2 Best Restaurants in Poas Volcano National Park, Central Valley

Fresas means "strawberries," and they’re the star at this rustic wooden place on the way to the volcano. They end up on your corn pancakes, in juices, as desserts, or as sides to the variety of típico dishes here. Gallo pinto (rice and beans) is on the menu for breakfast, of course. Hearty olla de carne and sopa de pozol—meat and bean soups, respectively, make for filling lunches. A good, economical bet is the casado lunch special, a Costa Rican specialty of meat, rice, beans, and salad.

Dine amid tall pines and colorful flowers on the upper slopes of Poás Volcano. There’s a small menu of traditional tico dishes that includes platters of gallos (homemade tortillas with meat, cheese, or potato filling) as well as delicious daily specials. The refrescos (fresh fruit drinks) are top-drawer, especially the ones made from locally grown fresas (strawberries) and moras (blackberries) blended with milk.