We love the small town vibe mixed with the big city diversity. If you know where to look you can find a lot of amazing experiences.

Restaurants

It’s hard to pick a restaurant in Tamarindo!  Admittedly some are tourist traps with high prices and subpar food.  Here is a list of the places we eat where the quality and value is better than the rest!  As they say in Costa Rica BUEN PROVECHO!!!

We have listed the operating hours but please be aware that these are subject to change without warning.  It’s part of the small town “charm”!

El Mercadito de Tamarindo $- Fun, upscale food court with something for everyone!  There is a great Poke place, our favorite Sushi at Asian Fusion, Pizza, Burgers, Argentine Grill, Crepes, Arepas, Ice Cream and more!!! Open 7 days a week 11 to 9pm ($5-$15)

La Baula Pizza $$ - One of our regular spots.  Delicious thin crust Italian pizzas in a beautiful spot!.  They have an outdoor play ground for the kids plus really fast service! Try a stuffed focaccia.  Open daily 5:30pm – 10pm (Salad $7.5 Pizzas $8-$16) You can order to go at 2653-1250.

Pachanga’s $$ - This is a great homestyle Italian restaurant!  It has a huge menu with a lot of variety.  We love the homemade tagliatelle with any of the sauces, the Raviolis and the Mahi with creamy leek sauce is yummy too! Closed Monday 5pm-10pm (Appetizers $7 Main $10-$15)

 Tamarindo Night Market $$ - AKA The Thursday Night Market!  There’s tons of little souvenirs and a veggie guy shows up on occasion, but the main draw for this is all the fun street food!  They also feature live music and performance, with someone new showing up every week! Located in the Tamarindo Gym parking lot. Open Thursday from 6pm-9pm

 Pasta Casera $ - We LOVE this place.  A hole in the wall specializing in Argentinian Empanadas – YOU HAVE TO TRY THEM!!! Also, they have great sandwiches and frozen homemade raviolis & sauce to-go.  The raviolis our one of our staple inexpensive and delicious dinners! 8am – 8pm Closed Sunday (Empanadas $3 Sandwiches $5 Raviolis ½ Kilo $6)

Patagonia Argentinian Grill $$$ - If you are in the mood for meat this is the place!! Traditional Argentinian fare with a lively atmosphere! Lot’s of veggie options too!  We love the empanadas, milinesas and the skirt steak. Yum! Pitchers of Sangria make the whole experience perfect! Open daily 11am to 10pm (Appetizers $7 Mains $13 - $30)

Breakfast Grinds $- Great breakfast with an amazing view!!  Quick and cheap, it’s our go to spot!  Try the Sloppy Waitress and the Machaca Burrito and fill yourself with all you can drink coffee! Extended hours and an all new lunch menu!  Open daily 6am-2pm (Breakfasts $6-$10, Lunch $8-$12)

Falafel Bar $$ -  Get your falafel fix here!  They’ve got great pita sandwiches and plates that have a variety of middle eastern salads & hummus!  Closed Tuesday 11am to 10pm (Pitas $10 plates $12)nday (Pitas $8 plates $14)

El Sapo $$ - Probably our favorite pizza!  Located in Langosta you’ll find a nice selection of pizza, pastas and other delicious main courses.  Our favorite pizza has an entire ball of burrata cheese on top, with arugula & prosciutto!  Also try the El Sapo Salad, with shrimp, parmesan & avocado. They also make really fun kids pizzas! Closed Wednesday 17pm to 10pm. (Pizzas $15 Main Dishes $15)

Santa Rita Cafe $ -  Might walk right past this awesome café, popular among locals and digital nomads!  It’s upstairs in a commercial center but it offers great breakfast and lunch items as well as a full keto menu!  Open daily 8am to 3:30pm. (Breakfast $6.5 - 11 Lunch $8.5 - 12).

