Restaurants;
Costa Rican
Bread
& Chocolate, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
750-0051
50 m south of post office, Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa
Rica
The take-away line for brownies forms at the gate before
this place opens at 6:30 AM, but stick around and fortify
yourself with a hearty breakfast of cinnamon-oatmeal pancakes,
French toast, or creamy scrambled eggs, washed down with
a cup of French-press coffee. Lunch gives way to jerk chicken,
tomato hummus, and roasted red peppers. Everything is homemade,
right down to the mayonnaise. This is one of several bakery-slash-breakfast-and-lunch
cafés to open in town; the friendly, chatty owners
who park their vegetable oil-powered vehicle out in front
give this place the edge. No credit cards. Closed Mon. and
Tues. No dinner. Breakfast served. Under $5
Chubascos, Volcan Poas National Park
482-2280
1 km/½ mi north of Fraijanes, Volcán Poás
National Park, Costa Rica Amid tall pines and colorful flowers
on the upper slopes of Poás Volcano, this popular
restaurant has a small menu of traditional Tico dishes and
delicious daily specials. Choose from the full selection
of casados and platters of gallos (homemade tortillas with
meat, cheese, or potato fillings). The refrescos (fresh
fruit drinks) are top-drawer, especially the ones made from
locally grown fresas (strawberries) and moras (blackberries)
blended with milk. AE, MC, V. $5 to $10, $10 to $15
Delicias de Mi Tierra, Alajuela
433-8536
1½ km/1 mi west of the Barrio San José church,
Alajuela, Costa Rica The name translates as "Delicacies
of my Land," and tasty and traditional Tico favorites
are in fact served here: arroz con pollo, pozol (corn and
pork soup), casado campesino (stewed beef with rice, beans,
corn, potatoes, and plantains), and chorreada con natilla
(a corn-bread pancake with sour cream). Long wooden tables
and benches are surrounded by cane walls, decorative oxcart
wheels, dried gourds, and tropical plants -- the kind of
decor trying so hard to be traditional that it's anything
but. Ordering a few entraditas (appetizers) is a good way
to sample dishes, as is the parrillada de campo (country
barbecue), a platter with grilled chicken, beef, pork, rice,
beans, fried plantains, and salad, or the larger fiesta
de gallos, a mixed platter of corn tortillas with various
fillings. Closing time is 8 PM. AE, DC, MC, V. Under $5,
$5 to $10
El
Márquez, Santa Elena
645-5918
Across from Banco Nacional, next to Suárez veterinary
clinic, Santa Elena, Costa Rica Seafood is an unexpected
treat up here in the mountains, and it's fresh: the owner
gets shipments up from Puntarenas several times weekly.
The place is nothing fancy; expect plastic tables and chairs,
with lots of local flavor. Portions are big, but prices
aren't. You could have trouble finishing the generous mixed
seafood platter with shrimp, crab, and octopus in a white-wine
sauce, or the jumbo shrimp with a sauce of mushrooms and
heart of palm. MC, V. Closed Sun. $5 to $10
El
Trapiche de Nayo, San Isidro
771-7267
Pan-American Hwy., 6 km/4 mi north of San Isidro, San Isidro,
Costa Rica
This rustic
open-air restaurant with a panoramic valley view serves
the kind of food Ticos eat at turnos (village fund-raising
festivals), including hard-to-find sopa de mondongo (tripe
soup). Easier to stomach are the gallos (do-it-yourself
filled tortillas), which you can stuff with heart of palm,
other root vegetables, and wood-fire-cooked chicken. On
Saturdays, raw sugarcane is pressed in an antique mill and
boiled in huge iron cauldrons to make smooth sobado, a molasses-flavored
fudge. The restrooms -- with seatless toilets -- leave much
to be desired. AE, MC, V. Under $5, $5 to $10
Jaulares,
Volcan Poas National Park
482-2155
2 km/1 mi north of Fraijanes, Volcán Poás
National Park, Costa Rica Named after the jaul, a tree common
in the nearby cloud forest, this spacious restaurant specializes
in grilled meat, though there are also several fish dishes
and chicharrones (deep-fried meaty pork rinds). All the
cooking is done with wood, which adds to the rustic ambience
of terra-cotta floors, bare wooden beams, and sylvan surroundings.
