Your Trip to Costa Rica: The Complete Guide SEE FULL GUIDE prev next Nightlife in San Jose Best Time to Visit Weather & Climate Juan Santamaría International Airport Guide Top Destinations in Costa Rica Top Resorts in Costa Rica Best Honeymoon Resorts Complete Guide to San Jose Costa Rica's Islands Day Trips From San Jose 48 Hours in San Jose Top Things to Do in Costa Rica Adventurous Things to Do Top Hikes Best Diving Sites Best Beaches Top Things to Do in San Jose Food to Try in Costa Rica Best Restaurants in San Jose Your Trip to Costa Rica: The Complete Guide close Overview Central & South America Costa Rica The Best 15 Restaurants in San Jose By Sunny Fitzgerald Updated on 02/25/20 You might not have heard much about Costa Rican cuisine, but don’t let the lack of international fame fool you: The dining scene in San José is incredibly diverse and ever-evolving. In Costa Rica’s capital, you can eat alongside locals in a traditional soda, graze from the food stalls at farmers' markets and open-air food courts, sample both indigenous and contemporary Costa Rican cuisine, snack on late-night bites, feast on farm-to-fork fare, and even eat a multi-course “Coffee Connoisseurs” meal. Here are just 15 of the best restaurants in San José, Costa Rica. 01 of 15 Best for Coffee Lovers: El Tigre Vestido Courtesy of Restaurant El Tigre Vestido & Cafetería El Búho View Map Address Hotel Finca Rosa Blanca Dentro de Hotel Finca Rosa Blanca Heredia, Heredia, Santa Bárbara, 40404, Costa Rica Get directions Phone +506 2269 9555 Web Visit website If a meal that incorporates coffee with every course sounds like your dream, head to El Tigre Vestido. This open-air restaurant at the Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation Resort is the only place in Costa Rica where you can eat a multiple-course, coffee-inspired meal. And what’s more, the coffee used in each dish is organic and grown on-site, so you can truly get a taste of place. If you are staying at the resort plantation, you can take a guided walk through the plantation and learn more about the history and culture of coffee in Costa Rica. 02 of 15 Indigenous Flavor: Sikwa View Map Address C. 41, San José, Los Yoses, Costa Rica Get directions Phone +506 7093 1662 Web Visit website In bringing ancient flavors to the newly developing Barrio Escalante neighborhood, Chef Pablo Bonilla and his team at Sikwa are serving something new: indigenous recipes in a modern setting. You get more than a meal here; the team explains each dish as it’s delivered to the table, so you’ve got food for thought and sustenance. Try the “Cocina Ancestral” tasting menu, a chef-selected, six-course meal representing indigenous recipes that change with the seasons. 03 of 15 Best Comida Tipica: Soda Tala View Map Address Mercado central de San José, Av. Central, San José, Paso De La Vaca, Costa Rica Get directions Phone +506 2255 3794 A Costa Rican soda—a small, local-style restaurant—is the best place to sample comida típica (typical or traditional food). And the Central Market, a historic establishment in the heart of the city, is a great place to start. Eat a Tico-style breakfast of Tala Pinto, a homemade corn tortilla topped with gallo pinto (Costa Rican rice and beans), egg, and fried cheese. Or try a casado (combo plate usually made up of rice, beans, salad, tortilla, and a meat or fish option) for lunch at Soda Tala. Food arrives quickly, prices are affordable, and, as you can see from the locals sitting beside you, this is less of a tourist spot and more of a well-loved, local institution. 04 of 15 Contemporary Costa Rican Cuisine: Restaurante Silvestre View Map Address 955 Downtown, C. 3A, San José, Amón, 10101, Costa Rica Get directions Phone +506 2221 2465 Web Visit website Restaurante Silvestre takes great care in choosing ingredients and creating dishes with distinctly Costa Rican flavors and elegant presentation. You’ll find organic produce and sustainably-sourced seafood, queso from local farms, cacao from Talamanca, vanilla from Osa, and an evolving menu that reflects products that are available each season. If you’re looking for a taste of Costa Rica in a sophisticated yet unpretentious setting, this is the place. Continue to 5 of 15 below. 05 of 15 Crowd-Pleaser: Feria Verde This is not one individual restaurant: It’s a farmer's market that includes a collection of food stalls serving up organic and freshly made eats. You can choose typical Costa Rican dishes, such as gallos (corn tortillas topped with chopped ingredients, cheese, and egg or meat), or opt for international foods like falafel. There are also plenty of beverages to choose from, including kombucha, artisanal sodas with hints of hibiscus, and organic Costa Rican coffee. Whether you’re flying solo or you’ve got a group of friends with varying tastes, Feria Verde's abundant options and casual setting make it a crowd-pleaser. Open at the Sport Center in Aranjuez on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and in Ciudad Colon on Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. 06 of 15 Best Craft Beer Pairing: Apotecario Courtesy of Apotecario View Map Address 300m Este de la Iglesia de Santa Teresita, San José, Barrio Escalante, 10101, Costa Rica Get directions Phone +506 8891 0112 Web Visit website When the owners of Calle Cimarrona, Costa Rica’s first microbrewery, wanted to meet their customers and serve them high quality, locally-sourced food paired with beer, Apotecario was born. The team here can help you choose a beer that suits your tastes and your appetite. Apotecario’s menu features artisanal bar food and salads made fresh from Apotecario’s own garden. This restaurant is popular with urban locals, so call ahead for reservations. 