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$$$ | Paseo Colón |
The Hotel Grano de Oro houses one of San José's premier dining destinations: a splendid restaurant wrapped around a lovely indoor patio and bromeliad-filled garden. The garden area is a perfect spot for lunch on a warm day—choose from among a variety of light sandwiches and salads, or opt for dinner in the elegant indoor dining area for dishes like breaded sea bass with orange sauce and macadamia nuts or cerdo en salsa tamarindo (roasted pork in tamarind sauce). An impressive selection of 100-plus wines and a decadent dessert menu—the coffee-cream “Pie Grano de Oro” is the must-try option here—round out the offerings. Although elegance is the word in this grand coffee-plantation-house-turned-hotel, you’ll see everything from diners in business attire to guests in casual garb just back from the hinterlands.
C. 30, Avdas. 2–4, San José, San José, 10102, Costa Rica
Known For
- Elegant hotel setting
- Yummy desserts
- Impressive wine selection
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$$$ | Barrio Escalante |
At one of the capital's trendiest dining spots, the panini and pastas are the standouts, but Kalú's menu incorporates Costa Rican, Thai, and American elements, too. For one of those Americanized touches, try the hambuguesa Kalú, with portobello mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, and hummus. Browse in the adjoining art gallery before or after your meal, or while you wait for your food.
C. 31, Avda. 5, San José, San José, 10101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Pleasant garden setting
- Inventive menu
- Adjoining art gallery for browsing while you wait
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun.
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$$$$ | |
Formal service and traditional sauce-heavy French dishes are part of the experience at this elegant dining room with wicker chairs, tile floors, and original paintings. Start off with saffron ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese and walnuts, and opt for a unique main course like corvina in a pejibaye (peach palm) sauce or hearts of palm and veal chops glazed in a sweet port-wine sauce. The more familiar pato a la naranja (duck à l'orange) gets a tropical twist as pato a la maracuyá (duck in passion fruit).
C. 49, San Pedro, San José, 11501, Costa Rica
Known For
- Duck à l'orange
- Impeccable, formal service
- San José's most elegant restaurant
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat., Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Barrio Amón |
Chef Santiago Fernandez is at the helm of this ambitious and wildly successful exploration of upscale contemporary Costa Rican cuisine. The regularly changing menus use local and organic ingredients (along with fish and meat procured through responsible means) to take diners on a journey into some of the most creative (and delicious) food Costa Rica has to offer. Many dishes also incorporate a whimiscal look into an aspect of Costa Rican history and culture, such as appetizers served under a colorful devil's mask, representing Masquerade Day, a traditional Costa Rican take on Halloween. Downstairs, the darkly alluring bar, Cothnejo Fishy, offers small bites and a fun cocktail menu.
Avda. 11, C. 3A, San José, San José, 10101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Gorgeous setting in a renovated mansion with a plant-filled indoor terrace
- Prix-fixe menus of sustainable fine dining, including wine pairings
- Hip downstairs bar
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.
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$$$ | |
The colorful dining rooms of this converted house evoke Japan, India, China, Indonesia, and Thailand. Start with a powerful Singapore sling (brandy and fruit juices) before trying such treats as Thai shrimp and pineapple curry in coconut milk, Chinese mu shu stir-fry with crepes, Indian samosas, and sushi rolls. The vegetarian menu is extensive. Tin Jo stands out with always-exceptional food, attention to detail, and attentive service that make it, hands down, the country's top Asian restaurant.
C. 11, Avdas. 6–8, San José, San José, 10104, Costa Rica
Known For
- One of Costa Rica's best restaurants
- Impeccable service
- Vegetarian options
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | Barrio Escalante |
The name translates as “with two hands,” and that’s what it takes to handle the monster burgers here. The capital’s best burgers are made from grass-fed beef (except for the veggie and chicken burgers), with inventive toppings such as Caesar salad, mac and cheese, or hash browns. Informality reigns here with a few picnic tables scattered among the more "grown-up" furniture. Commuter trains rumble by during the evening rush hour.
