Dining Do's and Dont's in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Manuel Antonio, a little beach town located on the west side of Costa Rica, is a popular tourist destination for its beaches and national park. Within the park, lucky visitors can spot a variety of wildlife including monkeys, reptiles and small mammals. 

Know Before You Go:

1) The park is closed on MONDAYS! Don't try to go on a Monday or you will be sorely disappointed.

2) When walking through the national park, walk slowly and look up at the trees. That is where the sloths, monkeys, etc. are hiding.

3) Bring your swimsuit into the park- there are beaches that you can easily walk to. 
4) Prepare for rain! It is very likely you may not get a good beach day.

Restaurants to Visit and Those to Avoid:

Restaurante Manuel Antionio:
This little establishment provides a mediocre experience at best. If you do happen to go there for breakfast, do not order the eggs and tomato unless you want to feel like you were just conned out of 5$ for a portion the size of your fist that resembles something that had already been eaten. After that experience, I'm not sure what drove us back there for lunch, but some mysterious restaurant gods brought us back there and I ordered the ensalada verde or green salad which, thankfully, included a hearty portion of greens and avocado. To sum up, if you hit up this restaurant, only do so for lunch or dinner and skip breakfast there unless you like to waste money.

Restaurante Nuevo Amanecer:
The fact that this centrally-located establishment does not serve alcohol likely contributes to its lower lunch and dinner prices. However, if you don't mind not getting tipsy with your meal, it is not a bad spot. Being so close to the ocean, it is a good idea to try the fish at least once, so I ordered pescado a la plancha (grilled fish) with veggies and rice, though other side options included fries and salad. I received a decent portion for the equivalent of $8. Another perk to eating there was their free Internet. 

Italia & Co.:
Don't miss this place. The waitress treated me with exceptional kindness while serving generous portions at dinner. It's not only a great choice for lunch and dinner; sweet tooth cravings are easily cured by their selection of fresh gelato and sorbets. Never have my taste buds felt so spoiled by a tasty treat. Their fresh fruit sorbets lack an overwhelming amount of sugar, making them the perfect amount of sweetness and truly to die for. I returned for dinner upon spotting their reasonable prices for salad offerings and ordered the salad with corn, mushrooms, carrots, peppers and tomatoes. Only minutes later the waitress brought a bread basket accompanied by oil and vinegar as well as a huge bowl of salad for a very reasonable price. 

Backpacker's Paradise Costa Linda:
Tucked away inconspicuously off the main route, this is the only restaurant offering mind-blowing prices for breakfast. Mind-blowing, jaw-dropping, insert shock-depicting adjective here. Literally, never go anywhere else for breakfast. Their other prices are just so-so, but for only 4$ they serve bottomless coffee and tea, a pancake, fresh banana, pineapple and watermelon, beans and rice, bread and eggs. We got the eggs minus everything else and paid more the morning before.