Cafes and Restaurants in San Juan Del Sur
Thanks for checking out this article. When people are coming to San Juan Del Sur, especially for the first time, they ask for recommendations on what cafes and restaurants I like. So I wanted to do this guide to the places we go to most often.
This list is by no means exhaustive. On Tripadivsor for San Juan Del Sur there are eighty six restaurants listed. Some of them are no longer open, and there are new ones that aren’t on there yet. It’s too many to include them all in a concise manner.There are definitely more that you might like. I’ll try to add some additional options / honourable mentions or one that covers the resto-bars.Which I left off the list for now.
Plenty of those that may warrant another article in the future. Apologies if you are the owner of an establishment in town and your’s isn’t on this list. That’s no slight, there are a lot more great places to eat and drink in town. These ones provide a good place to start and you can explore more from there.
The community in San Juan Del Sur is great. The high ratio of places to eat, drink, work from, and socialize are a major factor in creating that commnity. It’s a major reason why a lot of people end up moving down here, with some of them buying property.
So whether you’re coming down for a visit or looking to stay longer, here are my favourite spots in town. Thanks for reading.
Situated on the on the beach road in the center of town, it’s one of my favourite coffee shops. They roast beans on site, so the coffee is as fresh as you can get. It’s great spot for breakfast, meetings, and if you’re looking for somewhere to post up and work. My go-to’s are the viajero (travellers) breakfast and cappuccino. They also have an on-site bakery store so you can pick up a variety of goodies even if you’re not sitting down in the restaurant.
Located right at the port at the south end of town, it’s my other favourite place for coffee, breakfast, and lunch. Also my go-to spot to work from when I want to get out of the office. The views are unreal. Wrap around outdoor seating gives a wide view of the ocean and town. The cappuccinos are great, breakfasts are hearty, and my favourite lunch there is the crispy fish tacos. An on-site store that sells a lots of harder to find stuff expats like - sporting goods, aquatic items and higher end household goods.
An art themed cafe and restaurant two blocks back from the beach. Coffee, smoothies, and vegetarian & vegan breakfasts and lunch option are on the menu. It’s funky inside and has a cool vibe. They also have art classes for the kids or art-challenged adults like the author of this article. Those are fun for everyone and a glass or two of wine seems to make my art projects look somewhat acceptable. As usual cappuccinos are my favourite and the huevos rancheros are my breakfast of choice.
Seven minutes east of town on the main highway, this cafe and restaurant deserves a visit. Staffed entirely by deaf and / or mute individuals its worth the short drive out. I love their business model, the breakfast and cappuccinos are awesome, and you can learn sign language there if you’re so inclined. They also have a nursery across the street so pick up some plants for your house or flowers for your loving significant other.
Vegetarian restaurant and cafe located a block east of the church. The wide variety of coffee options are great, vibes are super cool, and I like pretty much everything I’ve ever eaten there. It’s popular for breakfast and the remote work crowd. The patio in the back is cool and shaded in the afternoon. So it’s a fun spot for meetings or to get some work done. They also have a skate bowl in the back if you want to bust out your skateboarding skills to work up an appetite.
My favourite of the beachfront restaurants, located right where the main road into town meets the beach road. Service is excellent, and while one of the higher priced options it’s still great value by North American standards. The have a great happy hour menu with tapa style options for a few bucks each. Then for mains I love the lobster with garlic sauce. It’s the best restaurant in town in my opinion.
My favourite burger joint in town. Get the Dale Burger. They also do tasty breakfasts and good coffee. Two and a half blocks up from the beach, the entrance has the white sign and it leads back into a lush terrance and garden area. You wouldn't know how cool and funky it is from the outside. Also a good spot to post up and work. They also do dinner and great drinks.
A San Juan Del Sur institution, run by the eponymous owner, who moved here from France a long time ago. Thus the food standards are commensurately high. The best place in the town for steak. Located two blocks up from the beach. (Also known as El Pollito Pescador which how it shows up in that map link.) My personal choice the filet mignon with blue cheese sauce, or the tomahawk steak if I’m super hungry. Locals and expats both love it. Great for date nights.
The local option of the beachfront restaurants. Another seafood focused diner on the beach. It’s not as formal as El Timon but you can’t beat the prices for seafood on the sand. Just like El Timon I usually go with the lobster and garlic sauce, but the breaded shrimp is bomb too. It can get busy at lunch and dinner time so plan ahead if you are predisposed to getting hangry while you wait.
A real Italian gelato spot, about a block from the beach on the road to the main Church. Perfect for an ice cream post date night for the adults, or anytime if you’ve packing kids. I like the Nutella flavour myself, but then again I can eat Nutella from a jar with spoon.
Heladeria Ebenecer
Local style ice cream right on the beach towards north of the commercial center of town. Prices are great, they have fun stuff for kids, and hammocks and lounge chairs under the palm trees to hang out and work from for yourself and yours truly. They’re locally owned and operated so go support them! I like the mocha ice cream smoothies, and pretty much all the cones. Grab an ice cream, a lounger, and watch the waves roll in.
Thanks for checking out this article. If you’re looking for property in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua, feel free to reach out to me. And please go pop out to visit NiCafe! They are my favourite kind of business, good food and drinks, kind staff, and a great business model.
Cheers 🌴🏖️
Joel Stott-Jess
LifeInNica.com
Cell / WhatsApp: +505 8176 8624
US Number 1 786 753 8743
Skype: joelstottjess
Joel Stott-Jess is a New York Times featured agent / broker in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua.
Originally from Alberta, Canada he has been doing business in Nicaragua since 2014.
An investment consultant, serial entrepreneur, surfer, and outdoor enthusiast he is an expert on the real estate and business markets in Nicaragua. He also operates The Central Investor, a real estate and investment blog focused on the entire Central American region.
