Theme 06 · The Table
Fifty-five restaurants. Zero traffic lights.
Nosara went from six restaurants to more than fifty, and the good ones now rival anything in San José. Here is the Kirana list: 36 spots we actually eat at, ranked, with the dishes to order.
The food scene
A farm-to-table town that happens to have a world-class beach.
"Nosara went from six restaurants to 55," as one longtime owner told The Tico Times, and the growth went upmarket: open-fire tasting menus, chefs with Soho House pedigrees, organic farms feeding open-air kitchens, and a juice-bar culture that treats breakfast as a competitive sport.
The best part from Kirana Nosara: you can reach nearly all of it on foot. Walk the beach or the shaded beach path, cut inland at the right entrance, and dinner is a sunset stroll instead of a drive. At low tide you can even round the headland into Playa Pelada on the locals' path for Chivo Republic, Pulpo, and La Luna.
Our timing tip: low season is the best time to visit for foodies. You almost never need reservations, and it is one of the few times you can reasonably hit all of the major places in one trip.
Ranked and verified
The Kirana list.
The 36 spots we actually eat at, out of the fifty-plus in town, with the dishes worth ordering at each. This isn't a directory; if it's on the list, we vouch for it. The walking icon means it's reachable from the villa by beach or beach path; the rest are short drives into the hills, to Pelada, or down to Garza.
Coyol
$$$Open-fire farm-to-table cooking in a jungle cabin at the top of a mountain, with sweeping views over Nosara and the Pacific.
Order: Tomahawk steak, short rib slow-cooked in banana leaves, smoky roasted eggplant with dips
"One of our favorites. Amazing views over Nosara, and there's even a swing overlooking everything. Order the steaks; they come out on a flaming tray."The Kirana take
La Cosecha
$$$Chef Colin Patterson's five-course seasonal tasting menu built on organic and wild ingredients, paired with house elixirs and wine. Tuesday through Saturday, book ahead.
Order: Rotating menu: five-spice tuna tataki on black-garlic nori crisp, chorizo-spiced smoked beet with pitaya and goat feta
Le Stelle
$$$Italian and international fine dining at Astra Hotel Boutique: dine under the stars on the terrace, with produce from the hotel's own garden.
Order: A5 Wagyu, octopus ceviche, escargot, grilled sea bass, sushi
"One of the best hidden secrets in the area."The Kirana take
La Brasa
$$$The buzziest table in town: imported Argentine beef over open fire, an eighth of a mile up the road from The Gilded Iguana, with proper empanadas to start.
Order: Tomahawk and T-bone from the fire, provoleta, empanadas
"Amazing chimichurri on great steaks."The Kirana take
La Luna
$$$The iconic Playa Pelada beachfront room: Mediterranean plates, wood-fired pizza, whole fish, and the best sunset seats on the coast.
Order: Pelada ceviche tower, red snapper, jalapeno steak, wood-fired pizza
"This is THE place for sunset dinner. A must."The Kirana take
Mediterranean flavors with French technique from Executive Chef Olivier Palazzo at Sendero Hotel, built for sharing, open 6am to 9pm.
Order: Trofie pasta, crispy rice sushi and tuna tostada, half chicken with the killer sauce, date cake with ginger ice cream
Elevated Costa Rican fine dining with tropical and Mesoamerican flavors, served over a hilltop panorama of the coast.
Order: Ceviche, BBQ ribs, the pecorino-cream cannoli with salted dulce de leche ice cream, or Chef Paulo Valerios' tasting menu explained course by course
"Amazing views and amazing food. The one catch: kids aren't allowed, so save it for date night."The Kirana take
ALMAR
$$$Seafood under a semi-open palapa at the Esh hotel: local fishermen supply the catch, organic farms supply the rest. Guests 13 and up.
Order: Tiradito, octopus satay, Sinaloense ceviche, barbacoa tacos
"The new hot place in town, at the Esh hotel. Kids 13 and up are welcome."The Kirana take
Muazzzi
$$Jerusalem-inspired Middle Eastern from Chef Muaz Monsour, minutes from the beach next to the 506 Tennis Center.
Order: Hummus Bar with falafel or charred chicken, charcoal shawarma, beef arayes, Wagyu flat iron, house amba and toum
MamaGui
$$Chef-driven Italian from Gerardo Giardino (Soho House and Cecconi's pedigree): scratch pasta, wood-fired pizza, and a famous focaccia.
