by Juliette Declercq
Are you thinking of buying a property in Nicaragua and relocating to San Juan Del Sur? Or maybe you’re traveling around and wonder where you can find unique and tasty restaurants around San Juan del Sur. As all little towns, San Juan del Sur has a lot to offer culinary if you know where to go!
We have curated a list of some of our favorite restaurants in San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua, not just based on our own opinion but also on the opinions of many locals and expats.
Local and Typical Food in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
La Lancha
On the hunt for fresh seafood? La Lancha is the perfect place. La Lancha is owned by a family of local fishermen that serve only freshly caught seafood. They are also located right on the beach featuring a beautiful beach front view of the bay of San Juan Del Sur. Get to la Lancha now!You can dine on a full plate that contains lobster, red snapper, or shrimp with salad, rice, and plantain chips for about $5-8 per meal!
Must-try: Enjoy a fresh ceviche as an appetizer, and then try out their lobster plate, or seafood soup!
Sabores de mi patio
Carolina and Dariel welcome you every Sunday at their patio called “Sabores de mi patio” for some tasty Nicaraguan cuisine. The back patio is full of life on Sundays and we recommend this experience while you’re around San Juan del Sur. Make sure to go early as they run out of soup pretty fast! They also offer various roast options, and serve great portions for $6-9 a meal.
Must-try: The soup of the day.
El Timón and El Vivian
El Timón and el Vivian are the two beachfront restaurants when you drive from the entrance of San Juan del Sur to the beach, and two of the oldest ones in town. Both are fully owned and operated by locals whose mission is to serve you authentic Nicaraguan dishes.
You’ll love the view on the bay overviewed by the Christo statue. Main courses are priced around $8-15. El Timon and el Vivian often organize live music and different events such as salsa dancing gatherings.
Must-try: The $1-3 happy hour drinks and bites from 4-6 pm. One of our favorite spot for sunset!
Healthy Food and Quick Bites around San Juan del Sur
Dale Pues
This indoor/outdoor restaurant truly has it all. From mouthwatering burgers to satisfying salads while sipping on a tasty coffee or refreshing cocktail, Dale Pues got you! This local gem holds a special place in the hearts of many locals that live in San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua.
Come see what the rave is all about and start your meal with their ‘tostones con queso’ and a fresh smoothie or espresso martini.
For vegetarians, we suggest trying their mouth-watering falafel plate that features homemade falafel, salad, hummus, tahini, and pita bread.
Pricing may vary between $5-9 per meal.
Must-try: The chicken chipotle! We also recommend trying any of their burgers. They truly are in the top 3 best burgers in town!
Tostaderia in San Juan del Sur and Managua
La Tostaderia is one of our favorite coffee shops in San Juan del Sur and Managua, opening as early as 7 am.
They serve delicious breakfast including their traditional Nicaraguan breakfast, avocado toasts, and egg benedicts.
La Tostaderia is also a great spot to enjoy a coffee or smoothie while taking your computer out for some remote work, or bringing your chess board to play with some friends
Did I mention that tostaderia bakes its own bread every morning? You can bring some home too as they have a little bakery/boulangerie next to their restaurant.
Must-try: The iced cappuccino with avocado toast.
Simon Says Garden Restaurant
This unique artsy breakfast and lunch café is nestled in a splendid garden of plants and funky pieces of art that are scattered all throughout the place. You definitely want to check this Simon Says out!
Here you can enjoy reasonably priced smoothies, a great yet cheap ‘make your own’ breakfast platter, as well as many fresh tasty sandwiches and salads.
And if you’re lucky, you might even be able to join one of their known full moon parties! What a better way to celebrate the moon than in a garden full of mystery!
Meals are around $5-8 each.
Must-try: a sandwich that stands out from the rest is the vegan burrito that contains a tofu scramble, beans, avocado, and veggies with a side of hummus, Pico de Gallo, and fresh fruit. Yum!
HAVE YOU EVER DREAM OF OWNING YOUR RESTAURANT IN THE TROPICS?
Simon Says Garden Restaurant is also for sale as a RE/MAX exclusive listing!
Ding repair café
Ding Repair is a mostly vegetarian café where anything can be made vegan! This lovely café serves a variety of dishes with only the best ingredients. As well as fresh pressed juices and exotic smoothie bowls. Their coffee is also great, and will boost your day for sure! You can enjoy a healthy meal locally sourced for about $7-10.
You simply can’t go wrong at this place, every item on the menu offers its own unique burst of flavors!
Must-try: A favorite dish that is bursting with flavor is the ‘Single Fin’ bowl which is a specifically chosen mix of vegetables on a bed of brown rice and kale topped with mango kimchi, pickled purple cabbage, almonds, and a to-die-for spicy peanut dressing.
Irie café
“Irie” means to be at total peace with your current state of being. The way you feel when you have no worries. Consider this little restaurant in the main street (also called gringo street) the perfect place to go if you want to feel whole after eating food that not only tastes good, but also nourishes your body!
Owned and operated by a friendly and fun Jamaican Canadian lady, Irie café specializes in food that is not only fresh and fast served, but also healthy and locally sourced. They serve some vegan and vegetarian pastries as well as a variety of vegetarian and vegan dishes that are exploding with flavor for less than $6.
Must-try: The powerhouse salad. This salad is packed with quinoa, spiced chickpeas, fresh vegetables, and roasted butternut squash that sits on a bed of lettuce topped with their own homemade red-wine Dijon vinaigrette dressing and toasted almonds. Feel free to add two pieces of falafel for an additional cost of less than $2!
