Scores of dining options are available around Manuel Antonio and Quepos, and almost every hotel has some sort of restaurant. For the cheapest meals around, try a simple soda in Quepos, or head to one of the open-air joints on the beach road before the national park entrance. The standard Tico menu prevails, with prices in the $3-to-$8 (£1.45-£3.90) range. Of these, Marlin Restaurant (tel. 2777-1134), right in front of Playa Espadilla, and Mar Luna (tel. 2777-5107), on the main road just beyond Hotel La Colina, are your best bets. For simple pasta, pizzas, and Italian gelato, head to Escalofrío (tel. 2777-0833; downtown Quepos) or Pizza de Marco (tel. 2777-9400; in the Plaza Yara shopping center). In addition to the places listed below, another good option, on the outskirts of Quepos, is Mi Lugar, or "Ronny's Place" (tel. 2777-5120; www.ronnysplace.com).
For a taste of the high life, head to the La Luna restaurant at Gaia Hotel & Reserve for their sunset tapas menu. The views are great and the creative tapas are very reasonably priced.
Finally, one of my favorite hangouts has always been Café Milagro (tel. 2777-1707; www.cafemilagro.com), a homey coffeehouse and gift shop with two locations in the area. The folks here roast their own beans and also have a mail-order service to keep you in Costa Rican coffee year-round. The menu includes a daily selection of freshly baked sweets, simple sandwiches and breakfast items, and a wide range of coffee drinks. You'll find local art for sale on the walls and a good selection of Cuban cigars and international newspapers, too. The original storefront, just over the bridge on your left as you enter Quepos, is now expanded and there's another branch on the main road to Manuel Antonio right across from the turnoff for Hotel La Mariposa.
