Costa Rican Food in Nosara
One of the best ways to integrate yourself into the Nosara community, at least on a culinary level, is to approach it like a local. Luckily, Nosara is home to a multitude of talented local chefs and a great range of dining options. For those looking to get a true taste of locally produced Costa Rican food in Nosara, and support Tico-owned establishments, here’s Mango Realty‘s short and sweet guide to some of the best restaurant choices.
Rosi’s Soda Tica
Ask anyone where to find legit, local, authentic Costa Rican food in Nosara, and nine times out of ten, the answer will be Rosi’s. Rosi’s has three locations, two in central and North Guiones, and one in Pelada. The menu is the same selection of tried, tested, tasty local dishes, including casados, the ever-popular “huevos rancheros.” and a wonderful fish soup with veggies. Soulful Costa Rican cuisine, honest prices, in a lively, unpretentious atmosphere.
Location: Central Guiones Beach, North Guiones Beach, Pelada at the pickleball courts
Contact: +506 2682 0728
Pacifico Azul
Pacifico Azul is a fine seafood dining experience that serves the best avocado salsa on the planet. Carlos Sibaja is the proprietor and is a much loved long-time local whose hosting skills are matched only by his cooking. Standouts include fresh snapper, lobster, and ceviche. However, Pacific Azul also knows how to cook a steak. The food is insane, and the portions are more than ample. If you fail to leave room for the chocolate brownies and banana tempura, you’re missing out. Locals, tourists, and residents are all return guests at Pacific Azul. To find out why, reserve a table.
Location: Guiones Beach
Contact: +506 8518 8035
Chancho
Chancho BBQ is a locally owned gem in Nosara offering a vibrant dining experience just steps from the beach. Helmed by Chef Juan Pa, a Guanacastecan culinary artist, the restaurant specializes in live-fire barbecue that blends American BBQ traditions with Costa Rican flavors. The menu features smoky, flavorful barbecue dishes, including whole hog and pulled pork sandwiches, complemented by sides like yuca fries and mac & cheese. Everything is made from scratch, including the house-made sauces, ensuring a fresh and authentic taste. The laid-back atmosphere is enhanced by live music, creating a lively and welcoming environment for both locals and visitors. Whether you're enjoying a meal after a Guiones sunset or seeking a vibrant spot to dine, Chancho offers a memorable experience that celebrates the spirit of Nosara.
Location: North Guiones Beach
Contact: +506 8708 4422
Rancho Tico
Rancho Tico, one of the oldest and most well-loved restaurants in Nosara, is the go-to spot for local celebrations and delicious, inexpensive local dining. Located on the corner in Nosara town, beyond Rancho Tico’s humble exterior lies a king-sized rancho, complete with a bar, dance floor, and lots of dining tables. With a range of specialty Asian and Latin American sauces, Rancho Tico transforms standard Costa Rican food into something memorable. The extensive menu and warm, ambient, local atmosphere makes Rancho Tico popular with locals and tourists.
Location: Nosara town
Contact: +506 2682 0006
Il Pepperoni
Famed mainly for their large, scrumptious brick oven-fired pizzas, Il Pepperoni, close to the beach on the main road to Playa Pelada, also serves fresh casados, tuna burgers, pasta, and much more. The service is fast. The servers are first-rate, and the huge, palapa-style rancho in which they work is a pleasure to relax in. In the daytime, Il Pepperoni operates a juice bar, taco bar, and bakery.
Location: Playa Pelada
Contact: +506 8334 9999
Almendros
Almendros is a hidden, understated gem on the side of the road in Esperanza. The menu is an eclectic mix of local and foreign, and it features ceviche, fried calamari, chicken parmesan, wings, and nachos served on candlelit tables in a casual, super-friendly environment. Their chifrijo with Panamanian hot sauce is legendary. Super sweet staff too!
Location: Esperanza, near Safari Vet
Contact: +506 6171 3087
La Malacrianza
La Malacrianza is a laid-back restaurant that blends Costa Rican flavors with creative international touches. Set near Playa Garza, it offers an inviting outdoor atmosphere, making it popular for both locals and travelers after a day at the beach. The menu features a wide variety of options, from traditional Costa Rican dishes like casados and fresh fish, to wood-fired pizzas, ceviche, homemade pastas with unique sauces like arugula pesto, hearty salads, and vegan or vegetarian choices. Whether for a casual lunch or a relaxed dinner, La Malacrianza has become a favorite spot in the Nosara area for enjoying good food in a friendly setting.
