San Jose Restaurants

1. Shakti

The baskets of fruit and vegetables at the entrance and the wall of herbal teas, health-food books, and fresh herbs for sale by the register signal that you're in a vegetarian-friendly joint. The bright and airy macrobiotic restaurant serves homemade bread, soy burgers, pita sandwiches (veggie or chicken), fruit shakes, and a hearty plato del día that comes with soup, green salad, and a beverage. The ensalada mixta is a meal in itself, packed with root vegetables native to Costa Rica. Shakti is an oasis in a mostly meat-loving country and is worth the detour a few blocks south of the standard tourist path.