Vegan
American
Beer/Wine
Take-out
Fusion
Gluten-free
Latin
Costa Rican
Vegan poolside restaurant at Mother Earth Vegan Hotel serving modern, plant-based cuisine accompanied by tropical cocktails and vegan wines. Gluten free options available upon request. Serving an all day menu. Gluten-free options upon request. Est. 2021. Open Mon-Sun 7:30am-10:00pm.
34 Reviews
First Review by kristina929
lizfotoz
Points +64
Delicious - Edit
Upscale vegan hotel and restaurant located in Tamarindo. There are only 2 places that are all vegan to eat around here. This place did not disappoint. The food was tasty! Had the BLT (crunch fried oyster mushroom as the bacon), the tacos 🌮 (oyster mushroom as the protein), lasagna with cashew cream 🤤, and the passion fruit cheesecake. Every single item we ate was a bite of heaven. 😁 The place had a nice ambiance and aesthetics. The staff was friendly and attentive.
Read morePros: Tasty food, Nice ambiance , Lots of options
Cons: A little pricey but reasonable
Guest
VdaVegan
Points +140
Pura Vida - Edit
My first trip to Costa Rica I stayed at this location. I loved everything about it. The best part is that all the food is Vegan. There’s even a sign saying no outside food. Yes, the food can be pricey but the location is perfect and there’s not many vegan options in the area.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-05-15
Pros: 100% Vegan, Fresh Food, Staff is very helpful
Guest
GabiBlue
Points +761
so good - Edit
they have a food truck in el jardín food market with a menu of pesto pasta, chillis fries, burtgers and hot dogs etc. are here twice and both times it was so good!
Read moreGuest
Vegan_Steph
Points +173
Yummy! - Edit
I ate at their food truck on the track park in Tamarindo! Friendly staff, well priced food, nicely presented & most importantly tasty!😄would love to visit the Hotel someday😄
Read moreGuest
tanddveggies
Points +72
Great tacos! - Edit
We tried the buffalo cauliflower tacos and portobello bbq sandwich. Both were great. Will return to try the breakfast burrito. #Veganuary
Read morePros: Great food, Friendly service
Guest
traumfee
Points +312
Overpriced for nothing ... Dont get the good reviews - Edit
we booked through Mr. And Mrs. Smith (which they are officially listed on) for new years. One night was over 820 € for a king sizes bed room and was supposed to include a free yoga class and a post workout smoothie.
Read moreThey first wanted to give us a 2 French bed room (which cost 165 € less on booking). We offered to take the "lower" room when refunded the difference. They didn't want that so changed the room to the one beside it.
Then turns out there was no yoga class and the "post workout smoothie" they gave us was a juice we did not like as it had ginger chunks floating in it.
The lady that did the kitchen that night did not react empathetically to us paying that much after a long trip and for the new year event.
We had a bit of a discount on the food we had at night but it honestly ruined the whole experience.
It was also one of the worst vegan food I ever had. My partner liked the breakfast (included), which was better.
The first lasagna they served was cold inside.
At breakfast one of the breakfast potatoes had tin foil on it. And one dish had cilantro on it even though we ordered it differently.
Overall I would not recommend it AT ALL ... Crazy overpriced and just made to look nice on the internet. There is better vegan food around and much cheaper.
Its also in a weird reside trial area without a proper street.
Cons: Overpriced, Not customer oriented, Poor food quality
Guest
Ann-KathrinBiber
Points +2569
Tasty food - Edit
We stayed here 3 nights, it was a really unorganized team. Nobody heard our ring or knocks at the porch for check in … we had to call via WhatsApp- make sure u have a esim 😂 Needed mostly 30-45 min for our food, we were the only guests for 2 nights. One time the blt-sandwich was totally burned … but they charge around 20-25$ for a sandwich… for this price I expect a perfect sandwich… I tried to love this place so much but it’s hard 🥲
Read moretraumfee
Its a joke
Read moreGuest
Audlane
Points +370
Didn’t quite meet expectations - Edit
I wanted to badly to love this place but it just didn’t quite live up to my high expectations. The smoothie was yummy but they gave it to me with a paper straw that fell apart halfway thru the drink. The fries were yummy but really salty and the blt did not taste at all bacon-y but just very earthy mushrooms. The staff were super sweet and welcoming and my favorite part was the dessert (which they gave me a complimentary sample of) which was chocolate cake that somehow had chocolate ice cream baked in. I will give this place another chance for sure!