The house specialty, lomito Jaulares (Jaulares tenderloin),
is a strip of grilled meat served with gallo pinto (rice
and beans) and a mild salsa criollo (creole sauce). Though
primarily a lunch spot, Jaulares stays open until midnight
on weekends for concerts -- Latin music on Friday nights
and rock on Saturday nights. Four basic cabinas in back
are an inexpensive overnight option, though you'll need
to reserve them early for concert nights. AE, DC, MC, V.$5
to $10
La Choza de Laurel, La Fortuna
479-9231
100 m northwest of church, or 300 m northwest of church,
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Here's a case
study in what tourism does to a place: tantalizing rotisserie
chicken, the cloves of garlic and bunches of onions still
dangle from the roof and draw in passersby to this old favorite,
open-air Costa Rican-style restaurant a short walk from
the center of town. But the owners have also opened a much
grander, more modern installation two blocks away as well.
The place opens early; it's a great place to grab a hearty
breakfast on your way to the volcano. MC, V.Under $5, $5
to $10
La
Cocina de Leña, San Jose
223-3704
Centro Comercial El Pueblo, Avda. 0, Barrio Tournón,
San José, Costa Rica
The name translates
literally as "firewood kitchen," and it evokes
the age-old Tico style of cooking. Indeed, you'll see bundles
of wood as well as old tools and straw bags hung on walls
to make you feel like you're down on the farm, but rustic
this place is not. Popular Tico dishes such as black-bean
soup, ceviche, tamales, oxtail with cassava, and plantains
are served, and the restaurant has live marimba music several
nights a week during high season. Although the kitchen closes
at 11, you're welcome to stay as long as the band keeps
playing. It is one of the few places that doesn't close
during Holy Week. AE, DC, MC, V. $5 to $10, $10 to $15
La
Colina, San Ramon
445-4956
Highway to Puntarenas, 2 km/1 mi west of San Ramón,
San Ramón, Costa Rica
This roadside
diner, with its requisite plastic chairs, has an eclectic
menu with some typical and some not-so-typical entrées.
Start your meal with a delicious ceviche, moving on to the
famous rice and chicken or, for the more adventurous, lengua
en salsa (tongue in tomato sauce). Meals begin with complimentary
chips and pickled vegetables. AE, DC, MC, V. $5 to $10,
$10 to $15
La
Criollita, San Jose
256-6511
Avda. 7, between Cs. 7 and 9, Barrio Amón, San José,
Costa Rica
Kick off your
day with breakfast at this emerald-green restaurant. Mornings
are the perfect time to snag one of the precious tables
in the back garden, an unexpected refuge from the noise
and traffic of the city. Choose from the americano, with
pancakes and toast; the tico, with bread, fried bananas,
and natilla (sour cream); or the huge criollita, with ham
or pork chops; all have eggs on the side. Workers from nearby
government office buildings begin to pour in late in the
morning, and the lunchtime decibel level increases appreciably.
(This is the one time of day we recommend avoiding the place.)
They filter out about 2 PM and once again you have a quiet
place for coffee and dessert. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun.
No dinner Sat. Breakfast served. Under $5, $5 to $10
La
Garza Bar y Restaurante, Turrialba
556-1073
Northwest corner of the park, Turrialba, Costa Rica
Similar to
La Feria in scope but slightly more atmospheric and with
a bar, La Garza also runs the gamut from hamburgers to chicken,
but has a better seafood selection. (Sorry vegetarians,
"beetsteak" is a misprint.) AE, DC, MC, V. Under
$5, $5 to $10
Las
Brasitas, La Fortuna
479-9819
200 m west of church, La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Chicken turns
over wood on a rotisserie in a brick oven at this pleasant
restaurant on the road heading out of town toward the volcano.
