The Best Restaurants in Santa Teresa: 50+ Spots by Cuisine, Plus Where I Actually Eat

I lived in Santa Teresa for four months, right in the centre of town. And honestly? I cooked at home most nights, because eating out here adds up fast.

But when friends came to town or I had a date, we went out. Mostly to sodas, the small family-run spots that serve cheap Costa Rican food, and every now and then somewhere fancier. So this guide to the best restaurants in Santa Teresa is two things in one: every restaurant in town, grouped by what they serve, plus the places I actually paid for, with what they cost me in colones.

Still planning the trip? Start with my Santa Teresa surf guide, then grab my Santa Teresa map so you know where everything is.

In a Rush? My Picks for the Best Restaurants in Santa Teresa

Only got time for one or two meals out? These are the two places I’d send a friend.

Heads up: some links in this post are affiliate links. If you book through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 🤙

Quick Comparison: My Top Picks at a Glance

Restaurant	Best for	Area	Walk from the centre	Price	Map
Soda Tica Linda	Cheap casados (my pick)	Centre	1 minute	₡	Open in Maps
Las Rosas	Group dinners on a budget	Centre	1 minute	₡–₡₡	Open in Maps
Soda Pura Vida	Huge portions	Centre	5 minutes	₡	Open in Maps
Amici	Date night, pizza and Italian	Near Playa Carmen	20 minutes	₡₡₡	Open in Maps
Nami	Sushi and poke bowls	North	20 minutes	₡₡₡	Open in Maps

Walk times are from the soccer field in the centre of town, at an easy pace. ₡ = casado prices (about ₡4,500 to ₡6,000), ₡₡ = ₡7,000 to ₡9,000 a main, ₡₡₡ = ₡10,000 and up.

What Eating Out in Santa Teresa Really Costs (in Colones)

Let’s be real: Santa Teresa isn’t cheap. A lot of places are overpriced for what you get, but that’s this town. That’s why I cooked most nights and saved eating out for when friends were around.

Here’s what I actually paid, so you can plan your budget:

What	What I paid	In dollars
Casado at a soda	₡4,500 to ₡6,000 (about ₡5,000 on average)	About $10 to $13
Soda dinner with a drink	₡4,000 to ₡7,000	About $9 to $15
Big night at Las Rosas (main, drink and dessert)	Up to ₡12,000	About $26
Main dish at a nicer restaurant	₡7,000 to ₡8,000 at least, often ₡9,000 to ₡10,000	About $15 to $22
Sandwich at The Bakery	₡6,000	About $13
Pizza deal at Amici	₡6,000	About $13
2-for-1 burgers at Las Rosas	About ₡4,000 each	About $9
Casado deal at Las Rosas	₡4,400	About $10
A kilo of fresh tuna from the fishermen in Mal País	₡5,000 to ₡6,000	About $11 to $13

These were the prices when I was there. Deals change with the seasons, so they might be different when you visit. Prices are before the 10% added to the bill, and I used about ₡460 to the dollar.

Map: Where Every Restaurant in Santa Teresa Is

Santa Teresa is basically one long dusty road that runs along the beach. Here’s how the town splits up:

• North (La Lora and Zeneidas): sushi, seafood and Soda Tiquicia, around Super La Hacienda.
• Centre (soccer field to Banana Beach): the sodas, tacos and most of the cheap eats. This is where I stayed.
• Playa Carmen (around the cruce, the crossroads): Amici, Katana, The Bakery and the date-night spots.
• Mal País and Playa Hermosa: a few great places on the edges, but you’ll want wheels.

If you want the full lay of the land, with the surf breaks and beaches too, check out my Santa Teresa map.

Sodas: The Best Cheap Restaurants in Santa Teresa

A soda is a small, usually family-owned restaurant that serves home-style dishes. Costa Rican sodas are the cheapest sit-down meals in town. This is where I ate most when I went out, and where you’ll get the most food for your money.

The thing to order is a casado, the classic Costa Rican plate: rice, black beans, salad, fried sweet plantain and a protein (chicken, pork, beef or fish). Sodas also do gallo pinto (rice and beans, usually for breakfast), patacones (fried green plantains) and batidos, which are fresh fruit smoothies.

