# Where to eat in Santa Teresa: restaurants, cafes and sunset spots > For a special dinner by the sea, book Manzú at Hotel Nantipa or Fermata Kitchen facing La Lora. For a relaxed meal with a social crowd, try The Somos in north Santa Teresa, and for breakfast and pastries, The Bakery near Playa Carmen is a fixture. Koji's is the long-running sushi spot. Source: https://www.santa-teresa.com/restaurants/ Last checked: 2026-10-20 Fine dining: Manzú, Fermata Kitchen Casual and social: The Somos, the food court at Eat Street Breakfast and coffee: The Bakery, Café El Somos Local Costa Rican food: Look for a soda, such as Soda Tiquicia, for casados and fresh fish Seasonal closures: Some restaurants close for a few weeks around September and October ## How eating out works here Santa Teresa eats well for a town that was a dirt-road surf village not long ago. The coast road is lined with restaurants, cafes, juice bars and food trucks, especially in north Santa Teresa and around the Playa Carmen junction. You'll find sushi, Israeli, Italian, Peruvian, Mediterranean and plenty of healthy bowls, alongside the simple Costa Rican sodas that feed the people who live here. A few things to know before you go: - **Book dinner in high season.** From Christmas to Easter, the popular places fill up at sunset. Reserve a day or two ahead. - **Opening days vary.** Many restaurants close one day a week, and some close for a few weeks in the quiet months around September and October. - **Dinner is early-ish.** Most kitchens get busy right after sunset, and many close by 9 or 10 pm. - **Getting there:** The road is dark at night. Bring a flashlight if you're walking, and don't drink and ride an ATV. ## Dinner by the sea **[Manzú](/manzu/)** is the restaurant at Hotel Nantipa, right on Playa Santa Teresa. Its cooking takes Costa Rican traditions and local seafood as a starting point, and it serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's the natural choice for a special-occasion meal with your feet nearly in the sand. **[Fermata Kitchen](/fermata-kitchen/)** at Hotel Fermata faces the La Lora surf break in north Santa Teresa. Expect shareable plates with Mediterranean flavors and careful technique, and a front-row seat for sunset. ## Casual and social **[The Somos](/house-of-somos/)** is the courtyard restaurant at House of Somos in north Santa Teresa, with simple dishes built on local produce and fish, cocktails and live music on many evenings. It's one of the most social spots in town. Its coffee bar, Café El Somos, is a good morning stop. Eat Street, an open-air courtyard of food stalls in north Santa Teresa, is handy for groups who can't agree on dinner. Different vendors serve everything from tacos and burgers to poke bowls. ## Sushi **[Koji's](/kojis/)** has been serving Japanese food and sushi in Santa Teresa for years and is still one of the area's best-known dinner spots. It's usually busy, and it closes for part of the low season, so check before you go. ## Breakfast, bakeries and coffee **[The Bakery Santa Teresa](/the-bakery-santa-teresa/)** sits just north of the Playa Carmen junction and has been a morning institution for years. Come for pastries, breakfast and coffee after an early surf; at night it switches to pizza and pasta. For a healthy breakfast with a view, the vegetarian restaurant at [Horizon Hotel & Yoga Center](/horizon-hotel-yoga-center/) is open to visitors in the mornings on most days. Check its hours first. ## Eat like a local Costa Rica's sodas are small, family-run places serving a casado: rice, beans, salad, plantains and a choice of fish, chicken or meat, usually at a fair price. They're the best way to eat local food. Soda Tiquicia is a well-known one in Santa Teresa for casados and fresh fish. Ask what the catch of the day is; fish from the boats in Mal País ends up on many menus. Gallo pinto, the national rice-and-beans breakfast, is on almost every breakfast menu in town. ## Sunset drinks Sunset is a ritual here. Many people simply take a drink down to the sand, but beachfront hotel bars and restaurants are the comfortable option. [Hotel Tropico Latino](/hotel-tropico-latino/) has a restaurant and bar on the beach, and Fermata Kitchen and Manzú both look straight out to sea. ## Groceries and cooking in If you're staying in a villa or apartment, the supermarkets along the main road cover the basics, and fresh fish is easy to find. Many visitors cook breakfast and lunch and eat out at night, which suits the slow rhythm of surf days. Ask locally about weekly farmers' markets, which sell fruit, vegetables, bread and local products. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need reservations for restaurants in Santa Teresa? For popular dinner spots in high season, yes, a day or two ahead. Breakfast and lunch places usually don't take bookings. ### Is there vegetarian and vegan food? Plenty. Most restaurants have vegetarian dishes, and many cafes are built around plant-based bowls and smoothies. ### Can I drink the tap water? Many hotels and restaurants filter their water. If you're unsure, ask, or use filtered water, especially when drinking a lot after surfing. ### What's a soda? A small, family-run Costa Rican eatery serving home-style dishes like the casado. They're casual, local and good value. ### Are restaurants open in September and October? Most are, but some close for a few weeks during the quietest months. Check opening days before you set out.