La Negra Hotel, and they have a really delicious breakfast/brunch menu. The food is seriously amazing- they have gallo pinto, along with tasty brunch options like “The Big Greek Breakfast”, “Avo Smash Toast”, breakfast burritos, and more. 

However- the service is pretty bad. Since they’ve switched locations, they’re constantly severely understaffed and it can take an extremely long time to get your order taken. 

However, the food, smoothies, and coffee drinks are still SO good that I have to recommend it with the disclaimer that the service can be super rough. If you’re going to check out Destiny, I recommend going either really early before the breakfast rush, or when you’re not too hungry and don’t mind waiting a long time for the service. I do hope they can figure out the service side of things, because the food is seriously incredible. 

8. Mahalo Bowls

• Location: W8XH+PVV, Across from delicious del mundo super market Nicoya, Nosara
• Type of food: Poke bowls, sushi
• Price Range: $$
• Hours: 11 am- 8:30 pm

Mahalo Bowls is located right next to Falafel Box, and they’re the go-to for poke bowls in Nosara. For the base, you can choose from brown rice, white rice, and zoodles, a protein, and tons of fresh toppings. They’re open for lunch and dinner, and one of my favorite places to get food in Nosara after a long morning surf, or a long day enjoying the beautiful beaches in Nosara.

9. El Sabor de la Montaña- Best restaurant in Nosara with an amazing view

• Location: 9.978853094462648, -85.5702222306816, Zaragoza, Provincia de Guanacaste, Nicoya
• Type of food: Woodfired pizzas, Costa Rican typical food
• Price Range: $$- $$$
• Hours: 9 am- 8 pm daily

El Sabor de la Montaña is the place to go for an unforgettable sunset in Nosara. The restaurant is located way up in the mountains above Nosara Town- you’ll need a car to get up there. It’s worth the trek up the hill- the views are pure magic, and their pizzas, typical food, and cocktails are incredible. If you’re celebrating a special occasion in Nosara, this is a fantastic restaurant to check out, and one of my personal favorites. Be sure to hit the atm before you go though, because they are cash only. 

10. Lagarta Lodge (Restaurante Chirriboca)

• Location: Apdo 106-5233, Nosara, Guanacaste, 50206
• Type of food: Seafood, pasta, typical Costa Rican food
• Price Range: $$-$$$$
• Hours: Breakfast 7:30- 10:30 am, lunch 12 pm- 3 pm, dinner 5 pm- 8 pm daily

Aside from El Sabor de la Montaña, Lagarta Lodge is my favorite sunset spot in Nosara. Their upstairs lounge is the perfect place to enjoy a smoothie or cocktail as you watch the sunset with spectacular views of the Rio Nosara, beach, and surrounding jungle and mountains. 

We typically come here for sunset & a drink- but they do have a full restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their breakfast is really tasty, and it’s in a pretty setting overlooking the water. Their dinner menu is good as well- I recommend trying their tuna burger. 

11. Pura Pizza- Best restaurant in Nosara for a quick, cheap bite

• Location: Guiones Norte, next to Mini Super Delicias
• Type of food: Pizza
• Price Range: $
• Hours: Every day 9 am to 9 pm

Pura Pizza is a little Italian pizza joint in Guiones Norte. You order at the counter, and they have two little bar tables where you can enjoy your pizza. They do slices, whole pies, and “rellenos”. They also have a fridge stocked with drinks, and an espresso machine. Pura Pizza is my favorite pizza in the area. For 2200 colones you can get a huge, delicious slice of pizza- it doesn’t get much better than that around here. If you’re super hungry and looking for a quick, cheap bite- Pura Pizza is the place to be. 

12. Mary’s Cevicheria 

• Location: Next to Super La Paloma in Nosara Town
• Type of food: Ceviche and typical Costa Rican food
• Price Range: $
• Hours: Monday-Saturday 8 am- 9 pm, Sundays 4- 9 pm

If you want good ceviche in Nosara- be sure to check out Mary’s Cevicheria. You get to choose from crackers and handmade fresh patacones to have with the ceviche, and I definitely recommend opting for the fresh patacones. 

