Best Restaurants in Santa Teresa

The best restaurant in Santa Teresa is La Cevicheria, a plain room on the main road where a large ceviche costs about $18 and the fish was landed that morning. Manzú at Nantipa is the splurge, Katana is the dinner residents book most, and Soda Tiquicia is where you eat for under $10.

The short version

La Cevicheria is the one restaurant to eat at if you have one night: five styles of ceviche, patacones, no view, closed Sundays. Manzú is the beachfront dinner that justifies the bill, with a six-course tasting menu at $125 plus tax and a la carte lunches around $40 to $45 for two. Katana, dinner only in a garden 600 metres north of the crossroads, is the Asian fusion room that fills every night and the reservation to make first. Below them sit $15 to $35 mains (Sargo, Convivio, Osa, Amici, the sushi bars), the strongest brunch tier in Costa Rica (Gula, The Bakery, Aroma), and sodas where a casado is 4,000 to 6,000 colones.

Everything sits on one dirt road from Mal Pais through Playa Carmen and Santa Teresa to Playa Hermosa, so plan dinners around where you sleep; see getting around without a car. Bills carry 13% tax and 10% service, and the tipping guide explains why an extra 5% in cash still matters.

1. La Cevicheria

La Cevicheria is an open-front room on the main road in central Santa Teresa, open noon to 10pm every day except Sunday. Peruvian-leaning seafood: ceviche in five styles, tiraditos, fish of the day. A large ceviche is about $18 and two people sharing two of them leave full, per costaricatravellife.com. Google has it at 4.8 across 660 reviews. It suits anyone who cares more about the fish than the room. Caveat: plastic chairs, road noise, no sunset, and closed the one night most people have free. The seafood and ceviche guide covers the styles.

2. Manzú at Nantipa

Manzú is the open-air restaurant on the sand at Hotel Nantipa, 150 metres northwest of Super Costa, with breakfast from 7am, lunch from noon and dinner 6pm to 9:45pm, per nantipa.com. Reviewers name the catch of the day, the steak and the tamarind margarita. Lunch for two without alcohol runs $40 to $45, cocktails about $10, and the six-course Pura Vida tasting menu $125 plus tax per person. It suits the one dinner you want to remember; book the sunset table a day ahead. Caveat: hotel pricing, and the a la carte menu is where the value sits.

3. Katana Asian Cuisine

Katana sits 600 metres north of the Playa Carmen crossroads in a garden of plants and string lights, dinner only, 5:30pm to 10pm. Fusion first, sushi second: pad thai, butter chicken and gyoza share the menu with rolls and sashimi, so mixed tables work here. Food runs $15 to $25 a person and a spread of rolls for two reaches $80 to $100, per the sushi guide. Google has it at 4.5 across 929 reviews. It suits groups and birthdays. Caveat: it books out nightly in high season, and sushi purists prefer Nami.

4. Sargo

SARGO restaurante de mar is the newest serious fish restaurant, 200 metres north of Super La Hacienda on the north end, open Tuesday to Sunday 5pm to 9:30pm. Its Instagram says it in five words: fresh fish, natural wine, live cooking, and the short menu changes with the day's landing. A 2026 review reel logged $160 for a starter, two mains, two cocktails and four glasses of wine, so a main is $25 to $35. Google reviewers have given it a perfect 5.0 across its first 56 reviews. It suits a date night where the cooking matters more than a sea view. Caveat: small room, small menu, and the wine adds up fast.

5. Convivio

Convivio is the upscale table on Calle Buenos Aires, 200 metres northeast of Amici on the Mal Pais side, in a minimalist room with a bohemian edge. Grilled meats and fish with Caribbean touches: octopus, ceviche, mushroom risotto, flank steak, per livelikeitstheweekend.com. Expect $35 to $55 a person with drinks, so mains sit at $25 to $35. Google has it at 4.7 across 129 reviews. It suits the anniversary dinner and a proper wine list. Caveat: closed Sunday and Monday per our listing, and reservations go by WhatsApp or Instagram DM a day ahead.