Read moreGuest
Ynalíd
Points +38
Mucha expectativa - Edit
Es lindo e importante encontrar un lugar 100% vegano sin embargo el marketing va mucho más allá que la comida y la experiencia. Precios muy altos para la calidad pero bien en general.
Read morePros: 100% vegano, Buen sabor
Cons: Precios elevados para lo que se ofrece, Más marketing que servicio
Guest
Trudie
Points +180
Mother Earth's Food Truck in the Food Truck Park - Edit
We didn't visit the hotel as it was busy hosting a wedding - congratulations to the happy couple!
Read moreInstead, we found the Mother Earth food truck in the Food Truck Park down by the beach.
The food consisted of typical fast food take-out style food - burgers, chips, hotdog etc. Beyond Meat is the chosen seitan. The food was very filling and fresh (cooked to order), and the atmosphere of the park is wonderful, particularly at night with the fairy lights and local musicians providing entertainment.
Friendly staff in the food truck, good food, Tamarindo, what's not to love? Thank you, we will be back if we are fortunate enough to visit again
Guest
theNumberOfTheBeast
Points +4929
Refreshing Lemon Water - Edit
Expensive, American menu items with Beverly Hills price tags in a boujie setting on top of a dusty hill surrounded by barbed wire. I was prepared for Costa Lotta Rica prices but had hoped for interesting pieces that merit spending recklessly on taste pleasure.
Read moreEven though two cancelled connections meant I hadn't eaten anything but sunflower seeds after 48 hours in lousy airports, I couldn't muster up the appetite to order anything from this menu.
Not sure if the beyond meat factory crap set me off or the distinct lack of Latin American cuisine or if everything was just embarrassing priced for a poor pedestrian like myself without pockets full of gold dust.
To say something nice, the lemon water was refreshing after sweating my ass off hiking up the hill with all my crap and other than leaving without losing the equivalent of a week's accommodation budget, it was my favorite part of the experience.
They have opened a food truck at the bottom of the hill selling the same burgers for $12-$15 with fries if you're into beyond meat and saving money.
Pros: plant based
Cons: no indoor seating, exclusive prices for tourists, underwhelming menu
Ann-KathrinBiber
Very pricey… that’s all we thought
Read moreMaddyAnnFrank
🤣🤣🤣 this review made my day
Read moretheNumberOfTheBeast
And your comment made mine! 🙏💚
Read moretraumfee
Nothing short of a ridiculous rip off. Regret every dollar spent there ... You put it nicely
Read moreGuest
KathleenKastner
Points +41
Delicious food and beautiful setting! - Edit
I was excited to go to Costa Rica's only all vegan hotel and restaurant after following them for 2 years on Instagram. The food was delicious and the staff was very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend it!
Read morePros: Personable staff, Delicious food, Beautiful outdoor seating
Guest
ElizabethL1
Points +278
An Enjoyable Experience - Edit
We stayed at the hotel and had all three of the included breakfast options and three dinners at the restaurant. First of all, such a beautiful, peaceful environment. Surrounded by tropical plants, saltwater pool, colorful birds flying by. Very friendly service.
Read moreI enjoyed all of the breakfasts, so fresh and colorful. Both hearty and light options available.
Everything we had for dinner the first night was incredible (mushroom ceviche, pizza, and risotto), - definitely exceeded expectations. The complimentary, delicious homemade bread and pesto dip were a nice bonus. However, the other dinners we had weren't as flavorful and some of the textures were off, especially at that price point. That being said, I would definitely go back. It's a newer restaurant with a lot of potential to be one of the top vegan destinations.
Pros: Love that everything is vegan, Beautiful presentation and atmosphere, Some of the menu items were fantastic
Cons: Really expensive, Some of the menu items could be improved
Guest
ToniaMoore
Points +150
Delicious and Delightful - Edit
I stayed at Mother Earth Vegan Hotel for almost a week and every meal (breakfast every morning and I also had dinner here most nights) was wonderful. The menu is varied and marked by thoughtful, flavorful combinations that feature seasonal local vegetables. The “Tico” breakfast (rice and beans, fresh salsa, mojo onions, plantains, sautéed potatoes, and perfectly ripe avocado) is a don’t-miss! Pure mango or watermelon juice to accompany…
Read moreFor dinner, you can’t really go wrong, but definitely try the cauliflower wings if you like zesty buffalo sauce. Also, the Mother Pizza and the red chili are great. They have a nice assortment of wines (red wine comes chilled in Central America so ask for room temperature if you prefer it that way) and fun, tasty cocktails and mocktails.
The servers are all friendly and helpful, and the setting — sitting out by the hotel’s saltwater pool with its fountain wall trickling softly — is serene.
