The Tico sodas of Santa Teresa, Playa Hermosa, Mal Pais and Montezuma ranked in 2026: casado prices in colones, portions, hours, cash rules, and which soda is closest to which beach.
The best soda in Santa Teresa is Soda Tiquicia on the main road, where a fish casado costs about 5,000 to 6,000 colones and the seafood soup is a meal on its own. Soda Soy Tico in Playa Hermosa and Soda Pura Vida are the other two to know, and every soda here is a plate of rice, beans, salad, plantain and a protein for under $12.
The short version
A soda is a family-run Tico kitchen, and the casado is its main event: rice, black beans, salad, fried plantain, sometimes an egg or a slice of cheese, and your choice of fish, chicken, pork, beef or shrimp. In Santa Teresa in September 2026 that plate runs 4,000 to 6,000 colones, about $7.50 to $11, with fish and shrimp at the top of the range and a natural fruit juice adding 1,500 to 2,000. This guide is only about sodas and Tico plates. For street food, the Thursday market and the cheap non-Tico options, read cheap eats in Santa Teresa.
Three sodas stand out in Santa Teresa itself: Tiquicia for portions and the soup, Soy Tico in Playa Hermosa for the friendliest room and the biggest plates on the north end, and Pura Vida for a solid casado with nachos and typical plates until late. Tipico Mall on the north road is the early breakfast soda, and La Choza in Mal Pais is the fish casado on the south side. Montezuma adds three more that are worth the trip if you are already there: La Naranja, Las Palmeras and El Artesano.
Soda Tiquicia
Soda Tiquicia is the soda residents send visitors to first. It sits on the main road in central Santa Teresa, a short walk from Playa Santa Teresa, and opens 8am to 10pm daily, though regulars say the kitchen is properly running from 9am. Google has it at 4.6 across nearly 1,000 reviews, and the review theme is quantity and quality in the same plate: the fried red snapper casado and the mahi mahi casado are the orders, the seafood soup is a meal, and the juice list includes cas, a sour local fruit you should try once.
Expect 5,000 to 6,000 colones for a fish casado and less for chicken or pork. Service is fast, the room is open-air and plain, and it is the one soda in town that stays busy at 9pm.
Who it suits: first-timers, hungry surfers, and anyone who wants the standard by which to judge every other casado. The caveat: it is on the main road, so dust and quads are part of lunch.
Soda Soy Tico, Playa Hermosa
Soda Soy Tico is the soda for the north end. It is in Playa Hermosa, the beach the surf schools use for first lessons, and it opens 8am to 10pm on weekdays and 10am to 10pm on Sundays. Google has it at 4.9 across 377 reviews, which is the highest rating of any soda on this list, and the theme is huge portions, garlic shrimp and chicken fajitas alongside the casados, and owners who remember your name by the second visit, per wanderlog.com. The smoothies get their own mentions.
Prices sit in the same 4,000 to 6,000 colones band, and the casado comes with fish, shrimp or steak as well as the usual chicken and pork.
Who it suits: anyone staying at the Hermosa surf camps or the north-end hotels, and families who want a big plate at a small price. The caveat: it is a 10 to 15 minute drive from the cruce, so it is a neighbourhood soda rather than a destination.
Soda Pura Vida
Soda Pura Vida is on the main road across from Brunelas in Santa Teresa, open 10am to 9:30pm on weekdays and 9am to 10pm on Sundays. It serves large casados, nachos and typical plates at low prices, per thecostaricadirectory.com, and a Tripadvisor reviewer who tried several sodas in town called it the best of them for service and value. Google has it at 4.5 across 528 reviews.
Who it suits: a casado at 9pm when Tiquicia is full, and groups where someone wants nachos. The caveat: opinions split more here than at Tiquicia; a few reviews mention slow nights.
Soda Tipico Mall
Soda Tipico Mall is the early bird. It is on the north road toward Manzanillo, opens 7am and closes 5:30pm, and it is the soda to hit for a gallo pinto breakfast before a dawn session at Playa Hermosa or Manzanillo. Google has it at 4.4 across a smaller review count, and the plates are the standard casados and pinto at soda prices. Expect 3,000 to 4,000 colones for a pinto with eggs and coffee.
Who it suits: surfers heading north at first light, and anyone staying past the Hermosa turn. The caveat: it closes before dinner, and the rating is built on fewer reviews than the others.
Restaurante La Choza, Mal Pais
Restaurante La Choza is the Tico kitchen on the Mal Pais side, open noon to 4pm and 6pm to 9pm every day. It is more restaurant than roadside soda, with a website and a longer menu, but the fish casado, gallo pinto and plantains are why it belongs here, per houseofsomos.com. Google has it at 4.8 across 244 reviews. Prices are a step above the pure sodas, closer to 6,000 to 8,000 colones for a fish plate.
Who it suits: people staying in Mal Pais who do not want to drive to town for a casado. The caveat: the afternoon closure catches people out, and it costs more than Tiquicia.
