Restaurants

Three-course, alfresco power lunch, anyone?

By Rebecca Aguilar  | The Tico Times

Caoba Lounge offers a delicious deal in Escazú’s Plaza Tempo

Soi, plantain sandwich

New San José cocktail lounge offers stylish setting, great food

By Lindsay Fendt  | The Tico Times

From the owners of the popular Café de Los Deseos in Barrio Amón, Soi distinguishes itself with classy ambiance and unconventionally tasty appetizers.

Chocolate cake

Dessert Factory has sweet teeth covered

By Rebecca Aguilar  | Special to The Tico Times

Create your own masterpiece at this dessert hub in Curridabat.

Honey wine

Sweet honey wine

Alajuela couple keeps bees and makes mead.

Pecan tartlet

Così makes Costa Rican debut

By Rebecca Aguilar  | Special to The Tico Times

A healthy, tasty fast-food option comes to Multiplaza Escazú

Totopos

Authentic Mexican food in Chepe

By Matt Levin  | The Tico Times

A husband-and-wife pair emigrated from Mexico in 1995 to bring original Mexican cuisine to Costa Rica.

Veggie House

Fresh, healthy fare at Veggie House

By Rebecca Aguilar  | Special to The Tico Times

Veggie House offers organic, gluten free meals right in the middle of busy San Pedro.

Patagonia mixed grill

Argentine cuisine comes to Tamarindo

By Lindsay Fendt  | The Tico Times

A steak house of true Argentinean fashion.

Ojochal

Great food, great times in Ojochal

By Dorothy MacKinnon  | Special to The Tico Times

Thirteen local restaurants served sample dishes from their menus at The Great Culinary Festival.

Smashburger burger

Helpful service, culinary challenges at Smashburger

By Rebecca Aguilar  | Special to The Tico Times

The local Smashburger includes some Tico menu adaptations.

Cafe Liberia

Sophisticated Café Liberia enters the scene

By Dorothy MacKinnon  | Special to The Tico Times

Fresh, French-accented Cuisine at a Liberia Landmark.

Chicken wings

A find in Dominical: The Jolly Roger

By Lindsay Fendt  | The Tico Times

A beer and wings joint in Dominical serves ‘em up right.

Chili's

Bad service, good management at first Costa Rican Chili’s

By Ashley Harrell  | aharrell@ticotimes.net

I worked at three Chili’s in the United States. The one in Escazú doesn’t measure up.

Villa Deevena

An oasis of divine french food in Guanacaste

By Dorothy MacKinnon  | Special to The Tico Times

Friendly and polished service just about 40 minutes from Tamarindo.

Moe's chicken club quesadilla

With Moe’s, finally a real Burrito in Costa Rica

By Matt Levin  | The Tico Times

New restaurant offers authentic Tex-Mex food in Costa Rica.

Turkey

Restaurants to serve up Thanksgiving Meals

By Chris Rey

Where to get your 2012 turkey and stuffing

Burger with feta cheese

The classic hamburger gets classier

Partake in a salad bar for hamburgers at Hamburgesía in Escazú.

Parrillada Macchu Picchu

Old Peruvian favorite still satisfies

By Lindsay Fendt  | The Tico Times

Strong pisco sours and piles of tender sea creatures are highlights at Machu Picchu in San Pedro.

The Lotus Garden

Sushing it up in Puerto Viejo

By Chris Rey

The Lotus Garden provides guests with a relaxing atmosphere, Saki bombs, and more sushi than you can eat.

Meat

Specialty meat: It’s what’s for dinner

A former police officer and dive-shop owner now offers Escazú’s juiciest cuts.

Balcón de Café

Balcón del Café: Where freshness comes first

An Atenas eatery wins for its delicious fare, rich coffee and traditional treats.

Sabor y Arte

Sabor y Arte: Attractive setting, culinary kinks

By Ann Antkiw

A new restaurant in Escazú offers fusion cuisine from Italy, Spain, France and the Pacific Rim.

Vegetarian 2

An urban vegetarian escape

By Vanessa I. Garnica

Jardín del Parque serves up delicious smoothies and healthy, organic fare.

Il Caffe DaVinci 1

New Italian café a palate-pleaser

By Hannah J. Ryan  | The Tico Times

Il Caffe DaVinci features handmade pastas, succulent pork chops, potent espresso and more.

Estación Atocha 2

More than a taste of Spain at Estación Atocha

By Hannah J. Ryan  | The Tico Times

A tapas restaurant in La Sabana brings the best of Spain to Costa Rica.

