By your host at Buena Vista Ocean View Apartments
Original guide: April 2026 · Selected updates: September 2026
I live in Santa Teresa full-time, and I spend a considerable amount of my own time and money trying restaurants and individual dishes before recommending them to my guests. It's a great job to have!
Most Buena Vista's guests ask for local recommendations. I've learned from the past years that they value specific recommendations (not just restaurants names), and probably they search for good restaurants and plates as much as they search for our ocean view, redundant Internet and the coffee they enjoy every peaceful morning while staying at Buena Vista.
This guide began with my April 2026 recommendations. In September, I added several discoveries and revised selected entries. Those updates do not mean that I revisited every restaurant or checked every dish again. Where a September update is specifically identified, it applies to that entry.
These are personal recommendations: what I order, what I would return for, and where I have found the experience less consistent. Some places earn their spot because of one outstanding dish; others give me several reasons to return.
I have kept distinctive menu names in Spanish where they will help you order. Menus, locations, opening days and availability can change. If one dish is the reason for your visit, check with the restaurant before setting out.
For me, La Perla India offers the most authentic local Costa Rican food "experience" in the wider area. The highlight is the cooking at the traditional wood-fired stove, or fogón.
“Wider area” matters here: La Perla India is in Bajos del Ario. This is an outing to plan, rather than somewhere to casually follow your navigation app for lunch.
The scenic route I recommend is a dry-season trip that needs to be planned around tides and local conditions. Depending on the route, it can involve sand, rocky sections and river crossings. I strongly recommend going with someone who knows the area and arranging an appropriate high-clearance 4x4 or a guided horseback outing.
Low tide alone does not establish that a route is passable. Ask me about current conditions and the right way to organise the trip. A carefully planned full-moon outing can also be memorable, but it needs experienced local guidance.
My preferred day: Sunday.
What I recommend: Ask what is being prepared at the fogón that day.
Find La Perla India on Google Maps
Playa de los Artistas is my second overall food recommendation in the area. It is in Montezuma, so plan it as a separate outing from Santa Teresa.
The menu changes daily. I would go for the experience and choose from that day’s menu rather than arrive expecting one fixed dish.
My advice: Check the current opening days and service times, and reserve—even if you are travelling alone or dining as a couple.
Find Playa de los Artistas on Google Maps
Added September 2026
Product C opened a location in Playa Hermosa, north of the supermarket, a few months before this update. Make sure you look for the Playa Hermosa location near Santa Teresa.
This has become one of my favourite places for a relaxed seafood lunch. Cito, Tim, Max and Carmen are a big part of why I enjoy returning. In my experience, the fish has been fresh and the food consistently good.
My orders:
Fish tacos.
Sailor bowl.
The smoked fish add-on, when available.
For a drink, try a Captain: frozen lemonade with tequila or vodka. It is the sort of place where lunch can turn into a leisurely afternoon.
My practical tip: Bring sunglasses; some tables are sunnier than others.
Find Product C in Playa Hermosa on Google Maps
Added September 2026
If you have already heard about Voy Caliente!, you have been doing your homework.
Contact Lucho, allow time to make arrangements and book ahead. I found the experience worthwhile—and had a lot of fun.
Ask Lucho directly about the current format, location, availability and price.
Contact Lucho: +506 8530 4822
Added September 2026
Fermata Hotel’s restaurant is expensive even by Santa Teresa standards, but they try hard on cocktails and I'm still working to finish their whole menu. So far...
My orders:
Lobster roll.
French fries.
The lobster roll may be my favourite in town at the moment. It is kinda small for the price, though: I would need two to consider it a complete lunch. Keep that in mind when judging the price.
Find Fermata Kitchen on Google Maps · Dining website · Reserve a table
Phone: +506 6222 2937
My orders:
BLET Bagel.
Espresso.
Flat white.
This is one of my regular stops for coffee, a bagel and sometimes a fuller breakfast. The owner’s frequent presence is part of what makes it feel dependable to me. They also have filtered Costa Rica speacialty coffee in V60, Chemex, Kalita Wave, etc.
Find The Roastery on Google Maps
Phone: +506 8655 1826
My orders:
Shakshuka Greco with extra avocado.
Cheesecake crumble.
The extra avocado is part of my recommendation. The shakshuka has usually come with two eggs when I have ordered it; sometimes I ask for a third.
