Where to eat kosher in Santa Teresa in 2026 (only Blooma is certified), what Chabad of Santa Teresa offers for Shabbat, where to get hummus and shakshuka from Israeli-run kitchens, and how kosher groceries actually work on the Nicoya Peninsula.
There is exactly one certified kosher kitchen in Santa Teresa in 2026: the dairy restaurant at Blooma Boutique Hotel, supervised by Chabad of Santa Teresa. For Shabbat meals and holiday catering, Chabad itself is the address, opposite Banana Beach. For Israeli food without certification, Zula has served hummus, shakshuka and falafel since 2004.
The short version
Santa Teresa has a large Israeli community and a Chabad house, so the town is easy for an Israeli traveller and workable for an observant one, as long as you understand the difference between "Israeli-run" and "kosher". Only Blooma Boutique Hotel & Kosher Restaurant carries kashrut supervision, and its own page and Chabad's traveller page both say so plainly: no other restaurant, kitchen or facility in town is certified. Chabad of Santa Teresa runs Shabbat and holiday meals and takes catering orders with 24 hours' notice. Zula Restaurant, the town's longest-running Israeli restaurant, is family-run, closes on Saturdays, and is the place for a hummus plate and a shakshuka, but it does not claim certification and we do not claim it for them. Everything else below is Israeli-style dishes in ordinary kitchens.
Blooma Boutique Hotel & Kosher Restaurant
Blooma is a 13-room boutique hotel with a private penthouse, an outdoor pool and an in-room spa, on the main road near Playa Carmen and across the street from The Bakery, a minute's walk from the beach. It opened in 2025 and describes itself as the only fully kosher luxury hotel in Costa Rica, per bloomaboutiquehotel.com. The restaurant, Blooma Dining, is a kosher dairy kitchen with a breakfast buffet and an all-day menu, and every plate is prepared under the supervision of Chabad of Santa Teresa. Chabad's own traveller page confirms the certification and states that it is the only one in town.
Dairy means fish, eggs, pasta, salads, shakshuka and pastries, and no meat. The bar serves cocktails. Non-guests can eat here; ask at the desk or message +506 8729 5252 for hours and Shabbat arrangements, because the kitchen's schedule follows the Jewish calendar. Google reviews sit at a perfect 5.0 from more than 100 reviews, and the theme is staff who remember your coffee order and rooms that are cleaned twice a day. Blooma is also within walking distance of the Chabad house for Friday night and Shabbat morning services.
Who it suits: observant families who want to eat every meal without checking, and anyone who wants a quiet, new hotel a minute from Carmen. The caveat is that it is a dairy restaurant only, so a kosher meat dinner means Chabad catering or cooking yourself.
Chabad of Santa Teresa
Chabad of Santa Teresa is led by Rabbi Berel and Chana Dubinsky and sits opposite Banana Beach, about a kilometre north of the cruce on the main road. It hosts congregational prayers and communal Shabbat meals on Friday night and Shabbat day, and it asks visitors to reserve in advance through chabadst.com or WhatsApp (+506 8902 9749). It also runs holiday programmes, including Sukkot 5787 in 2026, and Passover meals.
For ready-made kosher food outside Blooma, Chabad's catering is the only option, ordered at least 24 hours ahead through the form on its site. This is how you get a kosher meat meal, a Shabbat package for a villa, or food for a group. Chabad also advises on which products with kosher symbols are on local shelves, and its traveller page lists the other Chabad houses in Costa Rica (Jaco, Tamarindo, La Fortuna, San José) and the kosher meat and store options in San José. There is no mikvah in Santa Teresa yet; the community is raising funds for one, and the site gives a contact for anyone who needs one during a stay. Chabad recommends Peace Lofts, Casa Keshet, Banana Beach Hotel and Beach Villa S as accommodation within walking distance for Shabbat.
Zula Restaurant
Zula Restaurant is the Israeli restaurant in Santa Teresa, family-run since 2004 by brothers who settled here after the army, on the Playa Carmen stretch of the main road next to the Zula Inn aparthotel. The menu is Israeli and Costa Rican side by side: hummus plates, pita sandwiches, falafel, schnitzel, shish kebab, shakshuka, and casados and gallo pinto for the Tico half, plus fruit smoothies and a shisha pipe, per zulainn.com. Hours are 12pm to 9:30pm, and it is closed on Saturday. Google has it at 4.6 from more than 440 reviews; Tripadvisor reviewers single out the hummus, the fresh pita and the mahi mahi platter with hummus and fries.
Prices are mid-range, with hummus plates and pita sandwiches at the cheap end and grilled platters at the top; budget 6,000 to 14,000 colones per person. Zula is not certified kosher and does not advertise supervision. It suits anyone who wants a proper hummus and a cold beer after a surf. The caveat is that it is closed on the one day many visitors want it most.