Pizza and Tacos in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Pizzeria la Vecchia Signora
If you are a fan of Italian-style pasta and pizza, this is the spot for you!
La Vecchia Signora is unique due to its Napolitano style of making pizza in a wood-burning oven in a bar decorated with favorite football player shirts. Pizzas aree sold for $9-12.
You can order the classics like ham and cheese or a vegetarian pizza. But we suggest trying something different such as one of the vegetarian specials called the ‘Don Roberto’ pizza that contains veggies like grilled eggplant, mozzarella, and parmesan along with a hint of basil. If you are a meat lover, we suggest trying the ‘Salchicha y Gorgonzola’ to enjoy this savory combo of meat and exotic cheese.
Must-try: Our true favorite is the “de la Nonna” with fresh basil and tomatoes.
Pizzeria la Terraza SJDS
This is another amazing wood-burning oven pizza restaurant in San Juan del Sur. La Terraza is located on the beach, in between El Timon and Beach House, and features an amazing view on the boats and the bay of San Juan del Sur.
La Terraza also offers different italian-style appetizers and homemade pastas. Prices are around $8-15 per pizza or plate of pasta.
Must-try: The seafood pizza, it’s surprisingly delicious!
Sauced pizza
Sauced pizza is part of a food court called Gastro Garden which features different booths of food including sushi, delicious homemade burgers, indian food, thai food and of course, pizzas! They serve New York-style pizza for $8-13.
Must-try: The antipasto pizza with caramelized onions, artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olive and fresh mozzarella.
Gourmet Food around San Juan del Sur
Tuanis
This is probably one of the only restaurant in town that has an air conditioned space! Tuanis is a new trendy restaurant decorated with many funky LED lights. Tuanis is located at the port, overlooking the ocean. They have fast internet, and many comfortable sitting spots. At night, Tuanis turns into a live music bar and nightclub on weekends – come enjoy the vibe!
They recently started serving tasty breakfast, but also offer a large selection of lunches and dinners. So far we have been positively surprised by all the items we tried on the menu! Prices vary mostly between $8-30 a meal.
Tuanis also have the most impressive selection of cocktails in town, one of my favorite being the “Little Yoda” which contains Cristalino rum, fresh kiwi, freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh orange juice, and basil-infused syrup. 
You won’t find anything else like it in town, and will put mixologists papilles to heaven.
Must-try: Try their Tuna Poke Bowl, and lobster risotto!
Tree Casa Resort
Tree Casa is a resort located 5-10 minutes drive from San Juan del Sur, surrounded by tropical forest and nature. While spending the day at Tree Casa, you can enjoy swimming in the pools with tobogan, hiking different trails around the trees, learning more about Tree Casa’s aquaponic garden and more.
The restaurants offer fabulous dishes, among which many tasty vegan friendly options. Tree Casa gardens’ provide more than 70% of the restaurant food, making it a full experience garden-to-table experience.
Maggy’s restaurante: el Pollo Pescador
El Pollito Pescador is owned by a belgium lady, Maggy, who has been living in the town of San Juan del Sur for a few decades. Her menu offers a wide variety of tasty food that is mainly french-inspired and locally sourced. All meals are generously served, and fairly priced ($7-14).
Enjoy a relaxing lunch or dinner at Maggy’s backyard, while trying some new dishes. You might want to make a reservation during the high season!
Must-try: Try Maggy’s filet mignon or cordon bleu! Maggy’s chef also makes amazing mousse of chocolate for dessert!
El Dorado Steak House San Juan del Sur
El Dorado is located in Las Delicias, 5 minutes from town, and totally worth the visit.
You’ll enjoy the outdoor atmosphere, with pool, and often events / live music.
This is the best spot to eat a tasty steak locally sourced in San Juan del Sur! El Dorado’s menu also features many creative dishes, and a kids menu.
Asian Food and Sushi in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Dumplings Aqui
If you’re looking for the best dumplings i in town, this is the spot. Dumplings Aqui is in the entrance street of San Juan del Sur, featuring a soft tranquil atmosphere.
Vegetarians also have lots of options!
The Beach House
This beautiful restaurant features indoor and outdoor sittings right on the beachfront of San Juan del Sur, next to pizzeria la Terraza. It’s also a great spot to watch the sunset while enjoying one of their cocktails in a home like atmosphere.
The Beach House serves great sushi for $6-9 a roll with fresh fish, but also features a full menu for lunch and dinners.
You can also rent their beachfront Airbnb room while you’re visiting San Juan del Sur!
Must-try: The “langosta picante volcano” sushi roll, and the “el Cabron” cocktail with jamaica juice.
Wrap n’ Roll
Wrap n’ Roll is a great spot for a fast, flavored, and cheap hawaiian-inspired lunch. The owner, Kenny, is an amazing chef and very friendly. The menu offers different dishes for $3-7, but make sure to also ask for their daily specials!
You can also stop by and grab a wrap to go before going to the beach or surfing! Try their peanut butter sauce!
Must-try: The Katsu chicken bowl and poke bowl are amazing!
San Juan Del Sur is truly an unknown paradise when it comes to fresh and locally sourced food, for a fair price. You can experiment different culinary experiences and atmospheres in San Juan del Sur and around the town.
Let us know in the comment section below what are YOUR favorite restaurants and dishes in San Juan del Sur; we’d love to try them out!
- Written by Juliette – Contact her if you’re looking at relocating to San Juan del Sur!