Find The Bakery on Google Maps
Phone: +506 8683 5353
My order: Huevos Vaqueros.
This is the specific breakfast dish I recommend here.
Find Vermú on Google Maps
Phone: +506 6066 5840
My order: Súper dulce de leche ice cream.
September 2026 location update: The Gaucha I recommended has moved to Carmen Mall. I have found Oski very reliable, which gives me confidence in continuing to recommend it after the move.
Look for the Carmen Mall location rather than relying on an older Gaucha Norte listing. If the map still shows a previous address, ask me for directions.
Find Gaucha at Carmen Mall on Google Maps
My orders:
The robalo and clam special.
Chipirón croquette—baby squid croquette.
Ask whether the fish special is available that day. Ran by owners, the place won't open without Mauro and Julio.
Find Bajo el Árbol on Google Maps
Phone: +506 2640 0302
My orders:
Almost any sushi.
Almost any sashimi.
Koji is well known locally, and one of the attractions for me is the opportunity to try fish that is not available every week. Ask what is particularly interesting that day.
Some people love the ribs. I go for the fish.
My orders:
Bone marrow risotto with shrimp.
Green curry with white fish.
Aged tuna sashimi.
Némesis dessert.
Over the years, Katana has become one of my local benchmarks for consistency. I often see Igal there, and in my experience the restaurant usually runs smoothly.
Find Katana on Google Maps · Website and reservations
My orders:
Fish ceviche with smoked leche de tigre.
Mixed seafood ceviche with smoked leche de tigre.
Both have some heat. Mention your preference when ordering if you are sensitive to spice.
My practical tip: Allow time and enjoy the view. Service has been slow on my visits, so I would choose somewhere else if I had a ferry or another firm departure to catch.
Find Shambala at Trópico Latino on Google Maps · Website · Hotel reception WhatsApp
Hotel reception: +506 8856 7447
My orders:
Filete Copacabana with shrimp.
Shrimp moqueca.
In my experience, fresh fish deliveries often arrive on Tuesdays and Fridays. Ask about that day’s fish rather than treating those delivery days as guaranteed.
My favourite time to go: Sunset on a Deep Tuesday, when the event is running. Confirm the event and reserve if you want a table at the front. Bring sunglasses and consider insect repellent.
Find Itaúna on Google Maps · Website
Phone: +506 2640 0095
My orders:
Peruvian-style ceviche.
Catch of the day.
Fried yuca.
The ceviche has some heat, and the fried yuca has usually been very good.
My orders:
White fish nigiri with finger lime.
White fish ceviche with chile panameño.
Mention your spice preference when asking about the ceviche.
September 2026 update: Yasumi has gone through some changes, and I have been particularly impressed by Marco, the new chef. He is Costa Rican, with a background that includes training with Toshihiko Ochi at Fuji in San José. His work is a strong reason for my renewed enthusiasm.
Find Yasumi on Google Maps · Website and reservations · WhatsApp
Phone: +506 8666 5213
My orders:
Batayaki.
Nami sashimi.
Avocado ball.
Miso, with the optional avocado addition.
Ceviche roll.
Ceviche handroll.
Shrimp handroll.
The Batayaki is one I would encourage you to try. I also particularly like the avocado ball, and the ceviche roll is better than its name might suggest.
For sashimi, I personally put Katana ahead, although the preparations are different.
An honest dessert note: The banana dessert won me over on one visit, despite my not usually liking banana. A second visit was less successful, so I cannot recommend it with the same confidence as the dishes above.
Find Nami on Google Maps · Website · WhatsApp
Phone: +506 6140 7313
My order: Muchame with sourdough bread or tortillas.
This is a little gem for me, with both owners working in the kitchen.
Choose the restaurant in Santa Teresa, Puntarenas, when opening the map. There are similarly named restaurants elsewhere in Costa Rica.
Find Sargo in Santa Teresa on Google Maps
My order: Tuna crudo with pistachio.
Confirm that the restaurant is open for your dates before heading over. Its website carries a September–October closure notice, and weddings or private events can also affect availability.
Find Blue Mist on Google Maps · Restaurant website · Restaurant reservations on WhatsApp
Restaurant reservations: +506 8994 0707
My orders:
Tuétano—bone marrow.
Casado de pescado—the fish casado.