Avda. 3, between Cs. 25--29, San José, San José, 10101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Inventive burger toppings
- Low-carb, vegan, and kosher options available
- Support for the LGBTQ community
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$ | |
Duck into the Teatro Nacional's sumptuous café, off the theater lobby, to sit at a marble table and sip a hazelnut mocha beneath frescoed ceilings. The frescoes are part of an allegory celebrating the 1897 opening of the theater. Coffee runs from $5 to $7, depending on how much alcohol or ice cream is added. Sandwiches and cakes are $6 to $9.
C.3, Avda. 2, San José, San José, 10101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Coffee (with option to add ice cream and alcohol)
- Cake and sandwiches
- Artistic surroundings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. May–Nov.
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$ | Barrio Otoya |
A scant two tables and a small counter are the only seating in this tiny converted garage. But the coffee, harvested from its own plantation in Tarrazú in the Los Santos region, is robust and flavorful, as are the cakes and ice creams. The main branch here in Barrio Otoya has very limited seating. A more spacious outlet operates in Escazú, out in the Central Valley.
Avda. 9, C. 13, San José, San José, 10101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Located in a converted garage, hence the name
- Fruit smoothies served in a jar
- Good selection of cakes and pastries
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$$ | Barrio Otoya |
The upstairs café at this corner restaurant serves meals on a porch, on a garden patio, or in two dining rooms. Try the soup of the day and fresh-baked bread to start; main courses include shrimp in a vegetable cream sauce or lomito en salsa de vino tinto (tenderloin in a red-wine sauce). Save room for the best chocolate cake in town, drizzled with homemade blackberry sauce. Café Mundo is a popular, low-key gay hangout that draws a mixed gay-straight clientele. This is one of the few center-city restaurants with its own parking lot.
C. 15, Avdas. 9–11, San José, San José, 10102, Costa Rica
Known For
- Popular LGBTQ hangout
- Delicious chocolate cake
- Place to see and be seen
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.
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$$ | Barrio Otoya |
The warm and welcoming vibe that exudes from this very cool Barrio Otoya café is only enhanced by the friendly, attentive staff. Diners are a real mix: some chow down on a sumptuous tenderloin, while others stop in for baked goods and coffee, but almost everyone partakes in the all-day brunch, especially on weekends. Stop in for the café’s $24 Work Combo package, which includes breakfast, lunch, a table for your laptop, and free use of Wi-Fi.
Avda. 7, Cs. 11A-15, San José, San José, Costa Rica
Known For
- All-day brunch
- $24 Work Combo package (breakfast, lunch, a table, and Wi-Fi access)
- Rotating art exhibits and live music performances
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$ | Barrio Escalante |
This café blends and roasts its own coffee on-site which pairs well with the cakes and pies on offer. All coffees served here are also for sale in the shop, including samplers of eight different varieties from around the country in individual single-cup sachets.
C. 31, Avda. 5, San José, San José, 10101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Good selection of specialty coffees from around the country
- Knowledgeable baristas
- Only works with small coffee suppliers
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$$ | Barrio Escalante |
The homemade gelato served at Dolce Gelato gives Costa Rica’s ubiquitous Pop’s ice cream chain a run for its money. These folks get adventurous with their flavors: maracuyá (passion fruit) and mango are two popular ones. Eat inside or in the pleasant garden with your gelato on a crepe or get it to go in a waffle cone.
Avda. 3, C. 25--29, San José, San José, 10101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Wide variety of whimsical flavors
- Delicious pies and crepes that incorporate gelato, of course
- Menu options for lactose-intolerant diners
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$$ | |
In a country where "Chinese cuisine" usually means simply white rice and vegetables, Don Wang's authenticity is a treat. Cantonese cuisine is the mainstay, and Don Wang is known for its immensely popular dim sum, called desayuno chino (literally "Chinese breakfast") here. You can order it all day—bearing in mind that this place doesn't open until 11 am.