6. Osa

Osa is on the Cobano road 300 metres north of La Lora, open 4pm to 10pm daily, a candle-lit room that regulars send friends to. The menu changes daily around the catch (mahi mahi, tuna, sea bass, octopus) with vegan plates, steak and a signature Osa bowl of rice, beans and grilled fish or meat, per wanderlog.com. Google has it at 4.7 across 307 reviews. Mains sit in the $15 to $25 band; check the board. It suits couples who want quiet away from the beach strip. Caveat: a drive from Playa Carmen and no sunset.

7. Soda Tiquicia

Soda Tiquicia on the main road is the casado residents mean when they say "the soda", open 8am to 10pm daily. Rice, beans, salad, plantain and your protein for 4,000 to 6,000 colones, about $7.50 to $11, with fish at the top of the range; the mixed ceviche with patacones is the other order. A 2026 Tripadvisor review logged dinner for two at 12,000 colones without beer. Google has it at 4.6 across 981 reviews. It suits anyone who wants to eat the way the town eats. Caveat: huge portions, quick service, a real lunch rush. The sodas guide compares it with Soy Tico and Pura Vida.

8. Amici Santa Teresa

Amici opens 5:30pm to 10pm daily on the main road on the Mal Pais side of the crossroads. House-made pasta, pizza from a wood oven with flour imported from Italy, plus burrata, prosciutto and arancini, per roamandthrive.com. Pizzas run 9,000 to 14,000 colones, about $17 to $27, pastas a little more, so dinner with wine is $30 to $45 a person. Google has it at 4.6 across 495 reviews. It suits families and pizza arguments. Caveat: a wait after 7pm in high season. The pizza guide and Italian guide rank it against Muzza and Pronto.

9. Nami Santa Teresa

Nami is the sushi bar residents pick for everyday rolls and nigiri, 200 metres north of Super La Hacienda, open 11:30am to 10pm daily. Creative special rolls (the Shizen and the festival roll get named), good poke and a passion fruit sake cocktail. Rolls run $12 to $18 and a 2026 Tripadvisor reviewer logged 43,000 colones for two, about $80, calling the rolls large and reasonably priced for the quality. Google has it at 4.7 across 733 reviews. It suits a relaxed sushi dinner without a reservation battle. Caveat: roadside with no view, and the bill climbs if you order freely.

10. Kooks Smokehouse and Bar

Kooks is 200 metres south of Super Costa, open 10am to 10pm, the American smokehouse and sports bar with live music. Brisket, pulled pork, ribs and wings, with a midday menu advertised at 5,000 colones plus tax. At dinner a burger, salad, dessert and a beer for two lands around $40 to $43, so a main is $12 to $20. Google has it at 4.7 across 1,962 reviews. It suits groups and game nights. Caveat: loud, and the smoked meat sells out on busy nights. The happy hours guide has its drink deals.

11. Satori Sushi Santa Teresa

Satori is the busiest sushi bar in town and the longest open, 11am to 11pm daily, across from Hotel Tropico Latino. Japanese fusion with local tuna, dorado and shrimp, split into classic rolls, fusion specials and Asian tapas, with a rooftop terrace and live music. Rolls average about $12, and honest reviews warn that two rolls, dumplings, miso and a sparkling water reached $100 for two. Google has it at 4.6 across 670 reviews. It suits a night out where the mezcal cocktails matter as much as the fish. Caveat: the most divided reviews on this list, with complaints about slow service on packed nights.

12. The Bakery

The Bakery at Playa Carmen, 30 metres north of Frank's, is the breakfast half the town eats, open 7am to 10pm (9pm Sunday). Croissants, bagels, shakshuka, acai bowls, paninis and, after 4pm, pizza. A January 2026 Tripadvisor review priced breakfast for four with juice and coffee at about 37,000 colones, so a plate is $10 to $15. Google has it at 4.6 across 2,357 reviews. It suits groups with mixed appetites. Caveat: the high season line, so go before 8am or after 10am. The brunch guide and bakeries guide cover the pastry side.