Shakshuka, hummus and falafel elsewhere
Israeli dishes have spread across Santa Teresa's menus because so many owners and guests are Israeli. None of these kitchens is kosher; they are listed for the food.
The Bakery, across the road from Blooma, serves a shakshuka that turns up in review after review, open 7am to 10pm. Aroma Santa Teresa, opposite the Megasuper, has shakshuka and a salmon bagel on its breakfast menu from 7am to 11am. El Facon Grill & Bar is an Argentine grill with a clay oven, but its lighter menu runs hummus, eggplant milanesa and falafel burgers, and it has live music some nights. Several cafés in town do a good tahini-heavy salad; the best brunch guide has the full morning list and the vegetarian and vegan guide covers the plant-based falafel options.
Kosher groceries and self-catering
Santa Teresa's supermarkets (Megasuper, Super Costa, Super Ronny's) are ordinary Costa Rican supers. Some packaged goods carry kosher symbols, mostly imported dry goods, and Chabad can tell you what is on the shelves this month, but do not expect a kosher section, kosher meat or chalav Yisrael dairy in town. The nearest reliable kosher meat and a kosher store are in San José through Chabad of San José, and PriceSmart, Auto Mercado and Walmart in the capital stock products with hechsherim, per Chabad's traveller page; families who keep strictly kosher shop in San José on the way in and bring a cooler. Fresh produce, eggs, fish from the Mal Pais fishing village and the fruit at FRUIT WORLD need no certification and are the backbone of a self-catered kosher week here. The grocery shopping guide covers where each super is and what they carry.
How to choose
| Need | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Certified kosher meal | Blooma Dining | Dairy only, supervised by Chabad of Santa Teresa, near Playa Carmen |
| Shabbat dinner or lunch | Chabad of Santa Teresa | Opposite Banana Beach, reserve ahead |
| Kosher meat or a villa Shabbat package | Chabad catering | Order 24 hours ahead via the site form |
| Israeli food, no certification | Zula | 12pm to 9:30pm, closed Saturday |
| Shakshuka with the surf crowd | The Bakery, Aroma | Ordinary kitchens |
| Kosher groceries | San José (Chabad, Auto Mercado, PriceSmart) | Bring a cooler; local supers carry a few symbol products |
Practical notes
Book Shabbat before you arrive. Chabad asks for reservations for Friday night and Shabbat day meals, and in high season and around holidays the tables fill with a mix of Israeli travellers, families and locals. Sukkot at the end of September 2026 and Passover in spring are the big weeks.
Say what you keep. "Kosher" here can mean strictly supervised (Blooma, Chabad) or Israeli-style and vegetarian (most of the town's cafés). Be specific when you ask a hotel or a private chef about kosher food; a general chef can cook a vegetarian menu in your villa but cannot supply certification.
Walk on Shabbat. Blooma, The Bakery, Banana Beach and Chabad are all on the main road within about a kilometre of each other. If you are staying south in Mal Pais or north past the football field, the walk to Chabad is longer and the road is dusty in dry season and muddy now, in green season.
Cards work at Blooma and Zula; Chabad catering and donations go by bank transfer, Zelle or PayPal. Keep some colones for the supers. Browse every restaurant in the /directory/eat hub, and see the best restaurants guide for the rest of the town's kitchens.
FAQ
Is there a kosher restaurant in Santa Teresa?
Yes, one. Blooma Dining at Blooma Boutique Hotel is a kosher dairy restaurant supervised by Chabad of Santa Teresa, on the main road near Playa Carmen. Chabad's traveller page states that no other restaurant or kitchen in town is certified.
Is there a Chabad in Santa Teresa?
Yes. Chabad of Santa Teresa, led by Rabbi Berel and Chana Dubinsky, is opposite Banana Beach about a kilometre north of the cruce. It hosts Shabbat and holiday meals, runs kosher catering with 24 hours' notice, and is reachable through chabadst.com or WhatsApp.
Is Zula kosher?
No. Zula is an Israeli-run family restaurant serving hummus, shakshuka, falafel and schnitzel alongside Costa Rican dishes since 2004. It closes on Saturdays but does not advertise kashrut supervision, and Chabad lists Blooma as the only certified kitchen in town.
Where can I get a kosher meat meal?
Through Chabad of Santa Teresa's catering, ordered at least 24 hours ahead, or at a Shabbat meal at the Chabad house. Blooma's restaurant is dairy only. Kosher meat to cook yourself comes from San José.
Can I buy kosher groceries in Santa Teresa?
Only a few packaged products with kosher symbols at the local supers. For meat, cheese and a full shop, buy in San José (Chabad of San José, Auto Mercado, PriceSmart, Walmart) before the ferry and bring a cooler. Fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and whole fish are available everywhere.
Are there Shabbat meals for visitors?
Yes. Chabad hosts communal Friday night and Shabbat day meals and asks visitors to reserve in advance. Blooma also arranges Shabbat for its guests and is within walking distance of the Chabad house.