Try the succulent chicken when it ends up in the tasty fajitas
or any of the other ample-size Mexican dishes. Service is
good, and you have your choice of three open-air dining
areas arranged around a garden. Two are secluded and intimate;
the third less so, being closer to the road. MC, V. Under
$5, $5 to $10
Lava
Rocks Café, La Fortuna
479-8039
Across from south side of church, La Fortuna, Costa Rica
A couple of
trendy steps above the average soda in food and atmosphere
(and a bit higher in price), this open-air café has
tasty casados (plates with rice, beans, fried plantains,
and fish, chicken, or meat) and sandwiches, and we love
their rich fruit batidos (milk shakes). MC, V. Under $5,
$5 to $10
Mama's
Place, San Jose
223-2270 or 256-5601
Avda. 1, between Cs. Central and 2, Barrio El Carmen, San
José, Costa Rica
Mama's is a
Costa Rican restaurant with a difference: the owners are
Italian, so in addition to corvina al ajillo (sautéed
with garlic) and other staple Tico fare, they serve homemade
seafood chowder, traditional Italian pastas, and meat dishes
with delicate wine sauces. The brightly decorated coffee
shop opens onto busy Avenida 1; the more subdued dining
room upstairs accommodates the overflow crowd. (You'll see
former Chicago Bears football coach Mike Ditka's autographed
picture up there.) At lunchtime, it's usually packed with
business types drawn to the delicious and inexpensive daily
specials -- choose from the rotating platos del día
(daily specials) with pasta, meat, fish, or poultry -- all
to the accompaniment of ample focaccia. Mama's closes at
7 PM on weeknights. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. No dinner
Sat. Under $5, $5 to $10
Manolo's,
San Jose
221-2041
Avda. Central, between Cs. Central and 2, Barrio La Merced,
San José, Costa Rica
For any San
José dweller, a mention of Manolo's brings their
signature menu item churros con chocolate (fried dough with
hot fudge sauce) to mind. But this 24-hour eatery is also
known for its great sandwiches and espressos. Its location
on the bustling Avenida Central pedestrian thoroughfare
and its outdoor tables allow for some of the city's best
people-watching. Inside, however, the place feels more like
a diner than a café, down to its plastic-coated menu
and its promise of breakfast food at any hour. The owner
always prepares a few Spanish favorites in addition to the
typical Tico fare, such as tortilla española (a thick
potato-and-onion omelet). AE, DC, MC, V. Breakfast served.Under
$5, $5 to $10
Mary
Sombra, Manuel Antonio
777-0003
Across from Cabinas Ramirez, on Playa Espadilla, Manuel
Antonio, Costa Rica
You haven't
been to Manuel Antonio unless you've contemplated the sea
from one of the circular concrete tables in the sand at
Mar y Sombra, one of the area's first enterprises popular
with nationals and internationals alike. The food may not
win any awards, but it's hard to top the view of Playa Espadilla
and the island-studded sea and the decor, a roof of Indian
almond trees and thick lianas draped with moss, ferns, and
orchids. Try a typical gallo pinto at breakfast or casado
for lunch, but the best bet is the fresh dorado and other
seafood. Even if you don't eat, have a drink here, preferably
at sunset. AE, MC, V. Under $5, $5 to $10, $10 to $15
Mercado
Central, San Jose
No phone
Bordered by Avdas. Central and 1 and Cs. 6 and 8, Barrio
La Merced, San José, Costa Rica
A slew of
unnamed sodas populate the heart of the central market.
Grab a quick bite while you shop, and you just might find
yourself rubbing elbows with the president. (He's been known
to dine here.) No credit cards. No dinner; closed Sun. Under
$5
Miss
Junie, Tortuguero
709-8102
150 m north of Paraíso Tropical, Tortuguero village,
Tortuguero, Costa Rica
If Tortuguero
had royalty, it would be Miss Junie, the village's best-known
cook, who continues a tradition started by her mother more
than a half century ago and serves cheap, filling, tasty
food at an open-air restaurant adjoining her home. (Fidel
Castro and Che Guevara were among the early diners here.)
Selection is limited, and it's best to call ahead, but you
can usually count on a chicken, beef, or fish platter with
rice and beans simmered in coconut milk. Your meal includes
a beverage and dessert. No credit cards.Under $5, $5 to
$10
Nuestra
Tierra, San Jose
258-6500
Avda. 2 and C. 15, Barrio La Soledad, San José, Costa
Rica
But for the
traffic zipping by on one of San José's busiest thoroughfares
-- and on that note, opt for a table on the side facing
less busy Calle 15 -- you might think you're out in rural
Santa Ana. Bunches of onions and peppers dangle from the
ceiling, recalling a provincial Tico ranch. The generous
homemade meals are delicious, and the incredibly friendly
wait staff, who epitomize Costa Rican hospitality and dress
in traditional folkloric clothing, prepare your coffee filtered
through the traditional cloth chorreador. The place is open
24 hours, just in case gallo pinto pangs hit at 3 AM. Some
disparage the place as "too touristy." Perhaps
it is, but it's also fun. No credit cards. Breakfast served.