1. Soda Tica Linda: Best Casado in Town (My Pick)

This was my number one. It balances the budget with really good quality food, which is harder to find here than you’d think.

My bill was usually ₡4,000 to ₡7,000, depending on whether I got a drink. It’s about 70 metres south of the soccer field, right in the middle of town, and it’s open every day from 8 am to 10 pm.

The catch: it’s popular, so at busy times you might wait for a table. Reviews also mention it gets hot inside at lunchtime.

Who should go: anyone who wants a proper Costa Rican meal without the Santa Teresa price tag. It’s perfect for your first night.

2. Las Rosas: Best Soda for a Night Out With Friends

I ate at Las Rosas a lot. It’s right on the corner by Lost Boyz, practically next door to Tica Linda, but it feels a bit more like a restaurant than a classic soda.

I paid anywhere from ₡5,000 to ₡12,000. The ₡12,000 nights were the “fancy” dinners with friends: a main, a drink and a dessert.

They run a lot of deals too. When I was there, Tuesday was open mic night and Wednesday was 2-for-1 American burgers. A burger is almost ₡8,000, so that works out to about ₡4,000 each. Sometimes they also do a casado deal for just ₡4,400.

Deals and days change with the season, so ask when you get there. Open daily, 8 am to 10 pm.

Who should go: groups who want a fun dinner without paying restaurant prices.

3. Soda Pura Vida: Best for Huge Portions

Soda Pura Vida was the first place I ever ate out in Santa Teresa. I got the pork chop, and it was so big I couldn’t finish it. I asked for a takeaway box and had the rest for lunch the next day.

It’s about five minutes’ walk north of the soccer field. A meal and a drink cost me ₡4,000 to ₡7,000.

It’s open daily from 10 am to 9:30 pm.

Who should go: hungry surfers on a budget. Come straight from the water.

More Sodas Worth Trying

• Soda Tiquicia (north): one of the best-known sodas in town. People recommend the fish casado and the mixed ceviche with patacones.
• Soda Soy Tico (centre): a 4.9 on Google from 400+ reviews, open 8 am to 10 pm.
• Soda el Artesano (centre): opens at 6 am, handy before dawn patrol.
• La Santa a lo Tico (Playa Carmen): one of the cheapest spots in town. Closes at 5 pm.
• Rest La Choza (Mal País): fish plates for around ₡6,000 to ₡8,000. Check it’s open before you go.
• Tierra Mar (Mal País): a family-run spot with casados and big fruit batidos. Reviews say the owner, Mayli, will even cook the fish you caught.

Best Pizza and Italian Restaurants in Santa Teresa

For a surf town in Costa Rica, Santa Teresa has a lot of good Italian food. Here’s where I’d go.

4. Amici: Best for a Fancier Night Out

Amici Ristorante & Pizzeria is a very nice place with very good food. The pizza I had there was amazing. They have a good oven and a good dough, and you can tell. If you want one fancier dinner on your trip, this is the one I’d book.

Pizzas normally cost around ₡10,000 to ₡14,000, but when I was there they did a ₡6,000 pizza deal. People loved it so much that they added a second night. Deals change with the season, so check their Instagram for the current days. It gets busy, so reserve a table.

It’s on Calle Buenos Aires, near Playa Carmen, open every day from 5:30 pm to 10 pm. Reviews also mention live music some nights, plus homemade pasta and burrata.

Who should go: couples on a date night, or a group of friends celebrating something.

More Pizza and Italian Spots

• Pronto Piccola Italia (Plaza Wave): Italian with air conditioning, sports on the screens and a happy hour before 5 pm, according to reviews.
• Muzza (centre): big pizzas with six slices, open 5 pm to 10 pm.
• Pizza Tomate (by the soccer field): one of the cheaper pizzas in town.
• Kooks Pizza: next to Kooks Smokehouse and open till 2 am, for the late-night slice.
• Pizzeria Henry II (Playa Carmen): reviews say slices are about ₡1,000 and an XL is about ₡13,000. Cheap, local and they deliver.
• Tp8 Pizza Bar (Playa Hermosa): stone-oven pizza in the jungle. Closed Mondays.
• Delizie (Mal País): run by a family from Puglia, Italy. Focaccia, calzones and pizza, closed Mondays.
• Angelina (Playa Carmen): more modern Italian, with an open kitchen. Reviews love the octopus.
• Ritmo Tropical (Mal País side): small and friendly, Wednesday to Sunday.
• Al Chile Viola (Manzanillo): a drive north of town, inside Que Mae Brewery. Fancy Italian food.

