Guanacaste, Costa Rica Restaurants
- Beachside dining abounds in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.tronc et palmier image by nancy artieres from Fotolia.com
Guanacaste is the most northwestern province of Costa Rica and home to the popular Gold Coast. Its restaurants range from high-end venues to the ubiquitous local diners, known as sodas, where a meal will cost you less than $4. There are many casual beach-side spots as well as more upscale seafood restaurants and international restaurants in the tourist destinations of Playa del Coco and Playa Tamarindo. - An Italian-influenced beachfront restaurant that serves fusion Costa Rican and European fare, Nibbana offers an exhaustive menu. The options range from panini (all under $10) to ceviche, lobster and a New York strip steak. The seafood is toward the higher end compared to local prices, with entrees ranging from $20 to $40. The wine list is not as extensive as the menu but offers selections from Chile, Argentina and France. Rare is the desert menu in Costa Rica that does not include the traditional tres leches cake, but Nibbana's chefs have come up with a more creative selection of sweets including a mango and banana crumble and a tropical passion fruit mousse.
Nibbana
Playa Tamarindo
011-506-2653-0447
nibbana-tamarindo.com - Billed as a "culinary, cultural and academic space," this relaxed café offers a casual yet sophisticated place to sip cappuccino in a converted 18th century house. Aside from the coffee and ambience, its main draw is free Wi-Fi and vegetarian offerings including salads, sandwiches and crepes. It also has a bar that serves wine and frequently hosts musical performances and art events.
Café Liberia
Calle 8, Liberia
011-506-2665-1660
cafeliberia.com - A modern restaurant with American, Asian and local influences, Dragonfly's ambitious menu includes everything from a tuna tempura roll to pork chops and risotto, which diners enjoy beneath a canvas tent. Entrees range from $10 for sauteed Asian vegetables to approximately $20 for a corn-crusted Mahi Mahi. If it seems like the chefs are overreaching, patrons can rest-assured by the large crowds the restaurant draws, as well as the rave reviews it has been receiving since opening in 2005.
Dragonfly Bar and Grill
Playa Tamarindo 100m east of Hotel Pasatiempo
011-506-2653-1506
dragonflybarandgrill.com