Under $5, $5 to $10
Oky
Grill & Cafe, Heredia
263-6632
From the Automercado in Barva de Heredia, 500 m north, 200
m east, Heredia, Costa Rica
Barva's main
draw is strong Costa Rican flavor, so you may be inclined
to pass by the clean white and green lines of Oky Café
on the way to or from the Museum of Culture. But if you're
hungry, that would be a shame. The large wall canvases and
dark wood tables and chairs give off a European ambience
-- as does the food, overseen by the café's namesake
and owner, Oky María Numez. If you're not up for
the German-style steak or anything in a heavy sauce, asparagus
crepes and an assortment of light sandwiches are delicious
alternatives. There are a generous dessert selection and
an extensive list of shakes and iced coffees. AE, DC, MC,
V. $5 to $10, $10 to $15
Picante,
Playa Ocotal
670-0901
At the beach, Bahía Pez Vela, 1½ km/1 mi south
of Ocotal, Playa Ocotal, Costa Rica
It's hot and
it's tropical and, as the name warns ( picante means "spicy"),
everything here makes your tastebuds tingle. The menu spices
up (literally) local fish and tropical fruits in dishes
like fresh-tuna salade niçoise and grilled mahimahi
with spicy mango sauce. (There's also a milder kids' menu.)
The large terrace restaurant is poolside, facing the gorgeous
beach backed by a cookie-cutter condominium development
at Bahía Pez Vela. The cheap dinette furniture is
out of sync with the innovative food, but you'll forgive
the furniture faux pas when you taste the tart Margarita
Pie or Mango Cobbler. AE, DC, MC, V. $10 to $15
Pizzería
de Johnny, Monteverde
645-5066
Road to Monteverde Reserve, 1½ km/1 mi southeast
of Santa Elena, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Everyone makes
it to this stylish but informal place with candles and white
tablecloths. The Monteverde pizza, with the works, is the
most popular dish, and pastas, sandwiches, and a decent
wine selection round out the menu. MC, V. $5 to $10, $10
to $15
Rancho
la Cascada, La Fortuna
479-9145
Across from northeast corner of Parque Central, La Fortuna,
Costa Rica
You can't
miss its tall, palm-thatch roof in the center of town. The
festive upstairs contains a bar, with large TV, neon signs,
and flashing lights. Downstairs the spacious dining room
-- decorated with foreign flags -- serves basic, midpriced
Costa Rican fare. Its location right in the center of town
makes it a favorite for tour groups. AE, DC, MC, V. $5 to
$10
Restaurant
1910, Volcan Irazu National Park
536-6063
Road to Parque Nacional Volcán Irazú; 300
m north of Cot-Pacayas turnoff, Volcán Irazú
National Park, Costa Rica
Decorated
with vintage photos of turn-of-the-20th-century buildings
and landscapes, this restaurant documents the disastrous
1910 earthquake that rocked this area and all but destroyed
the colonial capital of Cartago. The menu is predominantly
Costa Rican, with such traditional specialties as pozol
(corn and pork soup) and arroz con pollo. One of the less
common dishes is corvina fillet with béarnaise sauce.
AE, MC, V. Under $5, $5 to $10
Restaurant
Su Raza, Dominical
787-0105
Across from San Clemente Grill, main st., Dominical, Costa
Rica
Among the
handful of sodas in town serving typical Costa Rican food,
this one is notable for its whole fish and hearty portions
of seafood served on a wooden veranda that's a great bird-watching
spot. Bring your binoculars, especially if you come just
before sunset or for breakfast. Stick to the desayuno típico
for breakfast, with traditional rice and beans and eggs.
The omelettes are great but they come with limp frozen french
fries, the bane of Tico restaurants today. No credit cards.
Under $5, $5 to $10
Restaurante
Carolina, Puerto Jimenez
735-5185
Main street, center of town, Puerto Jiménez, Costa
Rica
This simple
alfresco restaurant in the heart of Puerto Jiménez
serves decent comida típica (typical food) and reliably
fresh seafood. It's also the central meeting place for every
tourist and foreigner in town, ergo a good place to pick
up information. Don't count on using a credit card, as phone
lines are dodgy. MC, V. Under $5, $5 to $10
Restaurante
La Feria, Turrialba
556-0386
Just west of Hotel Wagelia, at the entrance to town, Turrialba,
Costa Rica
This family-style restaurant has the usual midscale Costa
Rican fare, ranging from fast food to "filet mignon."
