Vegan's Guide to Tamarindo
Happy Sunday wanderers!
Welcome back to another blogpost. Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting the beachside town of Tamarindo, Costa Rica. I was very impressed with the plethora of vegan options I discovered during my three short days there, so I thought I would share. Tamarindo is fairly built up and large compared to other Costa Rican beach towns so that means there are more restaurants and you guessed it - more vegan options!
The vegan options in Tamarindo include, but definitely are not limited to, what I have listed in this blogpost. Keep reading to get the inside scoop on some amazing offerings including Tamarindo’s premier all vegan restaurant “Pura Vegan.”
Juice Cafe Tamarindo
Acai Bowl 4533₡ / 8 USD
Juice Café is centrally located near Selina Tamarindo, a hip hostel chain. Their acai bowls are totally vegan as they are blended with coconut water! You get to choose 3 toppings from a variety of nuts, fruit, and granola. I went with walnuts, banana, and their delicious grain-free vegan granola that added the perfect cinnamon-y crunch. As an added bonus, Juice Café also neighbors an organic market called Pimienta Verde, where you can find some specialty vegan grocery products.
Rating 10/10
Ginger Shot 2833₡ / 5 USD & Chocolate Chip Cookie 1133₡ / 2 USD
In addition to acia bowls, they also have fresh pressed juice and vegan baked goods. I chose a ginger shot in an attempt to nurse my hangover and I also picked up a chocolate chip cookie. The cookie was fresh baked and had a coconut flavor which was a nice touch.
Rating 8/10
Vegan Burg.
Vegan Burger 3000₡ / $5.28
Vegan Burg. can be found at the Tamarindo Night market every Thursday on Central Ave as well as the Saturday morning market! Their menu was simple and straight to the point, vegan burgers and burritos. The burgers include handmade bread, lettuce, tomato and a choice of patty and sauce. I went with the lentil burger patty and chili dulce sauce and they prepared it right in front of my eyes.
The food was delicious, yet not complex in flavor. It provided the perfect amount of heartiness and carbs to balance out my kombucha cocktails.
I would highly recommend checking it out and as an added bonus the staff is super friendly!
Rating 7/10
Pura Vegan
Pad Thai 5,300₡ / 9.33 USD
“Thin flat rice noodles, stir fried in a tangy, sweet tamarind sauce. Served with marinated chickpeas, lime.”
This Pad Thai was to die for. The marinated chickpeas and tamarind sauce added and amazing diversity to the dish. It was unlike any Pad Thai I have had before in a good way!
Rating 10/10
Vegan Burrito 4,000₡ / 7.04 USD
“Seasoned Soy ground, black beans, rice, tomatoes/avocado, Chipotle burrito sauce, vegan queso.”
The burrito was basic, but delicous. I wish there was more soy ground and less gallo pinto so I would recommend asking for extra soy ground. Also, I added their cashew sour cream on the side for a bit of extra flavor and flair.
Rating 7/10
“Pura Vegan is Tamarindo's only all vegan restaurant. Serving delicious classic comfort dishes, Thai and fusion food.”
View Pura Vegan’s full menu here.
I hope you enjoyed my Vegan Guide to Tamarindo. Any recommendations to add to the list? Comment below?
Wander often & Wonder always,