Order: Focaccia, house pork sausage pizza with mushroom and fresh mozzarella, tuna tartare
Contemporary Latin at Olas Verdes Hotel with themed nights: live music Wednesdays, sushi Thursdays, seafood Fridays, and a daily happy hour.
Order: Catch of the day with hearts-of-palm rice, grilled fish with mango-pineapple salsa
"About 100 meters from the house. When nobody wants to make a plan, this is the plan."The Kirana take
California-Mexican tacos and the biggest spirits selection in Nosara, right at the North Guiones beach access.
Order: Tuna carpaccio (many call it the best single dish in Nosara), al pastor tacos, ceviche
"The fish carpaccio is amazing."The Kirana take
El Ruco
$$The newest opening in Guiones (late 2025): Mediterranean-inspired cooking from Chef Jorge, running breakfast through dinner, 6am to 11pm.
Order: Battered calamari, whole snapper stuffed with vegetables, signature cocktails
From-scratch barbecue smoked in house by Chef JuanPa, with recipes rooted in Guanacastecan ranch tradition, across from The Gilded Iguana.
Order: Fall-off-the-bone ribs, pulled pork sandwich with house coleslaw, house chorizo, from-scratch fried cookies
"Owned by a legit Guanacaste cowboy rancher, and it shows. It's good."The Kirana take
The beloved neighborhood Italian: wood-fired pizza in the jungle, live music nights, a full gluten-free menu, and famous ten-dollar pizza Saturdays.
Order: Thin-crust pizza, the pesto gnocchi, house pastas, and a killer margarita
Sustainable Blue Zone dining where most ingredients come from the hotel's own organic farm, plus the juice bar the whole town knows by name.
Order: Cassava-tortilla hummus burrito, the juice bar's watermelon margarita, Moroccan tea with honey
Lola
$The reimagined Destiny Cafe at La Negra Surf Hotel: same beloved concept, still Nosara's best brunch, with deep vegan, keto, and gluten-free coverage.
Order: Shakshuka, breakfast burrito in a coconut tortilla wrapped in banana leaf, Nutella coconut-crusted French toast, tuna poke
"Destiny is now Lola. New name, very similar, still the brunch move."The Kirana take
The town institution since the 1980s: all-day menu, live music, and the post-surf gathering spot near the main beach entrance.
Order: Chorizo burger, pesto gnocchi, the two fresh ceviches, seared ahi
The former El Chivo, reborn: a funky Mexican cantina crossed with Asian rice and noodle bowls, live music, and 2-for-1 margaritas in Playa Pelada.
Order: Red lantern drunken noodles, bibimbap bowl, double-fried chicken taco bowl, fish tacos
A small Pelada favorite for seafood with an Asian lean, on the main road above the beach.
"Small menu but very popular. Stop into Tony's Bioproducts or his organic grocery while you're over in Pelada."The Kirana take
Elixir
$$An upscale, air-conditioned cocktail lounge and sushi bar tucked into the jungle west of Hotel Guiones. Closed Tuesdays.
Order: Spicy tuna rice cakes, unagi-cucumber roll, the Nosara roll, and the off-menu passion fruit margarita
Sustainably minded craft brewery near the surf break with about ten beers on tap and tacos locals rank among the area's best.
Order: Tacos, the Hazy NEIPA, house-made ginger beer
Health-leaning Mexican in Gabi's food court with a gluten-free coconut tortilla option and house-made sauces.
Order: Pork and pineapple burrito, vegan burrito with cactus and avocado, anything on the coconut wrap
"The gluten-free wrap option on their burritos is amazing, and the sauces are fabulous."The Kirana take
The real thing: casados and gallo pinto at local prices, now three locations, zero pretense. Where you learn what Costa Rican home cooking tastes like.
Order: Fish casado (reviewers call it the best in Costa Rica), banana pancakes and huevos rancheros at breakfast, gallo pinto, fresh smoothies
"You have to go at least once for lunch."The Kirana take
Open-air Mexican and Costa Rican plates in lush jungle foliage one block off the beach.
Order: The casado (one of Nosara's best), tacos
The decade-plus institution across from the beach entrance: fresh, healthy, simple bowls and breakfasts timed to the surf.