13. Gula

Gula is a coffee, eatery and ice cream shop in Santa Teresa that has become the best-rated brunch in town at 4.9 across 352 Google reviews. Its site lists service daily 7am to 2pm with tax included: avocado toast on sourdough with feta and poached eggs 6,200 colones, gallo pinto 6,500, breakfast tacos 5,000, huevos benedictinos on a croissant 5,500, acai bowl 6,600, cappuccino 2,500, per gulasantateresa.com. That is $9 to $12 a plate. It suits a slow morning after a dawn surf. Caveat: it closes at 2pm on its own schedule even though Google shows later hours, so it is never dinner.

14. Aroma Santa Teresa

Aroma on the Mal Pais side opens 7am to 9pm daily with breakfast until 11am, at 4.9 across 495 Google reviews. Health-forward menu: shakshuka, salmon bagel, avocado toast, breakfast burritos and smoothie bowls, with the acai bowl at about 7,900 colones, roughly $15; lunch and dinner plates sit at $12 to $20. The same kitchen runs a private chef service for villas. It suits families in Mal Pais who want one place all day. Caveat: the breakfast window is strict.

15. Eat Street

Eat Street is the outdoor food market on the main road, open 7am to 10pm, with the most Google reviews in town (2,997 at 4.7). Four kitchens under one roof (Sunrise Cafe, NoMad Tex-Mex Kitchen, Happy Bowls, Boule Bar) plus the Agave mezcal bar. Order at the counters; a dinner main is about $11, per haleyblackall.com. It suits groups that cannot agree on a cuisine and anyone eating vegetarian or vegan. Caveat: pricier than the format suggests. The tacos and Mexican guide covers NoMad.

16. Drift

Drift is the restaurant, cocktail bar, bakery and gourmet market 50 metres south of Super Muralla, open 4pm to 10pm Monday to Sunday per its own site. World fusion with a strong vegan side: a veggie burger with yuca fries, mushroom pesto lasagne, Indian plates and vegan desserts, with a dinner main around $14. Cocktails are built on cold-pressed juice at $12 to $15, per driftbarcr.com. Google has it at 4.7 across 469 reviews. It suits mixed tables of vegans and meat eaters. Caveat: hours have shifted this year, so check Instagram first.

17. The Somos Restaurant

Somos is the cafe, restaurant, surf shop and hotel on Calle Cabana, open 7:30am to 5:30pm and 6pm to midnight. Breakfast runs about $7.50 a plate and dinner mains $10 to $20: fish tacos, teriyaki and burrito bowls, and cocktails such as a chocolate negroni. Google has it at 4.7 across 1,065 reviews. It suits digital nomads by day and the social crowd by night. Caveat: it is a scene after 8pm. El Somos Cafe next door is the coffee stop; see the coffee guide.

18. Brukas (Mal Pais)

Brukas sits on a hill above Mal Pais with the widest sunset view of any restaurant on the coast, open 5pm to 11pm, closed Monday. Meat from a smoker and grill, cocktails, pasta and fish; reviewers name the sesame seared tuna and the grilled mahi mahi with lemon risotto. Google has it at 4.8 across 621 reviews. Mains sit at $20 to $30; confirm on the night. It suits a sunset dinner for a group with a car. Caveat: the access road is steep and rutted, so you need a quad or a 4x4, and arrive before 5:30pm for the light. The sunset spots guide has the timing.

19. Restaurante La Choza (Mal Pais)

La Choza is the Tico kitchen on the Mal Pais side, open noon to 4pm and 6pm to 9pm daily, more restaurant than roadside soda. The fish casado, gallo pinto and plantains are the reason to come, per houseofsomos.com, and a fish plate is 6,000 to 8,000 colones, about $11 to $15. Google has it at 4.8 across 244 reviews. It suits anyone south of the crossroads who wants a casado without driving into town. Caveat: the 4pm to 6pm break catches people out. The cheap eats guide lists it with the sodas.

20. Playa de los Artistas (Montezuma)

Playa de los Artistas is the beachfront restaurant across from Los Mangos hotel in Montezuma, 45 minutes south, and many on the peninsula call it the best restaurant of all. The Italian chef writes the menu by hand each day, mostly plates to share, served at tables on the sand; lobster carpaccio and the ceviche are the dishes reviewers name. Google has it at 4.7 across 396 reviews. Mains sit at $20 to $30 and groups should reserve. It suits the day trip toward Montezuma that ends in a long lunch. Caveat: closed Monday, Sunday lunch only.

