Restaurants and Bars in the Costa Ballena

International dining and typical Costa Rican meals
From fine international dining to typical Costa Rican meals, your palate will be pleased. Fusion cuisine is very much “in vogue.” It includes preparing traditional or exotic recipes with all the fresh fruits and crispy vegetables that our area offers. Fresh fish is available at many restaurants in Costa Ballena and the South Pacific; ask for the special of the day!
Typical Costa Rican meals are generally wholesome and reasonably priced. Gallo Pinto, the national fried rice and black beans dish, is served as a breakfast. At lunch, the Gallo Pinto becomes a Casado: rice and beans supplemented with cabbage and tomato salad, fried plantains, and meat, fish, or chicken. Beware of black beans and chicharrones (crackling in fried lard), which might be too much for delicate stomachs.
The Olla de Carne is a good alternative if you are hungry for a substantial soup. It is cooked with root vegetables, meat, plantains, and coriander. Ceviche is a refreshing, healthy snack in the afternoon. Our last recommendation is to try a Sopa de Mariscos (seafood soup) in a fish restaurant. Delicious!
Nonalcoholic beverages like smoothies and juices are outstanding for their taste; ask which fruits are available. They will ask you if you want it “en agua” or “en leche”, prepared “with water” or “with milk”. Imported drinks may be expensive, so you might be better off trying the local Costa Rican drinks. "Cerveza" (beer) is a very popular drink, and the most widely available brands are Bavaria, Imperial, and Pilsen. Wines are usually imported from Chile or Argentina. Don´t forget to enjoy a “cafecito”. At some of the typical places, you can have it “chorreado”, manually filtered.
DISCOVER AND ENJOY
If you...
look for more information about Costa Ballena, but are intrigued? Let’s start at the beginning! Take a tour of Costa Ballena.
I don´t know anything about Sierpe, but are you intrigued? Take a tour of Sierpe.
I don´t know anything about Osa Peninsula, but are you intrigued? Take a tour of Piedras Blancas National Park.
I don´t know anything about Osa Peninsula, but are you intrigued? Take a tour of Marino Ballena National Park.
Check out our Current Issue >
Need help planning your next trip to Costa Rica? We look forward to serving you!
Email: carlos@ballenatales.com
Phone: + (506) 8946-7134
Ballena Tales is an essential free digital magazine in Costa Rica, valid for travelers, residents, and investors covering Costa Ballena in the Canton of Osa in the South Pacific of Costa Rica. It is a fully bilingual, bi-monthly, and full-color digital magazine.
The magazine introduces the reader to the life of the local community, with interviews of pioneers, writers, and artists, as well as extensive information on restaurants, hotels, experiences, natural attractions, and wildlife of the South Pacific of Costa Rica.
We are not just a magazine; each edition (print and digital) is linked to a robust web platform; the editions are published online, and the advertorials are included in our blog and the brand in the commercial directory. We also add links to the advertising company's website and social networks. At this time, the openings of digital publications in all their expressions exceed 80 thousand openings, and the advertised brands have a global reach.
We have a loyal audience of over 8,000 readers in the South Pacific's Costa Ballena region who will view your news in each printed edition.
We prioritize our readers' satisfaction by delivering a variety of engaging content while showcasing the value of our advertisers' brands.
Butterflies: Casa Alegria is an Unforgettable Experience
On the slopes of Cerro Chirripó, in the town of Canaán de Rivas, Pérez Zeledón, Casa Alegría opens its doors to an unforgettable and fascinating experience. A recommended stop for all the people who visit […]
Environment: Cleaning the Canton of Osa
The volunteers who participated in the recent Beach Cleanups along Costa Ballena enthusiastically agreed that they were incredibly interesting actions: «We collaborated with a meritorious initiative, met new beaches and roads, made friends and enjoyed delicious meals […]
Training: Fit in Dominical
Dominical is not only a town known for its surfing, it’s known for the many activities that it offers. Just within the small town, you have many options for fitness activities aside from surfing, stand-up […]
Sports: Rugby in Costa Ballena
Are you familiar with Rugby? It is a high contact sport, created in England and popular in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa. It is the fastest growing sport in the United States and is […]
Tara: A Sirena Saving Lives
Tara had just finished surfing at Dominical and was watching the waves and the sunset. It was after 5 p.m. and the lifeguards had already headed home for the day. Suddenly she noticed two people […]
Beth Sylver: The Lifeguards’ Ambassador
Costa Ballena has come to greatly appreciate Beth Sylver´s dedicated input to improving the circumstances of the Guardavidas Costa Ballena Lifeguards. Beth and her husband, Gene, are from California where they used to produce fine […]

The Safest place in Costa Rica
Costa Ballena is growing and with that comes a need for greater community security and essential services. Because development and infrastructure take time, it falls on the community itself to meet the most urgent needs. […]
Surf: 8th Annual Dominical Semana Santa Classic
Once you have crossed the bridge of the Barú River, you have arrived at Dominical, a small coastal city where three regions are coming together: the Central Pacific, Pérez Zeledón and the South Pacific. Every […]
El Camino de Costa Rica
What began as a personal challenge recently became a record setting milestone for Lagunas resident Caryn Steele. After hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain last year, Caryn decided to attempt the recently established El […]
DAWG: The Legacy Continues
Many who have lived in the Costa Ballena area knew Shawnell Parker as the “visible face” of DAWG for over 11 years and her tireless efforts made DAWG an important part of the Costa Ballena […]
Environment: Shark Secrets
The Isla del Caño Biological Reserve is one of the most biodiverse environments in the South Pacific of Costa Rica. it offers refuge to sharks and rays such as the white tip shark (Triaenodon obesus), […]
Botanica Landscape Service: “Your Garden, Our Passion”
Brimming with plant life, the Ballena Coast of Costa Rica is where you come to restore and refresh. You’ll find it easy to get lost in the moment when surrounded by this much beauty. Your […]
What to do, Where to eat, and Where to stay…
- Activities and Tours
- Whale Watching Tour
- Natural Attractions
- Marino Ballena National Park
- Restaurants
- Hotels and Accommodations
South Pacific Costa Rica Beaches,
Looking for business directories, maps or other printouts? We’ve got that too!
Dare to Discover and Enjoy…
Check out…
Need help planning your next trip? Let us help you with your Costa Rica vacations!
Email: carlos@ballenatales.com
Phone: +(506) 8946 7134