Location: Next to Blue Garza off the main road, Garza Beach
Contact: +506 8597 4719
Guiones Brewing Company (Olivia’s Pizza)
Located right in the heart of North Guiones “Little Italy,” everything on the Guiones Brewing Company menu - from the appetizers to the pizzas and craft ales - is created with a level of love and care that you can taste. The master chef is a pizza dough mixologist, who works his craft in the open kitchen in full view of guests, and the beers include an in-house selection of IPAs. During the high season, it can be hard to get a table at Guiones Brewing Company., but it’s definitely worth the wait.
Location: North Guiones Beach
Contact: +506 8848 0135
Soda Garza
Eating at Soda Playa Garza feels like dining on a tropical deserted island, but with cold beers, home cooking, and ingredients that take only hours to get from the ocean to your plate. Casados, lobster, whole snapper, and other great dishes that would cost the earth in any metropolitan city, are locally priced. Soda Garza is all about ridiculously fresh seafood, an incredible beachfront atmosphere, and the warm welcome of the local family that serves it. Hands down some of the most delectable Costa Rican food in Nosara, in a rustic natural setting right on the sand.
Location: South Garza Beach
Contact: +506 2656 8375
Il Basilico
Il Basilico has been a packed-out pizza joint for over a decade, which tells you all you need to know about the food, consistency, quality, service, and ambiance. The pizzas are big, tasty, and well-priced. The pasta, gnocchi, and salads are equally delicious, and the cocktails are wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing strong. Check out live music Saturdays, when all pizzas are served at a special price. Or, sit at the bar and take in a futbol match any night of the week.
Location: Esperanza
Contact: +506 2682 1472
Olga’s
The fact that Playa Pelada was incorporated into the Ostional Wildlife Refuge in 1984 means that beach bars in the area are essentially banned. An exception to this rule is anything built pre-1984, and Olga’s is one of those incredibly rare exceptions. If you’re looking for cold beers, good local fare, and a great spot to watch the fishing pangas come and go while mingling with locals, long-time residents and stray dogs, then Olgas is it.
Location: Playa Pelada
Contact: +506 6104 9099
Gabi’s Play
Located in a large, plaza-style rancho in North Guiones, Gabi’s Play is home to various restaurants that cater to all tastes. The central North Guiones location and huge range of dining options make these small, independently owned businesses super popular with big groups, families, tourists, and locals. Costa Rican owned eateries in Gaby’s Play include Sushi Mar, Soda la Barra, Garlic, and Grill and Surf.
Location: North Guiones Beach
Celajes
Located on the road running along the east side of Nosara airstrip, Celajes is all about high quality authentic Latin cuisine. Favorites include pasta shrimp curry, whole snapper, breakfast burritos, mushroom chicken, and home made orange juice. Cool, creative cuisine, served in a clean, casual, open environment. A true taste of high-end, Costa Rican food in Nosara. It’s also a fun place to watch the air traffic land and take off.
Location: Nosara town near airstrip
Contact: +506 4401 0431
Arepa’s Ceviche
If you have ever been to the bank, gas station, or hardware store, you’ve probably encountered Jose Lopez, better known as “Arepa.” Arepa has lived in Nosara most of his life. As well known as for his personality as for his food, his many talents include singing, jokes, storytelling, and making ceviche. His eatery, which sits a moments walk from the bank, sells ceviche by the cup. To find out why both the ceviche and the man who creates it are considered local treasures, simply walk in, say hello, and sit down and enjoy.
Location: Gas station next to BCR bank
Contact: +506 8734 7704
Chicharronera La Nosareña
Chicharrones are a Costa Rican culinary marvel considered a national staple throughout the country. Although other meats are sometimes used, Costa Rican chicharrones generally consist of deep fried pork, often served burrito-style on a soft corn taco shell. Although it was easy enough to find a decent chicharron in the Nosara area, it wasn’t until a few years ago, when the Chicharronera La Nosareña food truck opened, that the chicharron game changed forever. At 1000 colones a piece, these chicharrones may rank as the best, most delicious bang for your buck in Nosara.
Location: Directly after Rinde Mas on the road to Nosara town
Contact: +506 8332 2728
Lili’s Pizza
Located just before the turn-off towards the Nosara airstrip, Lili’s Pizza cranks out some of the tastiest and most well-priced pizzas in the area. They also have a cantina-style food bar serving fried chicken, fresh casados, and lots more. Their delivery service is the busiest in town, and, on any given evening, Lili’s pizza is packed with locals. Cheap, easy, and delicious.
Location: Nosara town
Contact: +506 2682 0751
Whether you’re savoring a traditional casado, sampling fresh seafood, or enjoying creative takes on Costa Rican classics, Nosara’s locally owned restaurants offer more than just a meal - they’re a doorway into the heart of the community. By choosing to dine at these Costa-Rican-run establishments, you not only experience authentic flavors but also help sustain the people and traditions that make Nosara so unique.
