Cafe y Macadamia is rated one of the best restaurants in Costa Rica. It is a wonderful all-organic, family-owned restaurant, coffee bar, and shop that has spectacular food and great service. By no means are we experts on where to eat in Costa Rica, but if I had to recommend a restaurant, Cafe y Macadamia would be it.
Where to eat in Costa Rica: Cafe y Macadamia location
Cafe y Macadamia is perched above the shores of Lake Arenal and offers beautiful views of the lake and surrounding area, which is often considered one of the best Central American destinations. The lake is popular for a variety of water sports, so when it isn’t cloudy or raining, you may catch a glimpse of people kayaking, windsurfing, or paddleboarding on the water.
Lake Arenal
We stopped at Cafe y Macadamia on our way from the Guanacaste province to La Fortuna. We didn’t know where to eat in Costa Rica; we simply planned to find a place along the way and stop for lunch. We noticed a lot of signs for Cafe y Macadamia along the way and decided to stop there. I’m glad we did! If you plan to make the same drive across Costa Rica from the beach to the rain forest, you’ll definitely want to stop at Cafe y Macadamia for lunch or even just for a cup of coffee and dessert. There are other great places to stop along your route, as well, like the Llanos de Cortes waterfall, that will break up the 2 1/2 hour drive, and make for a awesome day.
What to eat in Costa Rica
I had the Gallo Pinto, which is a typical Costa Rican lunch consisting of beans and rice served alongside an egg. Ours came with a salad, cheese, and meat, as well. Gallo Pinto is a must-try meal when visiting Costa Rica. The desserts at Cafe y Macadamia are equally amazing and made with only fresh ingredients! You will see them and want to order one of everything. (Seriously, I think we did, in fact, ordered one of everything.)
Gallo Pinto – Traditional Costa Rican cuisine
Tips for visiting Cafe y Macadamia
One important thing to note if you plan to visit this great little restaurant… When we visited, they did not accept credit cards, but like most places in Costa Rica, they do accept US Dollars.
There is also a little souvenir shop inside and free WiFi for guests. So if you didn’t pay for an international data plan, Cafe Y Macadamia is a great place to stop for a nice lunch and check your email or post on social media.
The staff is extremely friendly and great with children. The waitress even offered to hold our baby while we ate. She was so sweet with our daughter. She walked her around the shop and showed her all the little toys and stuffed animals. She made sure she was never out of our sight while holding our baby, which gave us peace of mind while also allowing us to enjoy our meal.
Our lovely waitress showing our baby around the souvenir shop
Looking for more information on things to do and places to stay in Costa Rica? Check out our guide to Costa Rica here.
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Have a question or comment about Cafe y Macadamia or a recommendation for where to eat in Costa Rica? We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a comment below.