Mary’s is also a great soda, and a delicious and affordable Nosara restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

13. Soda Vanessa

• Location: X8JW+GW8, Guanacaste Province, Nosara
• Type of food: Typical Costa Rican food
• Price Range: $
• Hours: Monday- Saturday 6 am- 8 pm, Sundays 7 am-2 pm

Vanessa’s is one of my favorite sodas in Nosara. Their gallo pinto is amazing, and they’re also one of the only local restaurants in Nosara that is open on Sundays, which is a big draw for us. If you’re looking for great, affordable Tico food in Nosara with sized portions, definitely give Vanessa’s a try. 

14. Il Basilico

• Location: W8RV+3J6, Guanacaste Province, Nosara
• Type of food: Italian, pizza, typical Costa Rican food
• Price Range: $$-$$$
• Hours: 12- 10 pm daily

Il Basilico is an excellent Italian restaurant. They serve woodfired pizzas, pasta dishes, and several different meat & fish entrees. The ambiance at Basilico is wonderful- they have candles at every table, and a lovely indoor/outdoor dining area. Basilico also has live music weekly which is always fun to come for. 

To accommodate people who can’t eat gluten, Basilico can also make all their pizzas and pastas gluten free. This is another of the best restaurants in Nosara for large groups.

15. La Brasa

• Location: next to Gabi’s Guiones Beach, Guiones Norte, Guanacaste Province, Nosara, 50206
• Type of food: Argentine Steakhouse
• Price Range: $$$-$$$$
• Hours: 5- 10 pm nightly

La Brasa is an Argentine Steakhouse, and one of the best places to eat in Nosara. They have several amazing steaks, along with a few fish, chicken, and pork entrees. If you’re considering a drink with dinner, I recommend trying one of their wines.The ambiance is wonderful- I particularly like their upstairs dining area, where it’s a little cooler. Be sure to make a reservation a few days in advance. If you want to have dinner here, especially in the high season as they do fill up.

16. Falafel Box

• Location: W8XH+PVV, Across from delicious del mundo super market Nicoya, Nosara
• Type of food: Falafel, homemade pita dishes
• Price Range:
• Hours: Saturday 12:30- 8:30, Friday/Sunday/Monday/Wednesday 12- 8:30 pm, closed Tuesdays

Falafel Box is a fun little food cart that sells quick, delicious homemade pita topped with chicken, fresh fish, and homemade falafel. You order from the food cart and can get it to-go or dine at their tables. If you’re looking for a quick, simple bite, Falafel Box is a great option for lunch or dinner. My personal favorite is their Pesto Chicken Pita with amazing homemade pita and pesto, sun dried tomatoes, olives, greens, and parmesan. 

17. Almendros Cantina

• Location: 9.932708, -85.651064, Off Route 160 about 1.6km south of Il Basilico
• Type of food: typical Costa Rican food
• Price Range: $$
• Hours: 12- 11 pm

Almendros is a great local restaurant located just down the main road past south Guiones. They serve amazing typical Costa Rican food- you can get a wonderful casado and arroz con pollo, and their chifrijo is amazing- just don’t underestimate their hot sauce! 

The best Nosara restaurants- final thoughts

When you’re visiting Nosara, you’ll have no shortage of options for delicious places to eat. Whether you’re craving local Costa Rican food or something different, there are plenty of fantastic options, regardless of if you’re on a backpacker’s budget or looking to go to some nicer restaurants. Please keep in mind, at the time of writing, information such as hours and location are accurate. We also live in Nosara, and try our best to keep this list updated. However, these things change rapidly, especially in Costa Rica! If you notice any hours or locations have changed, please let me know in the comments so I can make those updates 🙂

I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of the best places to eat in Nosara- ¡Buen provecho!