Lacto
Ovo
International
Costa Rican
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. A 12-room economically-priced hotel in downtown with cafe. Menu offers various local dishes plus veggie sushi, veg curry, salads, fruit smoothies and juices. Ask for your coffee or smoothie to be made with plant milk (like coconut milk). Nightly movies shown. Open Mon-Sun 7:00am-9:00pm. Open Mon-Sun.
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Montezuma Beach, Montezuma, Costa Rica
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- Outdoor seating
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Last update on 01 Apr 2020 by Guest
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29 Reviews
First Review by teal_ocean
sarah.gruenbart
Points +227
Best food in town - Edit
I went there a lot for breakfast, dinner or for a snack. Everything is just so good!!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-06-18
Guest
VeganNatascha
Points +1286
Beste Option für veganes Frühstück - Edit
Zum veganen Frühstücken ist das Sano Banano sicher die beste Option in Montezuma. Es gibt Bowls und ein paar andere Gerichte. Ich hatte eine Bowl und das traditionelle Frühstück, beides war gut. Die Smoothies sind sehr gut!
Read moreIch hatte auch eine Bohnensuppe und die veganen Sandwiches mit Patanones und Avocado, musste etwas nachwürzen, ansonsten war beides gut.
Das Curry mit Gemüse und Tofu kann ich allerdings nicht empfehlen, es war sehr dad und die Soße hatte eine komische Konsistenz.
Updated from previous review on 2024-02-19
Guest
vegan_goddess
Points +49
Beautiful setting, great food - Edit
This place is a real find in a town that doesn't have much vegan food. Vegan and vegetarian items are clearly marked. The food was delicious and their outdoor eating area is beautiful. I had the tofu scramble and the coconut espresso chiller milkshake (both vegan). My husband had the breakfast burrito (vegetarian). We enjoyed both. Friendly service too.
Read morePros: Great food, Friendly service, Nice outdoor patio
Guest
Stargazing.Fairy
Points +333
Beautiful place 🙏 - Edit
Have quite a lot of vegan options and the loveliest garden in the back... They also sell some really good vegan chocolate 🤤 the fried plantanins did lack a bit of seasoning so i added salt but it was still very delicious 🙏☺️
Read moreGuest
JamesFiasco
Points +123
Tasty and big portions - Edit
I had the vegan fajitas and patacones on the side and my wife had the Zuma bowl. Everything was delicious - really great flavours, not too oily and big portions. If you like plantain I really recommend the patacones.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options, Big portions, Nice staff
Guest
RiodePajaros
Points +97
Great for vegan food - Edit
My favorite in Montezuma! I never have to worry about Sano Banano because the vegan options are clearly marked and the staff knows the difference between vegan and vegetarian (which was an issue at other restaurants).
Read moreThe portions are big! And there are gluten free options available.
They also have a list of vegan milkshakes that are delicious.
The staff is so friendly and helpful, making me want to hang out there!
Pros: Lots of vegan options , Staff ensures items are vegan, Healthy food
Guest
Vegeads
Points +393
Would give 5 stars if I could - Edit
They had many vegan options. I got the vegan fajitas which were soooooo good. I'm sad I'm not in Montezuma anymore because I can't get them right now. I'd highly recommend them.
Read moreFor breakfast I had a delicious green smoothie along with the tofu scramble. It may not be what you're expecting by tofu scramble, but it was delicious. It was essentially silken tofu with tomatoes and basil. The flavor was excellent.
Service can be slow, but it's Costa Rica, so I'm not sure what else you'd expect. Everyone was very friendly.
Guest
LeanneSarahThompson
Points +56
Many vegan options! - Edit
Came here for lunch and great to see various vegan options, all clearly labelled. Many more vegetarian options that can also be made vegan too.
Read moreSadly they had no rice paper for the spring rolls, but had the vegetarian Casado and iced latte with their own homemade coconut milk.
Good for meat eaters too and super friendly. Reasonably priced for the Costa Rican typical dishes.
Lovely outdoor area right out at the back.
Guest
VersaceSim
Points +419
Don’t go anywhere else! - Edit
Great food, service and environment! Came back here for lunch and dinner. Selling points:
Read more- amazing service! (Some of the best I’ve had in CR)
- lovely environment and outdoor patio area
- many many options!
- great for vegetarians and vegans! (Meat options also good)
- great drinks
-very reasonable prices-good quality and healthy!
