Foodbaby in Costa Rica (1/2)

Since I am not really a rice and beans kind of girl, I was a little bit worried about the food in Costa Rica. My worries were taken away quickly after arriving. Next to the typical Gallo Pinto (rice and beans) Costa Rica has so much to offer. Obviously not only foodwise!

It was not an easy pick, but in this post I will highlight one restaurant of (nearly) every city we visited that stood out. I will start with Quepos, Dominical, Manuel Antonio and Monteverde. In the next post you will find my favourite picks of La Fortuna, Tamarindo, Puerto Viejo and San José.

Quepos  |  Ceviche

On our way from the airport to our first destination, we stopped at the marina of Quepos. We had lunch at Z Gastro Bar. Of course we had to try the coconut dorade ceviche. I could say ceviche is a typical Costa Rican dish, but maybe I would offend Nicaraguans, so I will keep clear from that. 😉 Other than ceviche, Z Gastro Bar serves a delicious octopus burger and calamari. It’s a really nice place to eat while enjoying the sea breeze.

Dominical  |  Breakfast

While describing our first place to stay, Dominical, I am already deviating from my plan and will review two restaurants in stead of one. For breakfast we went to Cafe Mono Congo several times. They serve excellent coffee and a wide selection of food. My favourite dish is the coconut pineapple French toast and my boyfriend claims to have eaten the best shakshuka of Costa Rica here. Cafe Mono Congo also serves sweet treats. We took some monkey balls (coconut chocolate balls) and bananabread to go for our hike to the Nauyaca falls. Dogs are very welcome at Café Mono Congo, like at most restaurants in Costa Rica.

Dominical  |  Fish and chips

In Dominical we also loved El Pescado Loco. They serve very tasty fish tacos out of a little shack. The only choice you have to make is whether you want your fish blackened, fried or grilled. Make sure to eat quickly, otherwise housecat Leo will steal your food 😉 . They serve great tortillachips and guacamole as well.

Manuel Antonio  |  Breakfast

Right in front of the Selina hotel where we were staying in Manuel Antonio we found Baguette. It’s a tiny place with an amazing view. They serve different kinds of pastries, empanadas and coffee. Once again we took some bananabread and carrotbread to go, but, how cliché, a monkey stole it from of our backpack in Manuel Antonio National Park.

Monteverde  |  Italian food

After a day of exploring and ziplining the cloud forests of Monteverde we visited Restaurante Tramonti. I had the best spaghetti a la marinera with shrimp, squid, mussels, octopus, clams and crab. They serve great wine and pizza as well.

Monteverde  |  Sushi

Once more I cannot pick only one restaurant so I will also mention Monteverde Gastroclub. We ate the most delicious bao buns and sushi out on the terrace of this tiny hidden place.

Gotten hungry yet? I sure did, so that’s it for now. If you are curious about the other restaurants we visited during our stay in Costa Rica make sure to check out my Instagram page @foodbabyaroundtheglobe.