Casados and gallo pinto compete with more familiar chicken
and seafood dishes. Even spaghetti is on the menu. A permanent
exhibition of national art and a useful Turrialba-info corner
make this a worthwhile stop. AE, DC, MC, V. Tues. lunch
only. Under $5, $5 to $10
Restaurante
La Yunta, Puntarenas
661-3216
West end of Paseo de los Turistas, 100 m east of Hotel Tioga,
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
This steakhouse
is one of Puntarenas's best restaurants. In a 1928 wooden
building that originally served as a vacation house for
San Jose's upper class, the old-fashioned restaurant is
presided over by mounted ox heads ( la yunta means a yoked
pair of oxen), and has a veranda with a view of the ocean
and of passersby strolling down the Paseo. Its specialty
is churrasco (tenderloin), though its diverse menu includes
seafood dishes like sea bass cooked 10 different ways, and
lobster. The liquor list is impressively long. AE, DC, MC,
V. $10 to $15, $15 to $25
Restaurante
Mar y Luna, Golfito
775-0192
South end of Golfito main street, just north of Hotel Las
Gaviotas, Golfito, Costa Rica
Strings of
buoys, nets, and fishing rods give a nautical air to this
casual terrace restaurant that juts out into Golfito Harbor.
Even after the hottest day, there are cool evening breezes
here and the restaurant's twinkling fairy lights frame a
pleasant harbor view. The seafood-heavy menu includes shrimp
and grilled whole fish. Chicken fillets smothered in a mushroom
sauce and vegetarian dishes are nonfish choices. The quality
varies, depending on who's in the kitchen, but during a
recent visit, the kitchen was in top form. AE, MC, V. Closed
Mon. $5 to $10
Restaurante
Noche Buena, Volcan Irazu National Park
530-8013
At Km 21, road to Parque Nacional Volcán Irazú,
Volcán Irazú National Park, Costa Rica
If you've
raced up Irazú to catch the clear early-morning views,
a late breakfast or early lunch at this bright roadside
stop is a great excuse to linger in the area. Sample typical
gallo pinto, homemade desserts such as tres leches, and
-- not to be missed -- the best fried yuca around. The pale
wood floors and walls have a studied rustic charm, but the
ample, bougainvillea-draped patio is a fresher option; neither
have particularly impressive views. The Costa Rican owner
has added a 3-km (2-mi) trail to waterfalls, and construction
is under way for a museum dedicated to the volcano. AE,
DC, MC, V. Under $5, $5 to $10
Soda
Argey, San Jose
280-1183
200 m south and 100 m west of Automercado, Los Yoses, San
Pedro, Costa Rica
It's really
a bit too upscale to qualify as a typical soda, but you'll
find standard Costa Rican fare here and a rotating selection
of casados. And these folks even deliver. No credit cards.
Closed Sun. No dinner Sat. Under $5
Soda
Colonial, Nicoya
Southeast corner of central park, Nicoya, Costa Rica
One of the
last vestiges of local color in town is this vintage all-day
restaurant with white-adobe walls. Facing the shady central
park, it's a great place to watch small-town life go by.
Sit at a wooden bench in the wainscotted interior and sip
a tamarindo refresco or order hearty portions of typical
Tico food, heavy on the beans and rice. No credit cards.
Under $5
Soda
La Parada, La Fortuna
479-9547
Across from Parque Central and regional bus stop, La Fortuna,
Costa Rica
La Fortuna's
only 24-hour eatery is a convenient place to grab a quick
and cheap meal, and to stock up on snacks for long bus rides.
No credit cards. Breakfast served. Under $5
Soda
La Vasconia, San Jose
223-4857
Avda. 1, between Cs. 3 and 5, Barrio El Carmen, San José,
Costa Rica
Hundreds of
sports photos plaster the wall here in what the owner calls
his museo futbolístico (soccer museum), and the place
draws crowds for that reason as well as the hearty food.
It's one of the few downtown San José sodas to keep
late-night hours. No credit cards. Under $5
Soda
las Veraneras, Tarcoles
637-0418
Near entrance to Tárcoles, Tárcoles, Costa
Rica
This small
and simple tiled-floor eatery serves standard homemade soda
food, like filling casados (plates of rice, beans, salad,
and fish, chicken, or meat). No credit cards.Under $5, $5
to $10
Soda
Tapia, San Jose
222-6734
Sabana Este, San José, Costa Rica
One of San
José's most popular restaurants fronts the east side
of La Sabana park. You can dine outdoors here, but you'll
contend with the traffic noise and the sight of the guard
flagging cars in and out of the tiny parking lot. The place
stays open until 2 AM, and around the clock on weekends.
AE, DC, MC, V. Breakfast served. Under $5, $5 to $10
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