Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [212]
Soda Teresita (sandwiches ₡1200-2200; lunch & dinner) On the west end of the soccer field, this popular pink soda is your best bet for a torta (sandwich) and some chitchat with the locals.
La Vida Loca (2670-0181; mains ₡1200-4000; 11am-2pm) Across a creaky wooden footbridge on the south end of the beach is where you’ll find the most popular gringo hangout in town. Opened in 1999 by Oregonian ‘Jimbo’ Jensen, the beachfront bar specializes in US-style comfort food such as burgers, nachos, meat loaf, chili dogs and more.
Jardín Tropical (2670-0428; mains ₡1700-5000; 7am-8:30pm) Also on the soccer field, this well-established, neat and efficient soda has a wide selection of menu items, including filling pizzas and freshly caught fish. It’s also a great place for a big breakfast by the beach.
Zouk Santana (2670-0191; www.zouksantana.com; mains ₡1700-6000; 11am-late; ) Most definitely the hippest place to eat in Coco – you won’t be surprised to know it’s Italian-owned. The kitchen serves fusion cuisine late into the night to fuel your second wind at the downstairs bar.
Papagayo Sushi (2670-0298; mains ₡2800-5700; lunch & dinner) One of three eateries at this big restaurant complex, this boat-shaped branch features sushi rolls, bento boxes and seafood specialties such as fresh fish sautéed in chipotle orange sauce. The food is good, but don’t come if you are in a hurry; service is slow as molasses and some waiters seem more interested in selling time-share tours than taking your order.
Andre’s Beach Bar (2670-2052; mains ₡2900-7000; 6:30am-late; ) The best pizza place in town also has one of the best breakfast spots, serving omelettes and eggs Benedict. English and French are spoken.
Sol y Luna Restaurant & Bar (Hotel La Puerta del Sol; dishes ₡4000-5500; 6-10pm Wed-Mon) Dine on authentic Italian pasta while soaking up the Mediterranean atmosphere at this restaurant at Hotel La Puerta del Sol. But make sure you save room for a slice of the heavenly homemade tiramisu.
Suely’s Restaurant (2670-1696; sticostarica@hotmail.com; mains ₡4000-8000; 6-10:30pm Mon-Sat) A much-welcomed gourmet addition to Coco’s dining scene, this extraordinary restaurant is the brainchild of French chef Sebastien and his Brazilian-Belgian wife Thais. The daily changing menu focuses on fresh fish and seafood, such as the truly divine tempura jumbo shrimp in Thai sauce. The simple but tastefully decorated venue is open-air with candlelit tables and ambient chill-out music. And for dessert, don’t miss The Volcano – a chocolate cake with melted-chocolate ‘lava’ sauce in the middle and drizzled with caramel.
Restaurante Donde Claudio y Gloria (2670-1514; www.dondeclaudioygloria.com; mains ₡4200-21,600;7am-9pm Sun-Thu, to 10pm Fri & Sat) Founded by Playa del Coco pioneers don Claudio and Gloria Rojas, this casual, beachfront seafood restaurant has been a local landmark since 1955. This is a must for seafood-lovers, with such interesting dishes as spicy mahimahi Catalan in an almond, raisin and white-wine sauce.
Coconutz (2670-1982; mains ₡4500-10,000; noon-late; ) Across the road from the Coco Beach Hotel, this is the latest US sports bar–restaurant competing for gringo dollars. The BBQ ribs are terrific, though the house specialty is Tex-Mex. Big screens are constantly airing live (mostly US) sports.
For groceries, you can stock up at Coco Palms Supermercado (2670-0367; 24hr), or the massive Auto Mercado (2670-2232; 8am-8pm, to 9pm Fri & Sat) at the new Pacífico Plaza shopping center near the entrance of town.
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Drinking
Playa del Coco has a boisterous mix of Ticos looking to get toasted, and sunburned sportfishers cooling their heels and swapping fish stories. If you’re looking for entertainment that doesn’t involve drinking, you’ve come to the wrong town.
The restaurants surrounding the plaza double as bars. The Lizard Lounge (3pm-2am) attracts a livelier crowd of dancers. It’s a nice place to start out the evening with a game of pool, a cocktail and bocas (the Costa Rican