6 Best Restaurants in Central Valley, Costa Rica

This burst of northern Indian flavor is a surprising treat. Richly swathed in warm fuchsias, red ochers, and golds, the mansion's dining area sprawls through a handful of small, intimate rooms and out to a gazebo in the tree-covered backyard. The price-to-portion ratio is a little high, particularly for North Americans used to good, cheap Indian food, but the sharp tandoori dishes, curries, and biryanis are a welcome vacation from ubiquitous European and American fare. Vegetarians may swoon at the options. Helpful waiters, in black or maroon traditional Punjabi dress, are frank about recommendations.

The Orosi Valley's most scenic and famous lunch stop sits on a coffee plantation overlooking the Cachí Reservoir; it's firmly on the beaten path, which means frequent visits from tour groups. The spacious indoor dining area has a high barrel-tile roof, but the most sought-after tables are out on the tiled, lakeside portico, draped with flowering vines framing gorgeous lake views. The menu has both Costa Rican staples and sophisticated dishes such as corvina guarumos (bass stuffed with mushrooms). Expect a wait on weekends, when diners come from miles around for the gargantuan $25 lunch buffet that ends with delicious, coffee-flavored desserts and the Casona's own coffee, made cup by cup in the old-fashioned Costa Rican way. After lunch, take a stroll down the garden path to the lake or check out the souvenir stands in the parking lot.

The menu here at this upscale countryside spot is predominantly Costa Rican, with such traditional specialties as trucha (trout) and rice with chicken, along with some more sophisticated dishes, like corvina (sea bass) fillet with a coconut-liqueur sauce. The Sunday típico buffet is a great introduction to Costa Rican cooking. Decorated with vintage photos of early-20th-century buildings and landscapes, this upscale restaurant teaches a history lesson of the region. The photos also document the disastrous 1910 earthquake that rocked this area and all but destroyed the colonial capital of Cartago.

Perched on a ridge several miles north of town, El Mirador has a sweeping view of the Central Valley that is impressive by day but more beautiful at dusk and after dark. Get a window table in the dining room, or one on the adjacent porch if it isn't too cool. The menu, which includes lomito (tenderloin) and corvina (sea bass) served with various sauces, and several shrimp and chicken dishes, plays second fiddle to the view; you may want to stop in around sunset for drinks and appetizers instead of dinner. There are at least two other restaurants nearby with similar names and views—this is the one we recommend. It’s on the main road, close to the Buena Vista Hotel.