Olla de carne—Costa Rican beef and vegetable soup.
Tiradito de pescado—thinly sliced fish.
My timing tip: The olla de carne is a Sunday dish, and I recommend it for lunch. Check availability before making a special trip.
Find La Choza on Google Maps · Website · WhatsApp
Phone: +506 8788 1001
My orders:
Israeli plate with falafel.
Shakshuka.
Zula has generally opened around midday when I have visited, so I think of the shakshuka here as a late-brunch option rather than an early breakfast. Check the current opening time.
My first order: Labneh with eggplant.
That is the dish I think about on the way there, but my enthusiasm extends beyond it. The hummus is distinctive, and the falafel plate is outstanding in my experience.
My orders:
Arroz de Doña Patri.
Burger.
Patacones.
Costa Rican-style ceviche.
Coconut flan.
The Arroz de Doña Patri is worth ordering, and the burger is among my personal top three in town.
I have eaten some of my best patacones here, but they have not been equally good every time. They stay on this list because the best versions have been memorable.
The ceviche is the lime-forward style I associate with Costa Rican ceviche, rather than the sweeter versions found elsewhere. If you enjoy it, I would also suggest trying Shambala’s ceviches.
The coconut flan is a particular highlight—and I am not normally a flan enthusiast.
Find Manzú on Google Maps
Phone: +506 2101 0222
My orders:
Steak and eggs.
Shrimp cigar starter.
Baby corn starter.
Basque cheesecake.
The steak and eggs are good, especially the sauce served alongside, although I personally prefer Kooks’ version. The baby corn starter is worth trying.
The Basque cheesecake is something I have thought about while travelling away from Santa Teresa. When fresh, it is outstanding.
My ordering tip: Go at dinner and ask for the complete plated cheesecake dessert, rather than just a slice from the counter.
Find Namoré on Google Maps
Phone: +506 8484 3535
My orders:
Brisket served in slices.
Kooks Special burger.
Breakfast skillet.
Skirt steak and eggs for breakfast.
For the brisket, ask specifically for slices. That is the preparation I recommend.
With the breakfast skillet, I sometimes ask to replace the potatoes with broccoli. Check whether the substitution is available.
The skirt steak and eggs are expensive for breakfast, but very good. They are my preference over Namoré’s version.
Dessert note: I previously included the New York-style cheesecake, but I have found it inconsistent. It would not be my first choice for cheesecake in town.
Find Kooks on Google Maps
Phone: +506 8760 1365
My orders:
Entraña—skirt steak.
Milanesa.
Gluten-free chocolate cake with ice cream.
The entraña is very good, although I would personally choose Kooks for steak. I prefer Facón’s milanesa to the one at Soda Las Rosas, but it has cost roughly twice as much on my visits.
The chocolate cake with ice cream is a good finish to the meal, rather than a dessert I would make a special trip for.
My ordering tip: Do not assume a fixed beef grade. I have been served USDA Prime, later encountered USDA Choice, and on another visit could not confirm the grade. Ask what is available that day.
Find El Facón on Google Maps
Phone: +506 8428 4628
My orders:
Lobster roll.
Mortadella and pistachio focaccia.
Espresso.
The lobster roll and focaccia are two of my picks for a casual, quick meal. The espresso is also worth trying.
Find Rico’s on Google Maps
Phone: +506 8972 0710
My order: Mister Blondie.
One of my picks for an indulgent, casual meal.
Find Jacky Buns on Google Maps
My orders:
Street-style tacos, usually al pastor or fish.
Gringa.
The carnitas are fine too, but al pastor and fish are my usual choices. I rate this as a good casual taco stop: straightforward food rather than an elaborate dining experience.
My late-night orders:
Pepperoni pizza.
Brisket empanada.
Mushroom empanada.
These are my after-hours comfort-food picks. I have known last orders to run as late as around 2:10 a.m., but check that evening’s kitchen hours before heading over.
Santa Teresa has some excellent private chefs. If you would like a meal prepared where you are staying, these are two people I recommend contacting.
Paola is outstanding in my experience.
Contact Paola: +506 8825 6153
Jim is another private chef worth contacting.
Contact Jim: +506 8346 9774
Discuss the menu, guest count, dietary requirements, kitchen arrangements and total price directly with the chef.
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With love,
LC