Good to know
Good to Know
- Santa Teresa's main road is spread out (~30 minutes to traverse by car), so restaurants cluster in sections; consider location when choosing where to eat, or use an ATV/bike for mobility.
- Reservations are essential for dinner at popular mid-range and high-end venues (Katana, Koji, Uma, Convivio) as they fill up nightly, especially in high season (December–January).
- Many restaurants close or reduce hours during low season (September–November); call ahead before visiting.
- Bug spray recommended at dusk; mosquitoes intensify after sunset near beaches.
- Casual dress (light clothes, flip-flops) is standard; bring a light cardigan for cooler evenings.
- Tap water quality varies; bottled water from grocery stores is safer and economical.
- Green World Store offers premium organic products but at significantly higher prices than regular supermarkets; best for specialty items.
- Sodas (small local restaurants) offer authentic Costa Rican food at the lowest prices (~4,500–5,000 CRC / ~$9–10 USD per plate) and often have salad/veggie options despite meat-focused menus.
- Saturday organic market operates in Santa Teresa for fresh local produce at better prices than grocery stores.
Supermarkets
Green World Store
- Type
- Organic/health-food store
- Specialties
- Organic produce, bulk foods, kombucha, gluten-free options, vegan staples
- Neighborhood
- Playa Carmen area (central)
- Notes
- Premium prices; packaging-free options available
Super Ronny's #1
- Type
- Full-service supermarket
- Specialties
- Fresh produce, meats, homemade baked goods, wide variety including vegan options
- Neighborhood
- Central Santa Teresa, north of Banco Nacional
- Notes
- High-quality fresh items; accepts credit cards
Super Ronny's #2
- Type
- Full-service supermarket
- Specialties
- Groceries, vegetarian/vegan products (Beyond Meat), craft beers, alcohol
- Neighborhood
- South area, near Super Muralla
- Notes
- Late opening hours; smaller than #1 but convenient
Budget
Soda Tiquicia
- Price Range
- CRC 5,000
- Neighborhood
- Main road, central Santa Teresa
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Traditional Costa Rican (gallo pinto, casado)
Chicken Joe's
- Price Range
- CRC 6,000
- Neighborhood
- Main road, central Santa Teresa
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Peruvian/Costa Rican fusion (ceviche, rotisserie chicken)
Eat Street
- Price Range
- CRC 7,500
- Neighborhood
- Center of town, near surf shops
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Street food (tacos, burritos, bowls)
Ani's Bowls
- Price Range
- CRC 8,000
- Neighborhood
- Calle Cobano, beach path area
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Healthy breakfast (acai bowls, avocado toast, burritos)
High End
Uma
- Price Range
- CRC 22,000
- Neighborhood
- Playa Carmen area, beachfront
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Mediterranean (fish kebabs, whole fish, bell peppers, tapas)
Convivio
- Price Range
- CRC 20,000
- Neighborhood
- Main road, central area
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Gourmet Costa Rican/international (tacos, pastas, grilled dishes, ceviche)
FlorBlanca Restaurant (at FlorBlanca Resort)
- Price Range
- CRC 25,000
- Neighborhood
- Beachfront, FlorBlanca hotel location
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Fine dining seafood (catch of the day, grilled snapper, tropical ceviche)
Koji
- Price Range
- CRC 24,000
- Neighborhood
- Off main road, central area
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Upscale sushi (premium rolls, sake pairing)
Mid Range
Katana
- Price Range
- CRC 16,000
- Neighborhood
- 600m north of main crossroads
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Asian fusion (sushi, pad thai, butter chicken, gyoza)
Satori Sushi
- Price Range
- CRC 15,000
- Neighborhood
- Central area, main road
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Japanese (sushi, sashimi, poke bowls, ceviches)
Nami
- Price Range
- CRC 14,000
- Neighborhood
- 200m north of Super la Hacienda
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Japanese (teriyaki, poke, rolls, fried rice)
Somos Restaurant
- Price Range
- CRC 13,000
- Neighborhood
- Hotel/cafe/surf shop, north of Rancho Itauna, main road
- Cuisine Or Dish
- International with Costa Rican focus (fresh seafood, veggie options)
La Cevicheria
- Price Range
- CRC 14,000
- Neighborhood
- Main road, central area
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Peruvian/Costa Rican (ceviche, tropical fish specialties)
The Bakery
- Price Range
- CRC 10,000
- Neighborhood
- Central Santa Teresa
- Cuisine Or Dish
- French pastries, Australian cafe style (croissants, bagels, paninis, pizzas)
Delivery Services
SIPP
- Notes
- Local commerce platform; restaurants, grocery, and essentials delivery; reliable late-night operations; covers Santa Teresa
Take Away CR
- Notes
- Food delivery app operating in Santa Teresa area
Eat Street (Online Ordering)
- Notes
- Online pickup and delivery available for Eat Street's food truck collective
Auténtica
- Notes
- Specialized fridge-stocking and pre-arrival grocery delivery for vacation rentals; locally sourced products; pre-order before arrival
Local Must Try Dishes
Gallo Pinto
- Description
- Rice and beans breakfast dish, foundational to Costa Rican cuisine
Casado
- Description
- Traditional lunch plate with rice, beans, salad, and fresh local protein (often mahi mahi)
Ceviche
- Description
- Fresh seafood ceviche, especially tropical varieties with local Pacific fish
Whole Grilled Fish (Catch of the Day)
- Description
- Fresh yellowfin tuna and mahi mahi sourced directly from local Pacific waters
Vegan And Vegetarian Dining
- Overview
- Santa Teresa has a strong vegan and vegetarian dining scene reflecting its health-conscious, international community. Multiple dedicated venues and many restaurants with extensive plant-based menus.
Venues
Drift Bar
- Price Range
- CRC 14,000
- Neighborhood
- Central area, off main road (near Koji)
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Plant-based/vegan (in-house waffles, vegan bacon, Dal Makhani, Matar Paneer, vegan desserts)
Horizon Tea House
- Price Range
- CRC 10,000
- Neighborhood
- Central Santa Teresa
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Vegetarian/vegan cafe (juices, pastries, Greek salad, 'Cookie of the Day', cocktails)
El Corazon
- Price Range
- CRC 18,000
- Neighborhood
- Central area
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Vegetarian fine dining (gourmet plant-based plates)
International Cuisine
- Overview
- Santa Teresa's food scene blends local Costa Rican cuisine with strong Asian, Mediterranean, and international options. Multiple sushi restaurants, Mediterranean tapas venues, Italian trattorias, and Israeli establishments serve the cosmopolitan nomad and tourist community.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this food & dining research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
- 1.livelikeitstheweekend.com
- 2.jetsetchristina.com
- 3.roamandthrive.com
- 4.costaricavibes.com
- 5.vacationscostarica.com
- 6.costaricatravellife.com
- 7.casateresacr.com
- 8.houseofsomos.com
- 9.costarica-beachrentals.com
- 10.magdamagdas.com
- 11.mytanfeet.com
- 12.drinkteatravel.com
- 13.wanderlog.com
- 14.happycow.net
- 15.sippdelivery.com
- 16.eatautentica.com
- 17.eatstreetst.com
- 18.tripadvisor.com
More About Santa Teresa
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.