Waffle Monkey $ -  Right on the beach and just waffles!  They’ve got a good selection of sweet & savory options.  Our favorite is the chicken & waffles with siracha syrup! Open daily 7am to 3pm. (Waffles $9 - $11)

Dragonfly $$$ -  This is probably our favorite place for special occasions!  The atmosphere is beautiful and the service & food are consistently outstanding!  We love their steak! The seared tuna is always perfect and don’t miss the ice cream in a churro bowl!  Open daily 5:30pm to 10pm.  (Starters $7.5, Mains $14 - $40, Sushi $12)

El Chiringuito $$- By far our favorite spot for sunset! They have a great happy hour with cheap beer and wine along with cocktail specials.  They also feature live music!  Their food is good and reasonably priced for a beach front restaurant.  Their menu ranges from tapas to burgers so they should have something for everyone!  We also really love their breakfast! They are located beach front just past Salina and La Kitchen. Open daily 7am to 9pm. (Breakfast $8 Lunch/Dinner $11-24)

Little Lucha Taqueria $$ - Tamarindo’s favorite hole in the wall!  Awesome Mexican style tacos for just $4 each.  Great Margaritas and Mexican beers as well.  Stop in for lunch, catch some A/C and check out the funky décor.  On a budget?  Check out Taco Tuesday all tacos are only $3!  They do have the greatest playlist in the galaxy so be sure to listen to what they are laying down! Closed Sundays 11am - 3pm and 5pm - 9pm (Tacos $4)

Asian Fusion $ - Our most frequented restaurant.  Located in the El Mercadito.  It’s just a hole in the wall but has delicious and affordable sushi and other Asian favorites! We love all of the rolls and the spring rolls(Lumpia) are awesome! Also try the Pancit, a Pilipino noodle dish. (Sushi $6 Appetizers $3 Mains $7) Open daily 11am to 11 pm

Breaking Bread $ – You can’t go wrong with this breakfast & lunch spot! Traditional items with an Israeli influence!  Their challah is amazing and shakshauka is a great full for a day of surfing! We love their banana bread!! Closed Monday 6am to 3pm. (Breakfast $8 Sandwich $10)

La Oveja Negra  $$– A great indoor co-coworking spot! Nice large tables and a variety of couches to work from.  Good coffee and a nice breakfast & lunch menu!  Check out their dinner too, we love the shrimp skewers!  They often have live music so check their social media for events! Open daily 7am-12am (Breakfast $8 Lunch $14 Dinner $20)

Surf Club Bar & Grill Langosta $ - Your number #1 stop in Langosta.  Awesome salads and sandwiches.  Don’t miss the Big Baller meatball sub!  Pool, ping pong, darts & foosball too! Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. 11am until 9pm (Breakfast $7 Lunch $12)

HandleBar $ -  We are of course a bit biased but we think this is the best place in town!  We serve up a wide selection of local craft beers, specialty grilled cheeses and meat & cheese boards! It’s a fun local hangout and it’s also a bike shop!  We rent MTB and Beach cruisers so you can check out the area or go for a back road adventure!  We also stock a selection of part and accessories if you brought your own ride. Open Wednesday to Sunday 12pm to 10pm. (Plates $8.5 Sandwich $8)5 - 11 Lunch $8.5 - 12).

Noguis $$ - Great Comida Tipica (Costa Rican Typical Food) in a gorgeous beach front location!  Enjoy the view and enjoy their casados!!  Also a fabulous place for ceviche. Don’t miss their pineapple pie! It is delicious!(Appetizers $8 Mains $10-$15) Pay in Colones or ask them to charge your card in Colones- they have a terrible exchange rate!Open daily 7am to 9pm.

Pangas $$$ -  A great spot for a special occasion!  The location is beautiful! By far one of our favorite atmospheres in Tamarindo.  The food isn’t cheap but there is a great variety of seafood and awesome steaks cooked on lava rock! If they have the Wahoo Carpaccio, make sure to order that and Happy loves the Chef Salad!! Open daily 12am to 14pm and 17pm to 10pm  (Appetizers $13 Mains $25)

Things you should try

Guaro – Costa Rica’s one and only liquor!  Something that you just have to try!  You can find it everywhere, and some bars are now doing a “chile guaro” that uses different types of chiles to spice it up!  You might want to ask what they use as some versions are extremely hot!  Guaro does not have the same taste as rum even though it is made from cane sugar, most use it more similar to vodka.  Ask your bartender what their favorite guaro recipe is.

Bamboo - Ever been dying for a rum and coke but didn’t want to buy a whole bottle of rum for one drink?  Costa Rica has solved that problem!  Pre-mixed rum and coke in a can!!!  It’s actually surprisingly good considering it’s a rum and coke in a can.  They do make other flavors (not good ones if you ask Happy) including Mojito, Piña Colada and Katie’s favorite Strawberry Daiquiri. 