21. Cocolores (Montezuma)

Cocolores is the Italian-owned restaurant in a private garden a few steps from the beach in Montezuma, open 5pm to 10pm, closed Monday. Italian with a lot of seafood, and desserts named in review after review: tiramisu and chocolate mousse. Google has it at 4.6 across 418 reviews. Pastas and fish mains sit at $15 to $25. It suits the candle-lit dinner honeymooners are pointed to. Caveat: a 45-minute drive back on a dark road, so sleep in Montezuma.

The ranking at a glance

Restaurant	Cuisine	Main	Town	Best for
La Cevicheria	Peruvian seafood	$18 large ceviche	Santa Teresa	The one dinner
Manzú at Nantipa	Sea-to-table Costa Rican	$20 to $35, tasting $125	Santa Teresa	Beachfront splurge
Katana	Asian fusion, sushi	$15 to $25	Santa Teresa north	Groups, birthdays
Sargo	Fish, natural wine	$25 to $35	Santa Teresa north	Date night
Convivio	Grilled meats, fish	$25 to $35	Mal Pais side	Anniversary
Osa	Daily catch, bowls	$15 to $25	Santa Teresa	Quiet dinner
Soda Tiquicia	Costa Rican soda	4,000 to 6,000 colones	Santa Teresa	Budget casado
Amici	Italian, wood-oven pizza	$17 to $27	Mal Pais side	Families
Nami	Sushi	$12 to $18 a roll	Santa Teresa north	Everyday sushi
Kooks	Smokehouse, sports bar	$12 to $20	Santa Teresa	Smoked meat, games
Satori	Sushi, Asian tapas	about $12 a roll	Santa Teresa	Rooftop, cocktails
The Bakery	Bakery, all day	$10 to $15	Playa Carmen	Breakfast, groups
Gula	Brunch, coffee	5,000 to 6,600 colones	Santa Teresa	Best-rated brunch
Aroma	Health-forward, all day	$12 to $20	Mal Pais	Families, breakfast
Eat Street	Food market	about $11	Santa Teresa	Mixed cravings
Drift	World fusion, vegan	about $14	Santa Teresa	Vegans and drinkers
Somos	Cafe and bar	$10 to $20	Santa Teresa	Nomads, social nights
Brukas	Grill, fish	$20 to $30	Mal Pais	Sunset with a 4x4
La Choza	Costa Rican	6,000 to 8,000 colones	Mal Pais	Casado in the south
Playa de los Artistas	Italian, seafood	$20 to $30	Montezuma	Day-trip lunch
Cocolores	Italian, seafood	$15 to $25	Montezuma	Montezuma dinner

Prices are before 13% tax and 10% service, checked September 2026.

How to choose

Pick by night. First night: La Cevicheria or Osa. Big night: Manzú for the beach, Sargo for the cooking, Convivio for the wine list. Group night: Katana or Amici, both seat eight if you book. Late night: Somos, whose kitchen runs to midnight. Hangover morning: Gula or The Bakery. Soda lunch: Tiquicia.

Then by neighbourhood: Mal Pais has Amici, Convivio, Aroma, La Choza and Brukas on its side of the crossroads; the north end has Sargo, Nami, Katana and Osa, with Manzú on the way. Montezuma is a day trip: Playa de los Artistas at lunch, or sleep there and do Cocolores.

Names people search for that are not ranked this season: Koji's is closed for a low season break until November 2026 per its Instagram; Chez Coco says "closed for now" on Instagram; Taco Corner shows as temporarily closed on Google while its own site says open daily, so check Instagram and see the tacos guide; Brasas del Mar and Gaucha are also flagged temporarily closed; Earth Café is listed as permanently closed on Wanderlog; Prana Real Food opens only 3pm to 7pm, closed Sunday. Open and good but outside the top 22: Pronto Piccola Italia in Plaza Wave, Terrazza at Playa Carmen (Italian bar, 6pm to midnight, closed Monday), Zula for falafel, Uma for the Friday DJ dinner, Casa Jaguar, Rico's, Rocamar for sunset tacos, Vermu for brunch and Lava in the Wave Mall; the beach clubs guide covers Uma and Rocamar.

