*Due to the coronavirus pandemic, some restaurants are temporarily closed, have limited hours, or are only available for pickup and delivery. Our staff can give you the most updated information.
Playa Negra, Guanacaste (also known as Los Pargos) is the sleepy little surf village just a few kilometers south of Drift Away Eco-Lodge. It is home to the famous surfing beach with the same name. It has a couple of small grocery stores, a church, and a surf shop. But for such a small place, it boasts a wide variety of restaurants – from Mexican to French to Peruvian to Costa Rican food – there’s wood-fired pizza, farm-to-table meals and Costa Rica-grown organic coffee. You’ll want to budget enough days at the eco-lodge to try them all! This is a quick list of some of the great restaurants in Playa Negra, Guanacaste (in order of distance – closest to farthest – from Drift Away Eco-Lodge).
10 Best Restaurants in Playa Negra
Kon-Tiki Playa Negra
Distance from Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 1.7 km
Kon-Tiki has been famous for its wood-fired pizza since a Peruvian couple opened it in Playa Negra, Guanacaste in 1992. The pizza oven is located right in the middle of the restaurant so you can watch your dinner being made! It has a cozy dining atmosphere where you can dine inside or out. There are vegetarian pizzas, too. Check out the new cocktail bar that now accompanies the restaurant – with creative homemade cocktails and Costa Rican craft beer. There’s live music on some weekends and the restaurant is almost close enough to walk to.
Kon-Tiki Playa Negra hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Piko Negro
Distance to Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 2.3 km
This is another pizza place that you’ll notice as you enter Playa Negra. It features some fun decor, with hand-made wooden furniture hewn from giant logs. Prices at Piko Negro are bit cheaper than Kon-Tiki, and the restaurant can sometimes deliver right to Drift Away Eco-Lodge and if not, they offer take-away. Like all pizza joints, Piko Negra caters well for vegetarians who can tailor their own pies to suit their diets.
Piko Negro hours: Closed Mondays
Corazón Surf Café
Distance to Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 2.6 km
We love Café Corazon, the house coffee of the Corazón Surf Café. It’s what Drift Away Eco-Lodge serves at our juice bar and provides free of charge in all our guest rooms. It is 100% natural organic coffee sourced directly from its sustainable hillside coffee farms in Zona de Los Santos, Tarrazú, Costa Rica. Packaged in bio-friendly bags the coffee is a tasty souvenir to take home! We sell them in the Drift Away Eco-Lodge shop.
Corazón Surf Café is a great place to chill with a morning brew. The cafe also serves up smoothies, cold-pressed juices with local fruit as well as acai and pitaya bowls.
Corazón Surf Café hours: TBA
La Vida Buena
Distance to Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 2.9 km
Owner, Willie, will take care of you at this local favorite with a menu that will have something for everyone, from fish to chicken to burgers to pizzas. La Vida Buena is a place to enjoy homemade Costa Rican food. Vegetarians can choose from a couple of pasta dishes, or ask for a meat-free burrito or casado. Diners can beat the heat and dine in indoor, air-conditioned comfort. If they can, they will deliver to Drift Away Eco-Lodge.
La Vida Buena hours: Open every day from 11 a.m. To 10 p.m.
Café Playa Negra
Distance from Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 3 km
Café Playa Negra specializes in Peruvian food, with a menu of more than 30 dishes that combines Peruvian and Costa Rican flavours. It’s famous for its ceviche, but there are also international dishes and a children’s menu. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are always looking for freshly-caught fish so ask about the catch of the day. There are no vegetarian dishes on the dinner menu at Cafe Playa Negra, so you’ll have to ask about meat-free options, or enjoy some tasty patacones or yuca chips. Besides ceviche, Café Playa Negra is also known for its daily fresh-baked desserts.
Café Playa Negra hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Closed Tuesdays
Jalapeño Eatery & Market
Distance from Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 3.1 km
Jalapeño describes itself as a fun and casual restaurant with organic MSG-free fresh food, and a variety of delicious dishes made-to-order. A tasty breakfast and lunch stop best known for its burritos, with tortillas made by hand accompanied with homemade sauces. They make fresh Pico de Gallo every day, made-to-order guacamole, and serve organic chicken, and fish caught by the chef himself!
Jalapeño Eatery & Market hours: Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Villa Deevena French Restaurant
Distance from Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 3.4 km
Villa Deevena French restaurant is probably the most upscale restaurant in Playa Negra, and is making headlines around the world – most recently in the New York Times! It’s French fine-dining in a beautiful setting, yet informal enough that you can still wear your flip flops. The menu is prepared by Chef de Cuisine Patrick Jamon, who moved to Costa Rica and opened Villa Deevena in 2009 after serving the president and dignitaries at a high-end restaurant in Los Angeles. As the NYT article states “…the cooking emphasizes local, tropical ingredients grown, caught or gathered near the restaurant.” The menu is mainly meat and seafood. Vegetarians can ask for the gnocchi gorgonzola without ham, or ask the staff for other options – they are happy to make other vegetarian dishes that are not on the menu.
READ NEXT: New York Times profiles Villa Deevena
Villa Deevena hours: Breakfast 7 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Dinner 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. (last reservation)
Hotel Playa Negra
Distance from Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 3.4 km
Hotel Playa Negra boasts the only restaurant in Playa Negra that is on the beach. Dine under a palm-thatched rancho overlooking the Pacific Ocean and watch the surf and the sunset with a cocktail. The menu has many Costa Rican food items to choose from such as casados. It also serves fresh fish, lobster and seafood, and tenderloin steaks, as well as hamburgers, sandwiches and pasta. The restaurant says it has vegetarian and gluten-free dishes and kids’ meals.
Hotel Playa Negra hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the bar stay open later at night
La Ventana
Distance to Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 3.8 km
La Ventana specializes in whole, natural foods, fresh juices, gourmet organic coffees & teas. Jen, the owner, serves up breakfast, lunch, and food-to-go. The cafe is air-conditioned and features the work of local artists. There are several vegetarian options on the menu as well as homemade waffles, bagels, and granola. For lunch, there’s the tuna teriyaki bowl, the lemon hummus wrap or the vegetarian chili. Ask about the kimchi!
La Ventana hours: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. closed Sundays
LaTica Lodge Alternative Resort
Distance to Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 5.6 km
This is a fantastic, beautiful new dining option in Pargos. The owner is an architect, and it shows in the property’s stunning design and layout. It features Zeidy’s Kitchen, a restaurant that serves the resort’s guests. Non-guests must make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance, as the meals are served up from scratch every evening. Meals are served family-style, with farm-to-table vegetarian and meat dishes with a single, all-inclusive price. You don’t know what you’re going to get until it’s put down on the table! So be sure to mention any specific dietary requirements or requests when you book.
La Tica Kitchen hours: call ahead
The restaurants in Playa Negra, Guanacaste are making this place more than just a surf destination. Culinary and foodie types will enjoy the feast of restaurants in Playa Negra and in neighbouring Playa Avellanas (see our blog on those), and they are all a quick drive from Drift Away Eco-Lodge. Ask our receptionist to book your table today!