Order: The fish sandwich (our go-to), Cajun-crusted mahi sliders, ceviche
"Fish sandwiches right by the main beach entrance."The Kirana take
Zest Kitchen
$A Nosara institution in a new location: for years the local pick-up kitchen, with a rotating daily menu. Order in the morning, pick up a ready-made, amazing dinner.
"Our pick for an easy night: order in the morning, pick up an amazing dinner."The Kirana take
Yú Slow Foods
$Slow-food Asian cooking at the corner of the main road (160) and the Pelada entrance.
Locally caught fish, shrimp, and lobster with a standout ceviche, served on one of the best outdoor patios in town.
Order: Caribbean ceviche, mahi mahi, seafood salads
"Usually has one of the friendliest dogs in town hanging out."The Kirana take
The yoga resort's restaurant and juice bar up the street from Kirana, open to non-guests daily.
Order: Organic buffet with catch of the day, lunch bowls, cold-pressed juices
A mountainside Irish pub and inn about 6 km above the beaches, with a 50-foot pool, beer garden, and mountain-to-ocean views.
Order: Pub plates, seafood baskets, five local drafts, homemade desserts
"Make a day of it: way up on the mountain, with a pool and a killer view."The Kirana take
Perozah
$$Playa Garza's premier beach lounge: Catalan Chef Josep Bernades blending Catalonia with Costa Rica, right on the sand.
Order: The octopus, superb pork ribs, chicken croquetas, sweet potato hummus, arroz marinero
"High season only, and right on the beach. Worth timing a trip around."The Kirana take
Nido
$Casual food, snacks, and drinks across from Blue Garza. Closed Mondays.
Casual all-vegan cafe and juice bar, widely called the best plant-based food in Nosara.
Order: Vegan gallo pinto, plant-based bowls, cold-pressed juices
Organic kitchen and brewpub with a farm-driven menu.
Order: Tuna poke bowl, grass-fed burgers, flatbread pizzas, NY strip and oysters
Long-standing Italian favorite for Neapolitan-style pizza and homemade pasta.
Order: Pomodoro Fresco Margherita, two-color spinach pasta, pistachio gelato
"Great drinks, and you can smell the pizza from a hundred meters away."The Kirana take
Night off from restaurants
Some nights, the best table in town is yours.
The villa's kitchen was built by people who cook: oversized stone island with seating, gas range and hood, espresso machine, wine fridge, indoor dining for eight, and outdoor dining for six by the pool. Provision at these and you're set:
Orgánico (grocer + bakery)
High-end organic grocer and bakery at the main Guiones entrance, serving the town since 2009. Our tip: the bakery and the grocer across the street sell one of the best gluten-free sourdough breads you will ever have.
Blue Garza
Organic grocery in Playa Garza, an easy stock-up stop on beach-day runs south.
Nosara Farmers Market (La Feria)
Tuesday-morning organic market on Guiones Main Street: produce, bread, kombucha, and local makers.
Questions
Eating in Nosara
Do we need reservations?
In dry season, yes for the heavy hitters (Coyol, La Cosecha, La Brasa, ALMAR, Le Stelle); La Cosecha seats Tuesday through Saturday only. Everywhere else is walk-in friendly. The Kirana concierge team can book ahead of your arrival.
When is the best time to visit for food?
Low season. You almost never need reservations, and it is one of the few times you can reasonably hit all of the major places in one trip. Dry season brings the buzz; green season brings the tables.
Can we really walk to these?
Most of them. Everything in Guiones sits a couple of minutes inland from a beach entrance, so you walk the sand or the shaded beach path and cut in. You can even walk to Playa Pelada at low tide via the path around the headland for Chivo Republic, Pulpo, and La Luna. The hillside spots (Coyol, Huacas, K-Rae's) and the Garza beaches are short drives.
Is Nosara good for dietary restrictions?
Exceptionally. This is a Blue Zone wellness town: gluten-free menus (Il Basilico has a full one, and Burrito Amor wraps anything in a gluten-free coconut tortilla), all-vegan kitchens (Naked Foods), keto and GF brunch at Lola, and one of the best gluten-free sourdough breads anywhere at Orgánico.
What about cooking at the house?
Kirana Nosara's chef's kitchen was built for it: oversized stone island, gas range, full-size fridge, espresso machine, and wine fridge. Provision at Orgánico or Blue Garza, get fresh fish at Pescadería Alex's corner store in Garza, or have the concierge arrange a private chef night.
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