Craft Beer anyone? -  Costa Rica has just recently started making craft beer.  Up until 2010 Imperial (makers of Imperial, Pilsen, and Bavaria) enjoyed a government sanctioned monopoly on beer.  Starting in 2010 Craft Brewing and Tamarindo’s own Volcano brewing started serving Pale Ale, Goldend Ale, Red Ale, and Brown Ale.  Since then, many different breweries have popped up around Costa Rica.  You can get a flight of Tico beers at the HandleBar.  We have 8 taps featuring beers from Brothers of Ale (Huacas), Potrero Brewing (Potrero) and Arboleda (San Jose).  There’s also a 1 Liter growler in your kitchen that you can get filled at a discount and take with you anywhere!

Trit – Spanish phonetic spelling of the English “Treat” these little ice cream sandwiches are nothing short of amazing!  They come in little plastic tubs from the grocery store and are composed of vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup and two crushed graham-cracker cookies.  Be careful, these are far more addictive than guaro!

Playa Avellanas – About 30 minutes south from Tamarindo.  It’s a beautiful long beach with nothing on it but a couple of restaurants.  One of them being the famous Lola’s!  Lola’s is a fun place to hang out for the day!  Don’t miss the Dutch Fries or Avellanas pizza!  Avellanas is great surf spot too but be sure to ask a local for a little advice as there are hidden rocks!

Playa Danta – About 40 minutes from Tamarindo.  Danta has a great set of trails for hiking or mountain biking.  There is a shop there that rents kayaks, stand up paddle boards, bikes, snorkel gear.  They have everything you need for a great day of beach activities!!  There is also a nice restaurant there to enjoy drinks and a meal

Playa Conchal – 30 minutes north this swimming beach has a beautiful white sand beach & snorkeling right off the beach!  You reach Conchal from the town of Brasilito where you can park and walk to Conchal.  Make a day out of it and head around the corner to Patagonia del Mar.  It’s a great restaurant wit h a pool to hang out in! 

Playa Negra - 40 minutes south is primarily a surfing beach but does have beautiful black sand!  The town itself has some cute little restaurants and is a fun place to spend an afternoon! 

Playa Grande – 20-30 minutes driving or you can take a boat across the north estuary and walk there.  It takes 45 minutes to 1 hour to walk.  The boat costs $1 each way but they stop running at about 4pm so plan accordingly!  Playa Grande is great for surfing and is another beautiful beach in Guanacaste.

Playa Potrero – About 30 minutes north this is a nice quiet beach great for walking!  We enjoy hanging out at Hemingway’s at the Sailing center.  It’s a great restaurant with a pool & the sailing center is your spot for water activities! Also try the Potrero Brewing Company right up the road! 

Things to do

Tours & Activities

Marlin del Rey Sunset Sail and Snorkeling:  Our favorite way to spend an afternoon!  Tour leaves at 1:30 from the beach in front of el Pescador (about 3 minutes walking).  You sail north for about an hour to one of snorkel spots where you can swim, snorkel or kayak.  They serve a light lunch and there is an open bar for the whole tour!  Seriously the best Pina Coladas ever! Sail back for one of Tamarindo’s famous sunsets!

Surf Lessons: Tamarindo’s tourism almost exists entirely because of our consistently good waves.  It is an especially good spot to learn to surf!  We recommend Iguana Surf which is located directly across from the beach.  They provide everything you need to learn how to surf and have a max of 4 people per instructor. 

Estuary Tour:  One of my favorite little tours in the area!  This tour leaves from the Tamarindo estuary.  You take a boat into the estuary where you can see a variety of wildlife, birds, monkeys and sometimes crocodiles!  The tour leaves daily and runs about an hour and a half.  $35 per person includes bottled water & fresh pineapple, transportation from Casa de Arroz and your boat ride.  Departure time depends on the tide.

Coco Spa:  A great relaxing space near the Diria Hotel.  They have a variety of treatments available and just the nicest ladies work there.  Just let them know that Katie at Casa de Arroz sent you and you will get a 10% discount on services!  Their menu is on one of the following pages.