Don’t waste your time and just go here if you are in Montezuma!
Pros: Fast and good service , Many vegan options , Prices are great
Cons: Good for vegetarians, very decent for vegans
Guest
journey.with.jaimie
Points +321
Great food! - Edit
Chill colorful vibe. The menu marked for vegan and vegetarian options. There are a lot! I got the Plantain Bread Sandwich which was so good (who knew you can make plantain into bread slices!?) and the spring rolls which were your basic tasty spring rolls. The sandwich was a huge portion! The banana colada was amazing I could easily of had many more of those... Clearly blended with real bananas. I would happily come back here.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-12-25
Pros: Lots of vegan options, Delish Cocktails, Friendly vibe and service
Guest
soulwash
Points +90
Good for when hungry :) - Edit
The place is good for a quick lunch. I had the tofu scrable and the green bowl. Both dishes were nothing fancy but it got the job done :)
Read morePros: Vegan options labelled, Nice staff
Guest
AndyRolfe
Points +15
Good food, Loved the Art Garden. - Edit
Vegetarian spring rolls for starters were excellent. Fried plantain for main didnt work for me though.
Read moreGuest
JoshFoti
Points +514
Vegan chocolate mousse ! 🥰 - Edit
And other labeled dishes
Read moreGuest
HannahNKGoodwin
Points +269
Yummy vegan options, pricey - Edit
We had a vegan pasta which was AMAZING (coming from a pasta lover and someone a little tired of rice and beans for two weeks). We also had the vegan zuma bowl that was delicious with different flavors. The chocolate banana shakes were also amazing! Our meal ended up around $40 which was a little pricey since it’s a more casual place. That’s what knocked it down a star but honestly most places around the area are.
Read moreGuest
veganphotog
Points +402
Great vibes, great service, tasty options - Edit
Good selection of vegan options for a small town. The Thai coconut curry and spring rolls were both very good. The best part about the place is the vibe - beautiful outdoor garden, fun wooden sculptures, positive uplifting sayings painted throughout the space, an adorable kissing bench and a very kind and friendly wait staff. I didn’t try it, but the vegan chocolate mousse was tempting. And they have the loveliest vegan chocolates available.
Read moreGuest
Sera
Points +35
A relaxing place to eat. - Edit
Lovely garden to sit in. The shakes and smoothies are yummy and the vegan food is clearly marked.
Read morePros: They were happy to adapt a dish for me.
Cons: Small portions.
Guest
Rongie
Points +650
Great Setting, Friendly Service - Edit
The garden setting and friendly staff made this a great lunch spot. We had casodos, patcones, coconut water and coffee, which, even though quite typical of Tico food, was fresh and delicious.
Read morePros: great atmosphere
Guest
cocoholic
Points +356
Best smoothies and chocolate in Montezuma - Edit
I didn't have the chance to eat here because in low season the kitchen closes at 1 pm but they still do super delicious smoothies with homemade coconut milk or just fruits. Their smoothies are quite thick and full of flavours, the best in comparison to other places in Montezuma (like Organico or Ice cream parlor). They also make their own delicious chocolate which tastes very pure and is not sweet at all.
Read morePros: Vegan salads and smoothies, comfy chairs to hang out, garden area
Cons: directly located at noisy road
Guest
KatieBush
Points +3176
really delicious - Edit
The cooks here know what they're doing. My curry didn't look like the image on happy cow (see my upload for reference) but it was really delicious and my coco spiraling drink was also heavenly with the heat. I would definitely eat here again!
Read morePros: in middle of town, clearly labeled vegan options
Cons: need more veggies on my dish!
Guest
gwild
Points +1596
Patacones are amazing - Edit
This place is owned by the same people that own Ylang Ylang.
Read moreThe patacones are unbelievably good. They are also known in other countries as tostones. They are basically smashed plantains that are fried twice. The are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They were served with beans, guacamole and pico de gallo. If they were healthier I would order them every day!
My son had the Casado. It included plantains, avocado, salad, beans and pico de gallo. He liked it and developed a love of plantains.
They have a nice deck in the back that seems far away from the dusty busy montezuma streets.
The total for two meals and a drink was around $20 US.