Pros: Lots of great choices , Eco-conscious business , Pretty surroundings
Cons: None
Guest
sophiee24
Points +716
Loved it! - Edit
The food is fantastic and the staff is always very friendly. Fantastic atmosphere!
Read moreMy favorites are the Mother Pizza, Plant Burger, Mother BLT, Risotto alla funghi and the Pomodoro Pasta with meatballs.
I didn't like the Cauliflower wings, Tuna Sandwich and the crab cakes that much.
Guest
mariamc27
Points +1604
Tasty but overpriced - Edit
Had this on our list to visit for AGES and don’t get me wrong our breakfast was tasty, but definitely over priced for what it is! We had 2 smoothies, 2 coffees, avocado on toast and a sausage omelet that cost $70. Glad I did it but not worth it to come back
Read morePros: All vegan , Tasty food
Cons: Crazy expensive
Guest
aishacandrian
Points +19
Not worth the money - Edit
We spent $140 and I left hungry and nothing was delicious.
Read morePros: Ambiance is very calm and beautiful., Everything is vegan, Gluten free options
Cons: Expensive, Protein option was beyond meat sausage and burger, Food was bland and basic.
Guest
BenjiRenji
Points +67
Delicious and idyllic - Edit
Delicious and idyllic place with a great choice of vegan dishes and great service
Read morePros: Lot's of choices, Great service, Operated with sustainability in mind
Cons: Expensive, Access road is very bumpy
Guest
AnneVegn
Points +35
Complete Disappointment - Edit
On a recent trip to Costa Rica, my wife and I were looking forward to dinner at Mother Earth. We are both vegan--me for 14 years, and her for 13. We both enjoy cooking at home and expect to eat food that inspires us when we eat out. We have had the pleasure of eating at many fine dining vegan establishments--Millennium, Candle 79, and Crossroads Kitchen, to name a few in the U.S. We expected Mother Earth to be of the same caliber dining experience and were sorely mistaken.
Read moreFirst, while the experience itself was dismal (as I'll later explain), I would overlook that if the food was amazing. It was not. The food was unimaginative, uninteresting, and just overall not good. We ordered the mushroom ceviche as an appetizer, and it was laughably bland. It was a cold mushroom salad that was greatly overpriced. The house-made bread was alright but not particularly impressive. The breadsticks were soggy, presumably because of the humidity. The "pesto" provided along with the breadsticks appeared to be olive oil with muddled basil leaves and thus not pesto at all. I ordered the risotto because I can't make it at home effortlessly. I expected and hoped for a plate of creamy mushroom risotto made with arborio rice (as it should be made) and instead got a plate full of non-creamy, regularly-cooked forbidden rice and mushrooms. It tasted fine but not great, and it wasn't a risotto. My wife ordered the crab cakes that came with weird-tasting potatoes. The entire dish tasted so bad that she ate less than half. She *never* does that. No one asked us how our food was or if there was anything wrong when taking away the half-eaten plate.
Second, we had the great misfortune of being seated next to the owner regaling would-be investors or otherwise wealthy people whom she was trying to impress. It was impossible to avoid listening to her, and listening to her was nauseating. She seemed very impressed with herself. She also didn't bother to greet or acknowledge any other guests while showering her table with many dishes. She acted in incredibly poor taste, and it was uncomfortable to witness and experience.
Third, I registered with Happy Cow to leave this review one month later because my disappointment and anger have lingered. I hope to spare anyone else a similar experience.
Fourth, I'm glad we didn't stay there, as it's far from the beach. Our beachfront room was better than the entire place.
Pros: Substantial pour of wine for the cost, Kind staff
Cons: Bland uninspired food any home cook could make, Overpriced, Location is too far from beachfront hotels
Alentia
Thank you for review. Saved me the drive up the mountain.
Read moretraumfee
The part about the owner though hahha ....
Read moreGuest
Cello
Points +453
Simply amazing - Edit
Just great, food was good, nothing special,but tasty
Read morePros: Good choices , Better service , Nice talks with the owner
Cons: Expensive
Guest
ecogirl11
Points +46
Overpriced for what you get - Edit
Love the concept of an all vegan hotel, but this place was super expensive for what you get. We had the rainforest salad ($20) which was a good portion to share between two people and probably the tastiest of what we tried, the Philly cheese steak ($25) which was average, and the mother pizza ($25) also average.
Read moreOther places with vegan and vegetarian options had much more affordable food.
Note the seating is outside so bring bug spray! We were there during the rainy season (June 2022).
