*Due to the coronavirus pandemic, some restaurants are temporarily closed, have limited hours, or are only available for pickup and delivery. Our staff can give you the most updated information.
Drift Away Eco-Lodge may seem remote, but we are close to a surprising number of great restaurants in Playa Avellanas, Costa Rica. Dining is one of the great adventures our guests experience when they visit!
A variety of restaurants all within a few kilometres offer Italian cuisine, Costa Rican traditional food and fusion dishes, home-cooked meals, and great pizzas – and you can enjoy them in lush, tropical, outdoor spaces or at a restaurant on the beach.
All these restaurants accept major credit cards and are all within a 2-kilometre radius of the Drift Away Eco-Lodge. We recommend you try any one of these Playa Avellanas restaurants, and our friendly and helpful staff will happily book your table!
Best Restaurants in Playa Avellanas, Costa Rica
Lola’s, Playa Avellanas
Distance from Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 1.6 km (1 mile)
Lola’s restaurant is a famous Costa Rican beachfront restaurant. It’s located right on the beach in Playa Avellanas and offers a great view of the surfers riding the waves. Dine with the sand in your toes under the shade of the palm trees, with a great lunch menu with organic food – good ceviche, poke, and burgers, served with ice-cold beers. This alone makes it a great dining destination, but it may be most famous for its mascot – a giant pig named Lolita! Sadly, Lolita died of old age in late 2019. Now, two of the cutest little piglets call Lola’s home – Ave and Ana (Avellanas).
Recently Lola’s has been an important community lifeline for Playa Avellanas the surrounding area. During the COVID-19 crisis, Lola’s offered free daily lunches to people who were struggling with unemployment and financial troubles. Lola’s served up the free lunches for several months and fed thousands of people! It is a testament to the caring mission of the restaurant.
Vegetarian mains include a veggie burger and pesto pasta. There are also a variety of salads and some veggie pizza choices.
Lola’s, Playa Avellanas Hours of Operation: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed Mondays
Il Rustico
Distance from Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 1.6 km (1 mile)
Another Italian food favorite is Il Rustico. The restaurant prides itself on its home-cooked meals, with homemade pasta and pizza served in a cozy rustic cottage in the forest.
The young couple who operates the restaurant is from a small city in central Italy and came to Guanacaste with their grandmother’s recipes. The lasagna is fantastic! Some nights there is live music.
Vegetarian options include pizza and pasta dishes.
Il Rustico Hours of Operation: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. – Closed Thursdays. Closed for several weeks during Green Season.
La Purruja Restaurant & Bar
Distance from Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 1.6 km (1 mile)
La Purruja is one of the newest restaurants in Playa Avellanas (opened in March 2021), offering Latino cuisine in a beautiful beachfront setting.
A great place for a sunset cocktail, the restaurant is named after the famous surf break located right off the shore.
Enjoy Costa Rican staples such as gallo pinto, casados (traditional mixed plate) and ceviche. There are vegetarian options for the casados, tacos and quesadilla, plus a variety of salads. You can also get a vegan-friendly pizza. Ask about their daily specials!
La Purruja Hours of Operation: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday.
Barumis Cafe & Falafel
Distance from Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 3.1 km (2 miles)
Opened by an Israeli couple in 2020, Barumis Cafe & Falafel is a welcome vegetarian option for the area. Barumis offers fresh coffee and homemade pastries in the mornings. For lunch, delicious pita sandwiches are handmade and freshly baked on-site. Try the falafel! There are also Sabih, Shakshuka, and Schnitzel. It has just started a burger night on the weekends, where they serve meat, chicken, and vegetarian burgers in its cozy outdoor seating area nestled by a creek. Barumis offers dine-in, take away, and delivery.
Barumis hours: Fridays & Mondays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Gregorio’s
Distance from Drift Away Eco-Lodge: 0.8 km (0.5 miles)
Gregorio’s Bar and Restaurant has an authentic, rustic Guanacaste feel – it’s not a restaurant on the beach, but it’s pretty close. It serves typical Costa Rican food like fried chicken and fish, arroz con camarones (rice with shrimp), and cheap Costa Rica beer. Great for budget travelers and those who want an alternative to the touristy, more upscale restaurants. Staff is friendly – even if you don’t speak Spanish – and the ribs appetizer plate is a meal in itself!
Vegetarian choices include veggie casados, or a variety of local veggie options like papas fritas (fries), Gallo Pinto (rice and beans), and grilled vegetables. Or get a veggie burrito or quesadilla.
Gregorio’s hours: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. every day
Playa Avellanas restaurants cater to all tastes and budgets. A culinary adventure awaits on your next visit to Drift Away Eco-Lodge in Guanacaste, Costa Rica!
