Best Restaurants in Santa Teresa: Where We Send Friends

How we choose restaurants for this guide

We live here and eat out every week. We are also the kind of group that is always happy to try another pizza, sushi place, local bar or new restaurant.

Every place here is one we know and would send friends to.

If you want pizza and a relaxed beach atmosphere

El Carmen

Wood fired pizza and tropical cooking with fresh ingredients, plus seafood and cocktails made with local fruit. Outdoor tables facing the ocean in Playa Carmen. Instagram: @elcarmensantateresa.

If you want tapas, cocktails and a nicer dinner

Bajo el Árbol

A tapas bar and restaurant in a garden lit with string lights. Grilled octopus, empanadas and good wine. This is one of the places we would consider for a date night or a dinner where you want to sit for a while. Instagram: @bajoelarbolcr.

If you want grilled meat

El Facón

Grilled meat and homemade empanadas in a local cantina setting. There is live music on weekends, so check their Instagram before you go: @elfaconsantateresa.

If you want sushi

Satori

Our go to when someone asks for sushi, Asian tapas and cocktails. Open 11 AM to 11 PM, with live music and a lively crowd at night. Instagram: @satorisantateresa.

If you want Mediterranean food by the beach

Uma

Restaurant and bar right on the sand. Mediterranean cooking, fresh seafood and tropical cocktails. It works for lunch with an ocean view as well as dinner. Instagram: @uma.beachfront.

If everyone in the group wants something different

Eat Street

Sunrise Café, NoMad, Happy Bowls and Agave Bar share one open, green space, open 7 AM to 10 PM. It is useful for groups and families who cannot agree on one type of food, and they deliver to your accommodation. Instagram: @eatstreet.costarica.

If you want something casual and social

Kooks

Kooks Smokehouse and Bar is the town classic, open daily 7 AM to 2 AM. Breakfast runs 7 to 11 AM, then burgers, smoked meat and craft beer all day. Dinner can turn into drinks without changing places. Instagram: @kooks.cr.

If you want Italian

Pronto

Italian restaurant, pizzeria, bar and café with family recipes from southern Italy. The Neapolitan pizza, the pasta and the tiramisu are the most recommended. An easy option for families. Instagram: @prontopiccolaitalia.

If you want local food

A casado is the typical plate: rice, beans, salad and a protein. At a soda it starts around ₡4,500 to ₡5,000. In Manzanillo, Soda Atardecer Dorado is where we stop for one after the beach.

When to go and whether to reserve

People eat dinner between 7 and 8 PM. In dry season, reserve ahead at the most popular places because they fill up. All of these are on foot or a short ATV ride from the main road.

How much should you budget?

A restaurant dinner often starts around USD 25 to USD 35 per person, but the final bill depends heavily on drinks and what you order. The bill includes 13% tax and a 10% service charge, so any extra tip is voluntary.

You do not need a restaurant every night

Mix these places with a local casado, something simple or a meal at your accommodation. You will enjoy the restaurants more when you go because you want to.

For mornings, see our cafés and breakfast guide, and for after dinner, our nightlife guide. For everyday cost references, see our Santa Teresa prices guide.