My experience with Vegan and vegetarian food while visiting Quepos and Manuel Antonio

Choose your hotel wisely



Being vegan while traveling, especially in Central America, it's not that easy and for me, it is very important to find a place where I can cook. That’s why I spent 2 weeks at Villas Jacquelina in Quepos, and I’m so glad that I chose this amazing treehouse-style hotel because it helped me a lot in keeping my vegan

diet.

The Hotel offers two equipped kitchens and two large patios with stunning views of mountains and wildlife where I have enjoyed my meals.

Also, every morning the Hotel offers a yummy breakfast and the lovely Yara has been very accommodating in cooking delicious vegan food for me.

The costs of local vegan/vegetarian meals in Quepos

Unfortunately, in Quepos you won't find many specialized vegan or vegetarian restaurants. But don’t worry! Many places offer very good vegan and vegetarian options. One of my favorite things about life in Quepos was how cheap food costs in places like “Sodas”, a local Costa Rican restaurant where you can have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A typical Costa Rican breakfast, called “Gallo Pinto”, will serve you rice and beans, eggs, and coffee/juice for about $3-5, while a “Casado” a typical lunch/dinner meal will serve you rice, black beans, plantains, salad, a tortilla, for cost around $5-7.

My top five Vegetarian meals in Quepos and Manuel Antonio

• Vegan Casado @  Balu in Quepos
• Deep Jungle Bowl @ Varuna Juice Bar and Plant based food
• Vegetarian Breakfast @ Villas Jacquelina
• Falafel platter @ Falafel Bar in Manuel Antonio
• Aloo Gobhi @ Little India Manuel Antonio

Fresh fruit and vegetables at the Farmer Market



In Quepos, every Friday and Saturday you can visit the Farmers Market. It is a must to go for anyone with a kitchen! The array of fresh produce is amazing. So many vendors sell everything from vegetables to some of their more interesting local fruit. There are also some hand made crafts and trinkets/souvenirs for sale.

I felt incredibly safe and the locals were more than friendly and engaging. If I was living here, I would be there every weekend picking up my produce as I would stay. It looks much fresher and cheaper than anything I saw in any of the grocery stores.

Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant options Manuel Antonio and Quepos

I've written this vegan guide to help vegans and vegetarians find the best eats the town has to offer, and to make it even more easy-peasy your choice, I had divided the list into two sections, restaurants in Quepos and restaurants in Manuel Antonio, a close town, five minutes by car or 15 minutes by bus.

Restaurante Balù

Small and very friendly restaurant with a selection of vegan/vegetarian gallo pinto, vegan burgers, vegan sandwiches, vegan nachos, vegan casado and vegetarian pasta. Price from 2,500 colones for a vegan gallo pinto to 4,500 colones for a vegan burger.

Soda Sanchez

This small and traditional Soda restaurant is very close to the bus station. Here you will find amazing comida tipica and a super atmosphere! Vegan/vegetarian choices, including burritos, quesadilla, nacho, casados, pastas and salad. This little Soda is another perfect place to eat if you are on a travel budget, between 2,500 colones to 3,500 per meal.

La Luna

If you want a fancy spot with a great view then this is the place for you. Hotel restaurant with a separate and creative menu with many vegan options like apple salad with spinach & blackberry vinaigrette, vegetable soup with curry and ginger, sweet potato cannelloni, eggplant lasagna, and vegan ice cream.

I paid between $10-$15 per meal.

De La Finca

This little place is only ten minutes away from the tourist location and it does not look like "Hey come on in'' but the food is very good and the service was top-notch! You are welcome by coconut water and sent off with a shot of tequila after your meal on the house. They offer vegan options like veggie poke, veggie wrap, and veggie pasta.
Price for a vegan meal is between 5,500 colones to 8,000 colones.

Vegan/Vegetarian restaurant in Manuel Antonio

Varuna Juice Bar & plant based food

Located centrally on the main stretch of Manuel Antonio, Varuna juice bar and plant based food is the best and only vegan restaurant in Manuel Antonio.  This incredible juice bar has a beautiful menu of healthy juices, bowls and smoothies that will not disappoint.



Vista verde

This restaurant was recommended by a local and it did not disappoint! The views of this place are not only stunning, but the food is very tasty and reasonable when it comes to cost, between 5500 colones to7000 colones. They offer a separate vegan section on the menu, which includes pad Thai, pasta, a wrap, stuffed chili with Asian rice, and a vegan casado. The atmosphere is very "chill", very "pura vida"!

FalaFel Bar

I love Falafel and Hummus and here they are delicious!! Vegan options are clearly marked in the menu and they have a space with a salad bar to fill up your sandwich or complement your platter and the Tahini is made in-house! It's definitely very touristy, prices are in USD, falafel platter cost 10$ and the staff

speaks English. I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for some good vegan food and not for something more local.

Rico Tico Jungle Grill

The view from this restaurant is epic! You have an incredible ocean and jungle vistas with a beautiful sunset. The lunch and dinner menus offer authentic “Tico” cuisine, like artisan ravioli stuffed with smoky eggplant, vegetarian burger, arroz vegano and omelette and vegetarian casado for breakfast! Prices are inUSD and are a bit expensive for what they offer but you are also paying for the excellent service, the ambiance, the live music and the stunning view.

La Lambretta Pizzeria

Pizza is one of my favorite meals and it cannot be missed when I am traveling. If you are a big fan of pizza like me, don't miss this easy and delicious spot with a nice view over the sea, airy terrace, and very friendly staff. They have a wood fire oven and offer vegetarian pizza (12$) and salads! After all, good

pizza for being in a Central American country & not in the city.

Little India

If you like Indian food and are also vegan or vegetarian, then Little India is a great option for you. Little India is new to Manuel Antonio and offers the only Indian food in this area.  They use fresh, locally sourced ingredients and have captured the incredible Indian flavors you may crave. They have a full page of their menu dedicated to vegetarian options.

In general my food experience in Quepos it's been very good and Villas Jacquelina helped me keep my vegan diet without any problems!! If you are looking for a vegan-friendly place in Quepos this is the right place! Clean, friendly, and with a great staff. Thanks again Esteban and Yara, you made my stay perfect!!

Pura Vida

Simona - Volunteer 2021