Restaurants:From cheeseburgers to grilled seafood, cafes and restaurants serve up a variety of tasty dishes in the Arenal area. Several steakhouse restaurants line the road from Fortuna to Arenal and feature T-Bone steaks and filet mignon. Travelers on a shoestring budget can dine in one of the inexpensive sodas (small restaurants serving local food) in town. Most upscale hotels have international restaurants with incredible volcano views.
Listed below is a sampling of the many cafes and restaurants in the Arenal area:
La Fortuna:
Don Rufino Bar and Restaurant
Serves an interesting mix of tipico and fusion dishes including tandori chicken, a variety of salads, pastas and steaks. Nice atmosphere and usually packed with travelers on the weekends. Located on Avenida Central.
Pizzeria y Soda La Parada
Features pizza, hamburgers and other fast foods, this soda is usually frequented by Ticos and travelers alike. Located across from the bus stop in central park. Open 24 hours.
Rancho La Cascada
Offers tipico dishes like casados (rice, beans, salad and your choice of meat) and international cuisine. The restaurant's large tee-pee shaped thatched roof makes it a landmark in town. It's also a popular watering hole in the evenings and has a good selection of wines.
Lava Rocks Cafe
Outdoor cafe in the center of town. Serves cheeseburgers, pasta, fish and chicken all at reasonable prices. Open from 7 a.m., they also serve hearty breakfasts.
Choza de Laurel
Located on the main road leading out of town, Choza de Laurel has large, family-style tables and caters to a lot of tour groups. The menu includes both Costa Rican specialties and American favorites like club sandwiches. Portions are large and the place is usually very busy around lunch time.
Las Brasitas
Moderately priced cafe featuring Mexican food. Great fajitas and burritos as well as other Mexican specialties such as tacos al pastor. Open for lunch and dinner and located on Avenida central.
Musmani Bakery and Cafe
A great spot for an afternoon coffee and light snack; this bakery has indoor and outdoor seating. Features empanadas, pastries, doughnuts and sweet rolls.
Restaurante Arenas Steak House
A favorite among locals and travelers, this cowboy-themed steak house serves up both Argentinean and American-style steaks at moderate prices.
La Union and Lake Arenal:
Toad Hall
A 40-minute drive from La Fortuna, Toad Hall is a laid-back cafe that serves sandwiches made on homemade macadamia-focaccia bread and tasty salads using fresh garden greens. Toad Hall is also famous for its melt-in-your-mouth brownies. The restaurant also features an art gallery with folk and indigenous artwork.
Nightlife:Although a hotspot on the tourist trail, La Fortuna's nightlife pales in comparison to that of San Jose or Jacó. Friday and Saturday nights at a couple of spots in town offer partiers the chance to salsa the night away and make new friends.
Volcan Look Disco
Located five kilometers from the town center, this discotheque is the happening party spot on the weekends. The bar has regular DJ's and plays a mixture of Latin and contemporary dance music.
El Vagabondo
Also popular with tourists, this disco is on the smaller side and attracts locals too. Located three kilometers west of town.
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