Food in Montañita is cheap and focused on the sea. Ceviche made with freshly caught fish or shrimp is the standard — served with popcorn and toasted maíz in the Ecuadorian way, not the Peruvian style — and the quality is consistently good when the cevicherias are fresh. Grilled fish of the day is the other staple. A full meal at a beachfront stall rarely costs more than a few dollars.
More substantial restaurants are clustered on the main street through town. The international backpacker crowd has generated a few pizza and pasta options that are reliable enough. For the best seafood, look for the places where local fishermen eat rather than the tourist-facing operations on the main drag.