Guest
MichaelVRoots
Points +18
Too expensive for what you get - Edit
It cost me $40.59 for pasta and a smoothie. The pasta portion was small and loaded with oil. The taste was okay but definitely not worth the walk or the price. I will not eat here again and cannot recommend it unless that drastically lower the prices.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-05-17
Cons: Far walk from the beach, Too much oil in the pasta
Guest
TorsiDawn
Points +1193
Absolutely incredible, MUST GO! - Edit
I was shocked that I almost missed this place due to some bad happy cow reviews when this is the best vegan place in Costa Rica. The food is absolutely phenomenal, not overpriced at all, and worth every penny. We got the tuna sandwich and BLT and were blown away, and then we got a sample of the pizza and were shocked- we ordered a whole pizza to go. The smoothies were amazing, the dessert was great. Every single thing was a 10/10 . It’s a MUST go if in the area. I wish we came here more!
Read moreToniaMoore
Totally agree with you — I’m sad for these people trying to build a successful vegan business that so many people are dumping on them. The food is absolutely delicious and beautifully presented, and the servers are friendly and helpful.
Read moreGuest
MilaMacDonald
Points +22
Mind-blowing, amazing food! - Edit
We vacationed in Tamarindo this past Winter. The Mother Earth Vegan restaurant was hands down one of the highlights of the whole trip. The food is incredibly delicious, exciting and kept us coming back. The staff is warm and friendly. The atmosphere is lovely and cozy. We highly recommend eating at the Mother Earth Vegan restaurant, whether you are plant based or not - especially if you are not plant based, as you'll be mind blown by the food for sure! The owner of the restaurant made us feel incredibly welcomed, and we can't wait to come back to Tamarindo next year to both eat the Mother Earth's amazing food and see the awesome people that work there!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-04-20
Pros: All vegan, Incredibly delicious!, Dessert … wow!
Guest
JasonWemer
Points +66
An Oasis - Edit
From my IG post:
Read moreThis wasn’t a meal, it was a dining experience… Amazing…
The Philly Cheesesteak was the most surprising and I looked at it a few times almost not believing it was vegan! The process they go to prepare the fresh organic oyster mushrooms takes about 8-9 hours! There is a gluten free option for just about everything. The bun was soft and not crumbly like typical gluten-free bread so that was a pleasant surprise, as well, and glad I tried it!
The Stuffed Portabello was incredible, too! I didn’t have it but hear (directly from Karen lol) that the BLT, Crab Cakes, and Lasagna are specialties, as well. Oh, and just about everything is farm to table.
I don’t think it’s possible to go wrong with ANY of the desserts but Karen would recommend their Cacao Cookie! The kids loved the the lava cake (they were ready to lick the plate 🤣) and I had the crême brûlée ~ it was delicious 🤤 They had just run out of the cookie (prepared daily) so we’ll have it when we come back!
Next… At the table next to us there was a retired food critic and his wife. He was RAVING about how wonderful everything was and how much he loved the MEV concept. I couldn’t agree more. The kids giggled at his expressions of near ecstasy 😌
Last but not least, I hope that anyone visiting is able meet this incredible woman behind it all, Karen. A beautiful soul, incredible stories, someone that has lived, passionate about what she does, and grateful for it all. ❤️✨
I’ll add that one of the reasons we came to Tamarindo was to try the restaurant. Glad we came!
Pros: Vegan, array of cuisine, themed nights, Food was flavorful & visually stunning, Setting is peaceful & beautiful
Cons: More than a comfortable walking dist from beach
Guest
fourguitars
Points +57
Disappointing and pricey - Edit
They are very nice and attentive here. The setting is beautiful. The food is the “vegan copies of meat dishes” type. Everything is very rich and not very refreshing to eat. I think it appeals more to people who are not vegan, or have recently turned that way. It is very expensive: you’ll pay $25 for a sandwich, 30 if you want it GF. They use beyond products for their burgers and their meatballs...Why?? The salad is very rich and costs $20.
Read morePros: All vegan, Beautiful setting, Friendly attentive staff
Cons: Expensive , Too rich
Guest
itsmichaeldiego
Points +1888
Amazing service and tasty food - Edit
Went there during the soft opening, the place was beautiful and the food was great. Had the cauliflower wings; the pesto pasta and the cheesesteak sandwich; all was very good and tasty.
Read moreThe cheesesteak sandwich did not have cheese really though, which was a bit disappointing.
Updated from previous review on 2021-05-28
Pros: Service is great
Cons: Expensive
Guest
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