Restaurants in Puerto Viejo

To really sample the local cuisine, you need to look up a few local women. Ask around for Miss Dolly, Miss Sam, Miss Isma, Miss Irma, and Ghetto Girl, who all dish out sit-down meals in their modest little sodas. In addition to locally seasoned fish and chicken served with rice and beans, these joints are usually a great place to find some pan bon (a local sweet, dark bread), ginger cakes, pati (meat-filled turnovers), and rondon. Just ask around for these ladies, and someone will direct you to them.

Puerto Viejo has a glut of excellent Italian restaurants; in addition to the places listed, Amimodo ★★ ( tel. 2750-0257) serves an excellent lobster ravioli, as well as a carpaccio of home-smoked shark. There's also Laszlo’s (tel. 8730-6185), which inexplicably lacks a sign. Its tuna and seabass, however, are divine.

For something cold and sweet Gelateria Deelite  ★★★,  open Wed-Sun and located downtown near the bus stop, has Italian-style artisan ice creams with flavors ranging from Pistachio to local fruit Cas, as well as crepes.

A specialty to try in these parts: Rondon soup is a spicy coconut milk–based soup or stew made with anything the cook can “run down”—it usually includes a mix of local tubers (potato, sweet potato, or yuca), other vegetables (carrots or corn), and often some seafood. Be sure to try this authentic taste of the Caribbean.