Best Restaurants In Puerto Viejo

What Are The Best Restaurants In Puerto Viejo?

Despite being a small town with only a few blocks comprising the downtown or city center area, Puerto Viejo is filled with amazing restaurants. Deciding on where to eat during your visit to the beachside community of Puerto Viejo can be overwhelming as you walk the town and spot restaurant after restaurant. And if you're staying outside of the town center, don't forget about all of the other restaurants in the surrounding communities of Playa Negra, Playa Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva, and Manzanillo. 

With local eateries, known as sodas, international fare from the large and varied mix of expats, transplants, and immigrants, and the mix of all the different cultures that make up this unexpected melting pot of a town, be prepared to enjoy the food of Puerto Viejo almost as much as you enjoy the beaches and the wildlife. 

Soda Restaurante Tamara

This spot is an absolute must during your visit to Puerto Viejo. Here you can enjoy the local cuisine of rice and beans (cooked with fresh coconut) paired with Caribbean chicken, shrimp, carne en salsa, or fish. Add a side of patacones (smashed fried plantains) and salad with homemade maracuya dressing and you've just consumed the most typical Afro-Caribbean dish. Wash it all down with a fresh hiel, also known as agua de sapo--toad water--a local drink made from ginger, tapa dulce, and lime. The food here is a delicious example of the region's most popular dishes and the wait time for a table reflects that. Located on the main road, this spot is almost always packed, for lunch and dinner, so be prepared to wait for a table, and know that the wait is worth it. 

Cafe Viejo

This Italian eatery is a staple in the Puerto Viejo community. For over twelve years, the three brothers from Italy have been serving up homemade pasta, pizzas, steaks, and seafood dishes at their classy locale on the main street. The nightly people-watching from the street-side barstools is entertainment enough, paired with well-made, strong cocktails and exquisite food that never disappoints, you'll have a hard time convincing yourself to try other restaurants after dining here. Maybe consider this your farewell meal at the end of your trip, or know that you'll be back after your first visit. Either way, you won't have any regrets about enjoying a night out (or two or three) at Cafe Viejo.

Bread and Chocolate

For breakfast or lunch, this is the spot. Bread and Chocolate has been serving up tasty breakfast and lunch options for over fifteen years, offering tourists and locals alike an option other than the typical gallo pinto. A fried egg sandwich on a homemade bagel with a side of homefries or fresh fruit, sandwiches on freshly-baked bread, green salads, and yummy gazpacho are just some of the items to be found in this quaint and comfortable eatery. Tucked just off the main road, with hanging plants and all-wood chairs and tables, this little gem is not to be missed. Try the homemade deserts as well for a real treat, with locally grown and processed chocolate; you won't be sorry!

Stashus Con Fusion

Get ready for a culinary experience like no other! Stashus Con Fusion is owned by Stash, whose own origin story is as interesting as his flavor choices. Born in Guyana, growing up on the island of Trinidad and Tobago, spending time in Toronto, and eventually landing in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, the menu at Stashus Con Fusion takes diners on a journey that follows the life of the chef and proprietor. Madras curry, Jerk chicken, pakoras, tandoori fish, shrimp in green guava curry--the plates at Stashus Con Fusion are unlike any other in the area. Combine the food with the idyllic second-story seating and nightly views of the Caribbean sunset and this is a dining experience you are sure to remember well after your Costa Rican vacation has ended. 

Salsa Brava Restaurant

A vacation in Puerto Viejo would not be complete without visiting the famous restaurant Salsa Brava. Named for the world-known surf break Salsa Brava, just offshore of the restaurant, this location is one of the reasons that Puerto Viejo is on the map. For decades, intrepid surfers from around the world have journeyed to this small town to surf the daunting reef break, Salsa Brava. For those who are a little less daring, sipping a cocktail from the comfort of Adirondack chairs on the sand is another option. From the beachfront tables of Salsa Brava, you can enjoy delicious drinks and food, while watching kids play in the waves and small pools, protected by the reef just offshore. When the swell is up, enjoy the breathtaking show of skilled surfers paddling out and surfing the waves back in, all while listening to reggae with sand between your toes. Salsa Brava Restaurant is by far the best example of the traditional Caribbean vibe that this area is now famous for. 

Whether you spend two nights or two months in Puerto Viejo, discovering the local cuisine and enjoying all the delicious dining options the town has to offer will certainly be a highlight of your time here. For more information about great dining options outside of town, please see our other blog posts about the communities of Playa Chiquita, Playa Cocles, Punta Uva, Playa Negra, and Manzanillo. If you're looking for great places to stay in Puerto Viejo, to be within walking distance of all of the above-mentioned restaurants and more, please check out our Airbnb listings: Casa Bachata, Casa Cumbia, Casa Rumba, and Casa Merengue.