Best Sushi and Asian Food in Santa Teresa

Craving Japanese food after a week of rice and beans? Santa Teresa has more sushi than you’d expect.

5. Nami: Best for Sushi and Poke Bowls

I went to Nami with a big group of friends, and it was very, very good. I had their house special bowl.

It’s on the pricier side, but you can taste the quality of the ingredients. Book ahead, because it gets busy.

Nami is in the north, near Super La Hacienda, so it’s about a 20-minute walk from the centre. Open daily from 11:30 am to 10 pm.

Who should go: sushi lovers and groups who don’t mind spending a bit more.

More Sushi and Asian Restaurants

• Satori Sushi (across from Hotel Tropico Latino): sushi, ramen and craft cocktails with mezcal, open till 11 pm. Book ahead, it fills up.
• Yasumi Sushi (north): dinner only, from 5 pm, and one of the pricier options.
• Katana Asian Cuisine (Playa Carmen): pad thai, butter chicken, gyoza and sushi. It books up in high season.
• Koji’s: a long-running sushi bar on Calle Buenos Aires. It takes a low-season break, so check it’s open before you go.
• NI9NE (Playa Carmen): a brand-new Asian spot with only a few reviews so far.

Best Seafood and Ceviche Restaurants

You’re in a fishing town, so the catch of the day is always a safe bet.

La Cevicheria was open when I first got to town, and I was lucky to try it before it closed for the low season to do some renovations. Honestly? It was very expensive. It was good and the fish was fresh, but I couldn’t justify the price at the time, so I never went back. As of November it’s still closed for the renovation, so check it’s open before you go.

Who should go: ceviche lovers with room in the budget for a splurge.

These are the other seafood spots people rave about. I haven’t eaten at them myself:

• Sargo (north): a short menu that changes with the day’s catch, plus natural wine. Mains run $25 to $35. Closed Mondays.
• OSA (north): catch of the day, poke bowls and seared tuna, from 4 pm. Reviews say they support the local lifeguard program.
• El Pulpo (north): a small seafood spot near Super La Hacienda, from 5 pm.
• Lima 506 (centre): Peruvian-style seafood with a 4.9 on Google.

Tacos, Burgers and Casual Lunch Spots

The Bakery is one of the busiest spots in town, at the crossroads near Playa Carmen. I tried a sandwich there. It was all right, but nothing special for ₡6,000. It’s open all day, though, and does pizza after 4 pm.

A few other casual places to know about:

• Eat Street (centre): a covered food hall with four food-truck style kitchens and a mezcal bar. Great for groups where everyone wants something different. Mains around $11.
• Muchacha (north, near La Lora): really good burgers, and the empanadas are cheap and very, very tasty. Sometimes there’s live music on Fridays.
• Santa Fusion (centre): a newer street-food spot that feels like one of those food trucks with chairs out front. Reviews call it the best burger in town. Open 6 pm to 11 pm.
• San Taco (Plaza Pochote): tacos, 11 am to 8:30 pm.
• Taco Corner (Playa Carmen): tacos and seafood, open late.
• Good Munchies Latin Kitchen (Playa Carmen): Latin dishes from breakfast to dinner.
• Kooks Smokehouse (centre): brisket, ribs and wings in a sports bar. Open till 2 am.
• El Facon Grill & Bar (north): Argentine cuisine, so steak, empanadas and grilled meats, plus live music.
• Hamburguesas Jairo (centre): the late-night burger, open till 2:30 am.

Middle Eastern, Caribbean and Fusion

Being Middle Eastern myself, I’m really picky about my own food, so I usually skip Middle Eastern restaurants when I travel. I haven’t tried Zula, but friends I met here and lots of reviews say it’s good.

• Zula Restaurant (Playa Carmen): Israeli cuisine, with hummus plates, pita, falafel and shakshuka.
• The Third Eye (El Tercer Ojo, Playa Carmen): Caribbean flavors. The Caribbean bowl and ceviche get great reviews.
• Drift (Playa Carmen): world fusion food with a big vegan menu.
• Kaukau (centre): Hawaiian poke bowls. Lunch only, closes at 3:30 pm.

Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Santa Teresa

To be honest, I didn’t see any restaurant here aimed only at vegans or vegetarians. But most places have a few veggie dishes.

One to try: Rico’s (across from Banana Beach) has a vegetarian focaccia. I haven’t eaten there myself, but I’ve walked past plenty of times and the focaccia looks very, very good.

From research, these also have lots of vegetarian dishes:

• Drift: the biggest vegan menu in town.
• Ani’s Bowls & Salads (centre): healthy bowls and salads, until 5 pm.
• Shambala (at Hotel Tropico Latino): healthy meal options all day.
• Aroma (Playa Carmen): bowls and fresh food, with big portions.
• Eat Street: Happy Bowls has plenty of veggie options.

Beach Bars and Sunset Dinners

Sunset is a big deal here. These are the spots on or near the sand:

• Banana Beach (centre): beach chairs, cocktails and live music, right by the Banana Beach surf break. Open 9 am to 8 pm.
• Uma Santa Teresa (Uma Beach Club, centre): a beach club with grilled fish and cocktails, and a Friday DJ dinner.
• Rocamar (far north): lunch and beers on the beach, with a lifeguard out front. Some reviewers find it pricey.
• Restaurante Playa Carmen (El Carmen): on the beach at Playa Carmen, with live music and a big parking lot.
• Manzú (Hotel Nantipa): beachfront, with mains from $20 to $35 and a six-course tasting menu for $125.
• Ranchos Itauna (centre): a relaxed restaurant right on the beach.

Date Night and Special-Occasion Restaurants

Besides Amici, these are the places people book for a special dinner:

• Fermata Kitchen (by La Lora): at Hotel Fermata, on the beach. Mediterranean-style food, with homemade gnocchi and bread.
• Convivio (Playa Carmen): upscale grilled dishes, meat and fresh local fish. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
• Brukas (up the hill): seared tuna and mahi mahi with a view. The road is steep, so take an ATV or a 4×4. Closed Mondays.
• Glenda’s Intimate Cuisine (up the hill): a small fine-dining spot with a 4.9 on Google.
• Sargo and Manzú: see above.

Looking for brunch, coffee and spots to work from? I’m putting together a separate guide to the best cafes in town, with places like The Bakery Santa Teresa, Vermu, Mantarraya Café, The Somos Cafe and Zwart Art Cafe.

Tips for Eating Out in Santa Teresa

Conclusion: Where I’d Eat First in Santa Teresa

If you only remember one thing: start at Soda Tica Linda. It’s cheap, it’s really good, and it’s right in the centre.

Save Amici for your fancy night out, and go to Nami when you’re craving sushi. Everything else on this list is there for when you want to try something new.

Still sorting out where to sleep? Check out my guides to where to stay in Santa Teresa for surfers and the best hostels in Santa Teresa. And for the rest of the country, here are the best surf spots in Costa Rica.

FAQs About the Best Restaurants in Santa Teresa

What are the best restaurants in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica?

For cheap local food, Soda Tica Linda, Las Rosas and Soda Pura Vida. For a fancier dinner, Amici. For sushi, Nami. For ceviche, try La Cevicheria once it reopens after its renovation.

Where can I find cheap food in Santa Teresa?

At the sodas. A casado costs about ₡4,500 to ₡6,000 ($10 to $13), and pork or chicken is the cheapest option.

How much does dinner cost in Santa Teresa?

About ₡5,000 for a casado at a soda. At a nicer restaurant, a main costs ₡7,000 to ₡10,000, plus the 10% added to the bill.

Do restaurants in Santa Teresa add tax and service?

Most add 10% to the bill. That’s the service charge, and the 13% sales tax is usually already in the menu price. A tip on top is optional, but it’s a nice courtesy.

Do I need a reservation for dinner in Santa Teresa?

Yes, at popular places like Nami, Satori and Amici, especially in high season. Sodas are walk-in spots, so just show up.

Is it safe to walk to dinner at night in Santa Teresa?

I walked a lot and found it very safe. For longer distances or late nights, take an ATV, a scooter or a taxi.