Pros: Nice deck in back
Guest
veg cookbooks
Points +25
beautiful place - Edit
visited here with a friend, all was up to our expectations, great atmospeher and fantastic staff
Read morePros: fun, great food, super atmosphere
Cons: out of the way, none, none
Guest
megclarity
Points +41
Review for the restaurant, not hotel - Edit
Awesome that there are several items marked on the menu as vegetarian or vegan but it was a bit confusing since some of the dishes were marked as vegetarian when it was pretty obvious that they were vegan as well. Ask questions! I was thrilled to see tofu scramble on a menu in Costa Rica! It was just ok but it could use some more flavor and the tofu should've been pressed since it was a little watery. It was marked as vegan but they included a slice of butter on the toast (it wasn't melted so I just pulled it off). The plantain dish was marked vegetarian but I had a server who spoke English well so I was able to ask a few questions and it was actually vegan (no cheese, sour cream or butter...score!). It was delicious!! My boyfriend got a burrito which he didn't love but it was ok. The backyard garden is really cute and the servers were very nice.
Read moreGuest
happycowgirl
Points +5684
Great Location, Wonderful Vibe - Edit
First, let me admit that I did not stay at the hotel but I'm writing this review because I wished I did. During my 3 days in Montezuma, I ate every single meal at El Sano Banano restaurant because the food was so good! If you stay at their hotel, their delicious breakfasts are included. I got to know many members of the staff during my time here and all were outstanding.
Read moreNot only is the food geared toward vegans and vegetarians, they recycle everything under the sun, there are environmentally themed signs around, the outdoor dining in the rear garden is lovely, the photos at the entrance staircase the the hotel pay homage to the environmental founders and wildlife preservationists of the area. In short, the vibe is amazing.
The rooms at El Sano Banano are very plain and simple. But they're air conditioned! While in Montezuma, I stayed at Agua Vista which is deep in the forest a few miles up the hill. It was phenomenal during the day but miserable at night. Agua Vista has no air conditioning and you can't open the windows at night b/c the coatamundis (raccoon-type animals) break in through the screens not to mention the local robbers who break into hotel rooms at night to steal anything from passports, iPhones to clothes. In sum, the rooms at El Sano Banano might be small, but they're air conditioned, secure and centrally located. You can walk to all the restaurants, the beach, small grocery store, take a cab to the parks, book tour right downstairs and every night there is a free movie with dinner.
Guest
aisawesome
Points +199
vegan fajias = heaven - Edit
Came here I think 3 times while in Montezuma. The waiters were so nice and the service was great. All 3 times I had the same meal because it was SO AMAZING! I thought about trying other things but I just couldn't resist getting this meal again and again because it was so good.
Read morevegan fajitas. one of my favorite meals in all of Costa Rica.
Guest
Pura Vida Pantry
Points +41
Good Food - Edit
Food is good, location is central, they have movie nights which are a blast.
Read moreGuest
pablocollier
Points +66
Just what we expected! - Edit
Went out of our way to drive to Montezuma to eat at Sano Banano! We ordered the Vegetarian fajitas and "Casado". They
Read morewere great....didn't expect anything less.Go!
Pros: neat place, friendly staff
Cons: parking is dubious
Guest
molloy206
Points +91
A must if you're in Montezuma - Edit
El Sano Banano is in the centre of Montezuma and is affiliated with the fantastic Ylang Ylang Beach Resort just further down the beach. Our taxi dropped us off here on the way to Ylang Ylang and we decided to have lunch before heading to the resort.
Read moreThe menu is large with a good amount of veg and vegan options all clearly labelled. The menu has a good variety of traditional Costa Rican dishes and lots of delicious juices and ice-blended teas, lemonades and smoothies. (I'd really recommend the Ice-blended lemonade with ginger for a really refreshing midday drink!)
On the 2 occasions we ate here I had Catacones (fried plaintain patties served with refried beans, salsa and guac). Absolutely delicious! Really fresh and tasty - but the portions are very big! Be warned if you only want a light lunch :)
I also tried the heart of palm salad which came with a delicious basil dressing. My partner had the quesadillas - again he said they were superb but a massive portion!!
The food is very good quality but on the pricey side compared to other places in Montezuma (but worth it when you consider the portions, quality and service) - $15-$20 for entrees and $8-$15 for salads and lighter bites.
The service is imeccably polite and attentive. Seating is either on the porch fronting the bustling main street, at the back under the palm trees (good for iguana spotting!) or inside in their comfortable restaurant.
Definitely try this place if you're in beautiful Montezuma!
Pros: Good food, Attentive Service, Centre of town
Cons: Huge portions, Pricer compared to other places
Guest
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