La Estancia 1

La Estancia Argentina: A San José meat retreat

By Matt Levin  | The Tico Times

Carnivores, meat your next meal.

Le Marché

Gourmet grub at Escazú’s Le Marché Bistro

By Vicky Longland  | Special to The Tico Times

Le Marché offers healthy, appetizing meals in a chic but casual setting.

Cafe Cultura

Fresh Fare, Chai at new Atenas Internet Café

Free Wi-Fi, eggs Benedict and curry chicken pineapple hit the spot at Café Cultura.

Tacobar

A not-so-Tico twist on tacos in Santa Ana

By Ann Antkiw

The recently opened Tacobar serves up tasty, healthy fare and killer fish tacos.

San Gerardo de Dota Valley 1

Feasting through the San Gerardo Valley

By Dorothy MacKinnon  | Special to The Tico Times

Where to find the tastiest breakfasts, the sweetest blackberry juice and the freshest trout in San Gerardo de Dota.

OME

Good eats for the mind and body at Ome

By Clayton R. Norman  | The Tico Times

Fresh ingredients and unique flavor combinations define a meal at Ome.

Heredia Restaurants 1

Dining out: Where to feast in Heredia

By Dorothy MacKinnon  | Special to The Tico Times

A round up of the top restaurants and cafés in Heredia features Italian food, fresh seafood, Caribbean cuisine and more.

Carpe Diem 1

Seize the Italian cuisine at Carpe Diem

By Vicky Longland  | Special to The Tico Times

The former Cerutti restaurant in Escazú has been reinvented with a lounge, VIP area and half-off-appetizers happy hour, while retaining the fine Italian cuisine.

Stan's Irish Pub

Stan’s Irish Pub a refuge for lovers of beer

By Clayton R. Norman  | The Tico Times

Stan’s Irish Pub hosts beer tastings and pairings in the Zapote district.

Pho 2

Pho-nomenal: The only Vietnamese joint in Costa Rica

By Matt Levin  | The Tico Times

A woman from Poland and a man from Canada met in Malta. Now they serve up Vietnamese cuisine in Costa Rica.

BonCafé 1

New bistro offers European-style fare in Escazú

By Vicky Longland  | Special to The Tico Times

BonCafé serves mouthwatering brunches, organic coffee and more in Plaza Natura on the old road to Santa Ana.

100 percent good 1

Restaurant specializes in gluten-free goodness

By Karla Arias Alvarado  | The Tico Times

After striving to formulate delicious gluten-free recipes and a special flour to prepare dishes for her daughter, who has celiac disease, Mayela Quesada used her hard-earned knowledge to open Café-Tal restaurant in the western San José district of Rohrmoser.

Escazú Restaurants 3

Eat your way around the world in Escazú

By Ajita Chowhan  | achowhan@ticotimes.net

EYES ON ESCAZU: Just a few of the countless eateries offering international cuisines in the western San José suburb.

La Dama Juana

Hip vibe, tasty tapas in Los Yoses

By Clayton R. Norman  | The Tico Times

La Damajuana at Casa Yoses in eastern San José isn’t your average hostel restaurant.

Goodfellas Pizzeria

Goodfellas offers slice of New York in Santa Ana

By Ann Antkiw

Three former New Yorkers partnered to open a pizzeria that serves picture-perfect pies with top-notch toppings.

Gokul 3

East-side Indian eatery small but mighty good

By Ann Antkiw

The outdoor Restaurante Gokul serves delicious, authentic Indian vegetarian food at bargain prices in San José’s Barrio Escalante.

Bistro 77 3

San José bistro transports diners to Via Veneto

By Dorothy MacKinnon  | Special to The Tico Times

Barrio Escalante’s Bistro77 lays out a delectable tavola calda and offers excellent coffee, pastries and gelato.

Mil y Una Noche 3

Persian cuisine a delicious draw at airport hotel

By Ann Antkiw

Mil y Una Noche restaurant’s exotic Persian cuisine is a must-try at Hotel Casa Antigua, near the Costa Rican capital’s international airport.

Hoxton 1

New hot spot serves up British pub fare

By Ann Antkiw

Hoxton pub and restaurant in San José’s Barrio Escalante has become a hit with the younger crowd, and offers authentic British pub food.

product-c

Seafood biz opens Avenida Escazú location

By Vicky Longland  | Special to The Tico Times

Since starting small in the Nicoya Peninsula beach community of Malpaís, “product-c” seafood distributor and restaurant has now opened a third location in Escazú’s trendy new commercial center.