07 of 15 Open-Air Food Court: El Jardín de Lolita View Map Address 50 m Este del costado Sur de la Antigua Aduana, San José, Barrrio Escalante, La California, 10101, Costa Rica Get directions Web Visit website If food stalls are your style, you’ll love the casual vibe and quick-but-quality eats at El Jardín de Lolita. This open-air food court’s options include burgers, pizzas, and Japanese fare—some of which is prepared and served from shipping containers. Be sure to walk all the way to the back where you’ll find picnic tables, stone walkways, shrubbery, and twinkling lights strung from the trees, creating the feeling you’ve been invited to a backyard barbecue. 08 of 15 Best Asian Food: Tin Jo View Map Address Calle 11, between Avs. 6 and 8, C. 11, San José Province, San Jose, Costa Rica, Soledad, Costa Rica Get directions Phone +506 2221 7605 Web Visit website If you’ve had your fill of local foods, Tin Jo will transport you to a land far, far away. This popular restaurant is all about Asian flavors: Japanese miso soup, Thai papaya salad, Vietnamese spring rolls, Indian curry, and more. Let’s be honest, lack of focus on one country’s cuisine can result in mediocre food—but Tin Jo consistently delivers flavorful dishes, and also caters to vegetarians and gluten-free folks. Continue to 9 of 15 below. 09 of 15 Celiac, Dairy-Free, and Vegan-Friendly: Café Rojo View Map Address Av. 7, San José, Amón, 10101, Costa Rica Get directions Phone +506 2221 2425 Web Visit website Traveling with food restrictions can be a challenge. Café Rojo makes it easier with simple and wholesome Vietnamese-inspired cuisine that includes a version of Costa Rican casado. Although this is not a completely dairy-free, gluten-free, or vegan environment, the staff takes care to guide diners to suitable menu items. Portions are large, prices are fair, and the food is of high quality. 10 of 15 Eat Well and Do Good: Restaurante Grano de Oro View Map Address WWM4+CQQ, Calle 30, San José, San Bosco, 10101, Costa Rica Get directions Phone +506 2255 3322 Web Visit website When you eat in this elegant, colonial-style restaurant, you can enjoy European, French, and Latin American cuisine while contributing to a social cause. Grano de Oro supports Casa Luz, a home that supports adolescent women (and their children) during their teen years and after the age of 18. Ingredients for Restaurante Grano de Oro are sustainably-sourced and include local, aged gouda cheese, organic heart of palm, and in-house aged Costa Rican beef. 11 of 15 Traditional Charm: La Esquinita de JM View Map Address San José Province, San José, Otoya, 10101, Costa Rica Get directions Phone +506 7108 9178 Web Visit website Wonder what it’s like to eat in a traditional Costa Rican home? You can get a taste of it at La Esquinita de JM. From the color palette to the mismatched chairs and Catholic décor, the owners have considered the details that make a house—or, rather, a restaurant—feel like a home. You’ll find traditional dishes on the menu such as arroz de la abuela (grandmother’s rice) and olla de carne (beef stew). Order a coffee and watch as it’s poured the Costa Rican way, through the chorreador. 12 of 15 Late-Night Munchie Bite: Melted Grilled Cheese Bar View Map Melted has mastered the grilled cheese sandwich. And they didn’t stop there: You’ll find other late-night bites such as poutine fries and S'mores on the menu as well. Each grilled cheese is served with tomato soup, pickles, and chips, and you can choose additional ingredients such as pulled pork for your sandwich. Pair your meal with a Black Margarita made with activated charcoal—it’s all about balance, right? Melted stays open until 12 a.m. on the weekends and is one of several eateries in the recently-opened Amor de Barrio. Continue to 13 of 15 below. 13 of 15 All Day, Every Day: The Market at InterContinental Hotel View Map Address In Front Of Multiplaza Shopping Center Escazu, San José Province, San José, 10202, Costa Rica Get directions Phone +506 2208 2100 Web Visit website If you arrive at an odd hour or your stomach is rumbling late at night, you may not find many restaurants open. The Market at the InterContinental Hotel welcomes diners 24 hours a day with high-quality food—including build-your-own pizzas, salads, and gourmet burgers—in a relaxed setting. 14 of 15 Farm-to-Fork: al mercat View Map Address Tirrases, Curridabat. Del Pali 50 este, 250 norte Porton de malla, San José, 11801, Costa Rica Get directions A true reflection of Chef Jose Gonzalez’s commitment to showcasing the best of Costa Rican-grown ingredients, al mercat offers a daily menu that changes depending on what ingredients are available. Favorites include sweet potato gnocchi, pork rinds with handmade corn tortillas, and papaya salad. al mercat’s farm is just six miles from the restaurant and farm tours can be arranged. 15 of 15 Best Views: Mirador Tiquicia Courtesy of Mirador Tiquicia View Map Address Bebedero, San José, San Antonio, Bebedero, Costa Rica Get directions Phone +506 2289 7330 Web Visit website Rise above the noise and crowds of San José at Mirador Tiquicia. The hill-top location in Escazú affords unobstructed panoramic views over the city. The menu includes typical Costa Rican dishes like patacones (fried, mashed plantains), casado, arroz con pollo (rice with chicken), and gallos. The décor is rustic, the food is simple and hearty, and the setting is casual and welcoming. Come on Friday or Saturday for live music. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Tell us why! Submit