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pizzas a reality. “A lady came from Alaska who knew how to make ovens, so we just de-
cided to make them ourselves.” It may sound easy and matter of fact, but it led to what
locals agree are the best pizzas in town.
Washington state transplant Peter Zobrist says, “I really like the pizza but Cesar the
host is the pearl in this oyster. Nice work all around.”
Vacation rental homeowner Joni Duncan says, “Yum — I enjoy the oven fired Veget-
arian Pizza with bacon and some good conversation with Allan Templeton.”
English teacher and stay-at-home mom Caroline Farley Suarez agrees. “El Wagon al-
ways serves a wonderful meal at a reasonable price. Sloth, monkey and boa sightings are a
plus.” Whoa! Did she say boa? Luckily, snake sightings are extremely rare in Manuel An-
tonio.
This is the second year El Wagon has won for Best Pizza. A highlight of last year's
“BestofManuelAntonio&Quepos”AwardsPartyatBarbaRojawaswhenlocalmusician,
Jeff Duncan, sang “Imagine There's No Pizza,” to Allan on stage (to the tune of John Len-
non's “Imagine”).
Next to the rail car is a large deck surrounded by jungle. The magnificent mosaic floor
reflects the diversity of the treetops above and the sea below. Guests become captivated
trying to identify butterflies and birds or exotic sea creatures such as an octopus. “Doing
the mosaic floor at El Wagon was really fun,” Allan says. It also reflects a little of his eco-
conscious style of business.
Around El Wagon and his other properties you can find wooden furniture that has been
produced by one of Allan's businesses from locally sourced wood. The wood fires that
cook the renowned pizza are similarly fuelled by timber that is recovered from either fallen
trees or those felled for civic works, like the installation of the monkey-friendly insulated
power lines.
“I don't consider that recycling; I consider that taking advantage of left-over stuff!”
Allan laughs, but whichever way you look at it his businesses are both cost effective and
contextually sensitive. Allan supports the local beach trash collection program and feels a
sense of responsibility for the 150 staff he employs in his various ventures.
Since winning Best Pizza last year Allan has worked on consolidating El Wagon's
menu and building consistency across the restaurant. The wood fired pizzas are now avail-
able all day, with extra staff and a commitment to quality. He has worked hard to ensure
that the entire menu reflects the same standard of professional care and commitment that
the pizzas have won acclaim for. But that isn't to say that he is resting on his laurels.
“We've expanded our offerings quite a lot,” he explains. He's experimenting with new
breads and desserts to see if there is a market for them in the area and continues to con-
sider possibilities to engage tourists and locals alike. “If you don't have that urge to create
you probably shouldn't be in business,” he says. “The creative part is the fun part.” He
appreciates El Wagon being recognized for the second year running, but doesn't do it for