Food and Wine 7

Costa Rica wine culture matures, selection expands

By Vicky Longland  | Special to The Tico Times

Oenophiles here can rejoice in a vastly improved selection of vintages and even online sales with delivery.

kakau

Ka’Kau: More than just a cake shop in Escazú

By Matt Levin  | The Tico Times

The baked goods are sweet, but don’t skip straight to dessert; Ka’Kau’s menu also includes mouthwatering main courses.

cereza

Great setting, interesting menu at Kafé Cereza

By Ann Antkiw

A charming, renovated property in Santa Ana is home to this new family establishment offering excellent coffees and a varied menu.

waffle

Tzu Jan offers veggie food for body and soul

By Nate Perkins  | The Tico Times

Delicious meat-free Asian cuisine is the specialty at this highly recommended Escazú eatery.

MYA

Fusion and flair at MYA New World Cuisine

By Ann Antkiw

Squid ceviche, grilled shrimp in spicy jerk sauce and the towering “Napoleón de Arepas” are just a few of the innovative items on the menu at this new eatery in Escazú.

Linguine

New Italian eatery stands up to competition

By Ann Antkiw

D’Amalfi restaurant offers a taste of Italy in San Rafael de Escazú’s Plaza Atlantis.

Little Israel 3

Little Israel opens restaurant in Plaza Laureles

By Ann Antkiw

The long-standing Jewish delicatessen in Plaza Los Laureles recently opened an adjoining restaurant offering highly recommended Middle Eastern cuisine.

Pikeos

Peruvian-Asian fusion eatery opens in Curridabat

By Dominique Farrell  | The Tico Times

Pikeos specializes in appetizers, cocktails and more at Momentum Pinares.

Unikornio

Unikornio: A new way To dine in Santa Ana

By Chrissie Long  | The Tico Times

A night of open bar and all-you-can-eat fine hors d’oeuvres costs $45 per person at the Corteza Amarilla Art Lodge and Spa’s new restaurant.

Búfalo Grill and Market

New eatery specializes in healthy buffalo meat

By Ann Antkiw

OUT ON THE TOWN: The new Búfalo Grill and Market serves and sells lean, Guanacaste-raised buffalo meat.

Caracas Restaurant 1

Caracas in San José: Stuff yourself with arepas

By Matt Levin  | The Tico Times

The restaurant in Costa Rica’s capital adds Tico and international twists to the traditional Venezuelan dish.

Sweet by Bing Feng 2

Santa Ana eatery combines crepes, Vietnamese food

By Ann Antkiw

The recently opened Sweet by Bing Feng serves crepes, gelato and a small selection of Vietnamese cuisine.

Bar Roma Spumante

Aperitivo Time a Hit at New Italian Bistro in San José

By Matt Levin  | The Tico Times

OUT ON THE TOWN: Downtown's Roma Caffè offers Italian classics in an atmosphere representative of Rome

Food and Wine 5

Imported foodstuffs run the gourmet gamut

By Ann Antkiw

From supermarkets to specialty stores, options now abound for shopping for imported food items in Costa Rica.

Casa Peru 2

Casa Peru: Peruvian home cooking in Santa Ana

By Ann Antkiw

Offering delicious, authentic Peruvian cuisine, this private-home-turned-restaurant is a refreshing departure from the west side’s ubiquitous strip-mall eateries.

Tico Food

Traditional Costa Rican ingredients return to Tico tables

By Karla Arias Alvarado  | The Tico Times

A new plan of the Costa Rican Restaurant Chamber aims to create a new Costa Rican gourmet cuisine using often forgotten traditional foods.

Don Wang 2

Chinese-food favorite Don Wang gets face-lift

By Matt Levin  | The Tico Times

The downtown San José restaurant, a longtime favorite with Chinese-food aficionados, now has more seating to match its large menu.

Rocket Grill 2

Rocket Grill flying high in Sabana Sur

By Ann Antkiw

New city sandwich shop Rocket Grill finds success with a simple menu of great sandwiches, soups and salads, at a low price.

M&N Steakhouse 2

Steakhouse has mouths watering in Escazú

By Ann Antkiw

M&N Steakhouse at La Paco commercial center serves a large variety of succulent, high-quality beef cuts, as well as plenty of non-beef options.

Lo Spago 2

Lo Spago serves homemade Italian in Santa Ana

By Dominique Farrell  | The Tico Times

The restaurant and pizzeria offers delicious made-from-scratch pastas, pizzas and specials in a casual setting.

Argenta

Go stuff yourself: Argentine empanadas earn raves

By Ann Antkiw

Argenta in Escazú offers 17 varieties of delectable baked empanadas.