Monteverde Restaurants & Nightlife
Peppered with Peruvian, Mexican, Argentinean, Italian and even Japanese cuisine, Monteverde has culinary options to suit every taste and budget. The majority of Monteverde's restaurants lie in the triangle of streets that make up downtown Santa Elena and on the paved roads nearby, but a slew of restaurants dot the main street leading through Cerro Plano all the way from downtown Santa Elena to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
Downtown Santa Elena
For visitors looking to stretch their dollars without compromising on flavor check out the sodas that have popped up in town over the last few years. These little family-owned restaurants serve Costa Rican classics like casado (a choice of meat, rice, beans and veggies), arroz con pollo (fried rice with chicken) and chifrijo (beans, rice, pico de gallo and fried pork belly). Alternatively, stop by Taco Taco for a basket of fresh-made tacos at a reasonable price.
For a night on the town, try the contemporary fusion of Trio; a chic restaurant hanging over the backside of downtown Santa Elena with forest views. If you have a craving for sushi, stop by Musashis, or head over to Inka Verde for some Pervuvian-style ceviche. For cocktails, stop by the Tree House. Located in the center of downtown underneath a giant fig tree, the restaurant's fantastic patio is perfect for enjoying the sunset and crisp, cool mountain climate.
Cerro Plano
Budget travelers and foodies alike, will enjoy the lunch counter at Raulito's Pollo where they serve fresh roasted chicken and pork beside steaming corn tortillas, located on the main road to Cerro Plano. Johnhny's pizzeria is right next door to Raulito's, but locals tend to prefer the pizza over at Tramonti's.
For adventurous foodies, stop by Chimera for Latin-infused tapas or enjoy a hearty meal at its sister restaurant Sofia where creative chefs play with local ingredients to create mouthwatering dishes like the cassava croquets and savory cocktails like the mango ginger mojito.
Monteverde (Fewer restaurants close to the Monteverde Cloud Reserve)
Tramonti's one of the few restaurants visitors can find solace in - outside of their hotels - this far from Santa Elena. Luckily, Tramonti's an Italian restaurant known for its wood-oven pizza and surprisingly authentic Italian cuisine. Drop in at Café Cabure, (just across the street from Tramonti) for a special bag of chocolaty treats made from scratch using fresh roasted cocoa beans, or stick around for dinner and try the chicken mole.