C. 11, Avdas. 6–8, San José, San José, 10104, Costa Rica
Known For
- All-day dim sum
- Friendly service
- Authentic Cantonese and Szechuan flavors
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$ | Barrio Escalante |
It’s the crepes—salty or sweet—that draw the crowds here. It’s a bright, cheery place with a covered terrace to stop for dessert after an evening out in Barrio Escalante. There are also heavier, main-course items, such as burgers or panini, on the menu if the hunger pangs get to you. The folks here also operate branches in Alajuela and Heredia out in the Central Valley and in Liberia in Guanacaste.
Avda. 7, Cs. 29–31, San José, San José, Costa Rica
Known For
- To-die-for Grand Marnier crepes
- Sampler platters, great for a group
- Attentive service
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$ | Barrio Escalante |
Fashionable Franco serves gourmet beverages made from the country’s premium coffees. Your inner amateur barista may want to check into the slate of coffee workshops offered here.
Avda. 7, Cs. 31–33, San José, San José, 10101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Cool, tree-shaded patio is an oasis in the busy city
- Farm-fresh ingredients from small suppliers
- Informative coffee workshops
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$ | Los Yoses |
We have to admit that Costa Rican baked goods tend toward the dry-as-dust end of the spectrum, but Italian-style bakery Giacomín, near the University of Costa Rica, is an exception—a touch of liqueur added to the batter makes all the difference. Stand European-style at the downstairs espresso bar or take your goodies to the tables and chairs on the upstairs balcony. You'll also find branches in suburban Moravia and Rohrmoser, as well as Escazú, Santa Ana, and Heredia out in the Central Valley.
San José, San José, 11501, Costa Rica
Known For
- Italian-style pastries
- Espresso bar
- Upstairs balcony
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$ | Sabana Norte |
This sleek, modern west-side coffee shop and store is an island of all-Colombian products, both beverage and souvenirs, in Costa Rica. They serve cakes, pastries, and delicious coffee milkshakes. We won’t tell anyone if you go here.
Blvd. Rohrmoser, San José, San José, Costa Rica
Known For
- An island of Colombian coffee in Costa Rica
- Tasty coffee milkshakes
- Lots of coffee and souvenirs---Colombian, of course---for purchase
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$$$ | Paseo Colón |
The vaulted ceilings and a vineyard mural on one wall evoke old Italy at this restaurant serving homemade pastas—spinach cannelloni and linguine with clam sauce are popular dishes. An extensive wine list rounds out the offerings, and service is attentive—the chef makes the rounds to ensure that you’re satisfied. The scant dozen tables mean that reservations are a good idea for dinner. The smallness of the restaurant does create one drawback: it can be difficult to carry on a conversation when things get busy, although that does add to the liveliness of the place. The same owners behind the west-side lodging Suites Cristina also operate L’Olivo. The restaurant is most easily entered from around the corner, however—it's physically separate from the hotel.
San José, San José, 10102, Costa Rica
Known For
- Small dining area
- Lively atmosphere
- Reservations recommended
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations essential
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Kick off your day with a breakfast platter here: the americano (U.S.-style) or the tico (Costa Rican), with eggs, fried plantains, and natilla (sour cream). Snag one of the precious tables in the back garden, an unexpected refuge from noise and traffic, in the morning or late afternoon. The lunchtime decibel level increases markedly with government workers arriving from nearby office buildings (this is the one time of day we recommend avoiding the place.)
Avda. 7, Cs. 7–9, San José, San José, 10101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Crowded lunch spot
- Bargain prices
- Coffee and dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner Sat.
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$$$$ | Barrio Otoya |
Dining here (by advance reservation only) feels as though you’re a guest in a private home, and indeed, the restaurant is located in a converted house that dates back to the 1920s. Main-course offerings at this cozy restaurant rotate, but might include a blanquette de veau (veal ragout) or a daube provençale (a hearty wine-marinated beef stew). A couple of tips: the sign is easy to miss, and credit cards are not accepted.
C. 15, Avda. 9, San José, San José, 10101, Costa Rica
Known For
- Carefully prepared French food
- Impeccable service
- Strict reservation policy
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun., no lunch Sat., No credit cards, Reservations essential