Practical notes

Reservations exist only at the top of the list: Manzú on OpenTable and its own site, Convivio and Sargo by WhatsApp or Instagram DM, Katana by WhatsApp, Playa de los Artistas by phone for groups. Everywhere else is walk-in, so arrive before 7pm or after 9pm from December through April.

Cards work at every ranked restaurant except the sodas, where it is cash or SINPE Móvil. The two ATMs in town run dry on weekends, so pull colones early; the ATM guide lists the machines that work. Bills add 13% IVA and 10% service by law; a further 5% in cash goes to your server.

Green season, May through November, means open tables, shorter weeks and hours that change with a WhatsApp status, so check Instagram the same day. High season brings full rooms by 7pm and 45-minute waits at The Bakery and Amici. The Saturday farmers market next to Restaurante El Carmen runs 3pm to 6pm; the grocery guide covers rental kitchens.

Browse every cafe, soda and restaurant at /directory/eat.

Booking a meal for a 2027 visit

Use the menus and prices in this guide to choose the kind of meal, then ask for the current menu for your dates. A quoted main course, a tasting menu and a group booking can have different tax, service, deposit and cancellation terms. The older amounts above remain dated examples rather than 2027 offers.

• Confirm the opening day, the actual table time and whether the kitchen serves the menu you want.
• Request the full group total, including any mandatory charges and deposit terms.
• Ask about dietary requirements before paying for a fixed menu.
• Check the route from your accommodation and arrange the return if dinner finishes after your transport stops.

FAQ

What are the best restaurants in Santa Teresa?

La Cevicheria for seafood, Manzú at Nantipa for a beachfront splurge, Katana for Asian fusion, Sargo and Convivio for a serious dinner, Amici for Italian, Nami for sushi, Gula for brunch and Soda Tiquicia for a casado under $10. All open in September 2026.

Is Santa Teresa expensive to eat in?

Yes by Costa Rican standards. A casado at a soda is 4,000 to 6,000 colones ($7.50 to $11), a mid-range main $15 to $25, a steak or fish main at Sargo or Convivio $25 to $35, and Manzú's tasting menu $125 plus tax. Add 13% tax and 10% service. A comfortable day with one nice dinner is $50 to $70 a person.

Do restaurants in Santa Teresa take credit cards?

Most do. Every restaurant in the top tier takes Visa and Mastercard; some surcharge American Express. Sodas, food carts and some cafes are cash or SINPE Móvil only, and card machines fail when the signal drops, so carry 20,000 to 30,000 colones as a backup.

Do I need to book restaurants in Santa Teresa?

Only for Manzú, Sargo, Convivio, Katana and Playa de los Artistas, and only in high season (December to April) or for groups of six or more. Everywhere else is walk-in; arriving before 7pm or after 9pm beats any booking system. In green season you can walk into almost anywhere.

What is a casado and where is the best one?

A casado is the Costa Rican plate: rice, beans, salad, fried plantain and a protein (chicken, pork, beef, fish or shrimp), often with a tortilla or a fried egg. The best in Santa Teresa is at Soda Tiquicia on the main road, 4,000 to 6,000 colones; Soda Soy Tico in Playa Hermosa and La Choza in Mal Pais are the other two to know.

Where do locals eat in Santa Teresa?

Residents eat casados at Soda Tiquicia and Soda Pura Vida, fish at La Cevicheria and Osa, sunset tacos at Rocamar, and brunch at Gula or El Somos Cafe. For a night out they book Katana or Sargo, and for a beer and brisket they end up at Kooks. Few eat at the beach clubs more than once a season.

What time do restaurants close in Santa Teresa?

Most kitchens close at 10pm: La Cevicheria, Katana, Amici, Nami and Osa all stop then, Sargo at 9:30pm, Satori and Brukas at 11pm and Somos at midnight; Kooks closes at 10pm. Cafes such as Gula close at 2pm. Several restaurants close one day a week, so check before a Sunday or Monday dinner.