Soda La Naranja, Montezuma
Soda La Naranja is the Montezuma soda residents talk about, a family-run room open noon to 9pm and closed Sundays. The mixed fish and shrimp ceviche is the order alongside the casados, and the fresh juice combinations are more inventive than most, with several reviewers returning twice on the same trip, per wanderlog.com. Google has it at 4.8 across 277 reviews.
Who it suits: lunch or early dinner on a day trip to Montezuma. The caveat: closed Sundays, which is the day most people make the trip.
Soda Tipica Las Palmeras, Montezuma
Soda Tipica Las Palmeras is the balcony soda in Montezuma, open 11am to 8pm daily, with views over the village and monkeys in the trees at the right hour. One reviewer summed it up as a huge mixed casado for $8 with monkeys, and the quesadillas and cocktails get mentions too. Google has it at 4.7 across more than 900 reviews, the biggest review count of any soda on this list.
Who it suits: a casado with a view, and families who want a table the kids can watch monkeys from. The caveat: popular enough that the lunch rush means a wait.
Soda El Artesano, Montezuma
Soda El Artesano is the long-hours soda in Montezuma, open 6am to 10pm every day, so it covers breakfast before the waterfall and dinner after. Reviewers praise generous portions, friendly staff and low prices, per tripadvisor.com. Google has it at 4.2 across 520 reviews, the lowest on this list, with the critical reviews about consistency on busy nights.
Who it suits: early breakfasts and late dinners in Montezuma. The caveat: a good soda rather than a great one.
How to choose
| Soda | Nearest beach | Casado price | Hours | Cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiquicia | Playa Santa Teresa | 5,000 to 6,000 colones | 8am to 10pm daily | Usually, carry cash |
| Soy Tico | Playa Hermosa | 4,000 to 6,000 colones | 8am to 10pm, Sunday from 10am | Usually, carry cash |
| Pura Vida | Playa Santa Teresa | 4,000 to 6,000 colones | 10am to 9:30pm, Sunday 9am to 10pm | Usually, carry cash |
| Tipico Mall | Manzanillo and Hermosa | 3,000 to 5,000 colones | 7am to 5:30pm | Cash |
| La Choza | Mal Pais | 6,000 to 8,000 colones | Noon to 4pm, 6pm to 9pm | Yes |
| La Naranja | Montezuma | About 5,000 colones | Noon to 9pm, closed Sunday | Cash |
| Las Palmeras | Montezuma | About 4,500 colones | 11am to 8pm daily | Cash |
| El Artesano | Montezuma | About 4,500 colones | 6am to 10pm daily | Cash |
Prices are September 2026 estimates from menus and reviews; sodas rarely add service, and most quote prices with tax included.
Practical notes
Cash is the default at sodas. Some in Santa Teresa take cards now, but the machine is often "down", so carry colones; the ATMs and money guide explains where to get them. Order the casado with the fish of the day rather than a named fish, because that is what is fresh, and ask for the soup if you see a pot on the stove. Sodas do not take reservations and most do not use WhatsApp for orders; you walk in.
Hours drift in green season. Sodas open late and close early on rainy September afternoons, and Sunday hours are the least reliable. Lunch from noon to 1:30pm is when the food is freshest and the room is fullest. One bar deal to know: The Love Shack in Santa Teresa advertised a casado plus a Pilsen or Imperial for 5,000 colones in July 2026, which beats most menus if it is still running. Vegetarians can ask for a casado vegetariano anywhere on this list; it swaps the protein for extra egg, cheese or beans, and the vegetarian and vegan guide has more. For the rest of the dining picture, read best restaurants in Santa Teresa.
FAQ
What does a casado cost in Santa Teresa in 2026?
About 4,000 to 6,000 colones, or $7.50 to $11, at a real soda, with fish and shrimp at the top of the range and chicken or pork lower. A natural juice adds 1,500 to 2,000 colones. La Choza in Mal Pais runs higher at 6,000 to 8,000.
Which is the best soda in Santa Teresa?
Soda Tiquicia on the main road for portions, the seafood soup and the fish casados. Soda Soy Tico in Playa Hermosa has the highest rating of any soda in the area at 4.9 on Google. Soda Pura Vida is the reliable third.
Do sodas in Santa Teresa take credit cards?
Some do, but assume cash. Tiquicia, Soy Tico and Pura Vida usually take cards, Tipico Mall and the Montezuma sodas are cash, and card machines fail often. Carry enough colones for the meal.
Which soda is closest to Playa Hermosa?
Soda Soy Tico is in Playa Hermosa itself, and Soda Tipico Mall is on the road north toward Manzanillo. Both are a 10 to 15 minute drive from the Playa Carmen crossroads.
What time do sodas open and close?
Most open between 7am and 10am and close between 8pm and 10pm. Tipico Mall opens at 7am and closes at 5:30pm, La Choza closes between 4pm and 6pm, and Soda La Naranja in Montezuma closes Sundays. Green season hours are shorter.
Is a soda the same as a restaurant in Costa Rica?
No. A soda is a small family kitchen serving casados, gallo pinto, soups and a few plates at low prices, usually cash, no reservations. A restaurant with an English menu and a cocktail list charges two to three times more for the same fish.
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