Restaurants
Trip Ideas
- The Best of Costa Rica
- Costa Rica’s Top Spots for WIldlife
- Costa Rica’s Most Beautiful Beaches
- Costa Rica’s Best Beaches for Wildlife
- Best Surfing Beaches in Costa Rica
- Costa Rica’s Unique Retreats & Resorts
- Surf’s Up in Costa Rica
- Off-The-Beaten-Path Eco-Adventures
- Costa Rica Family-Friendly Adventures
- Adrenaline Rush
Recommended restaurants are listed according to location and cuisine type. Many of the best restaurants can be found in the suburb of Escazú, within a 15-minute drive of San José.
Sodas
Sodas—cheap snack bars serving typical Costa Rican fare—are a dime a dozen. They serve “working-class” fare, such as tripe soup, and chicken with rice-and-bean dishes. You can usually fill up for $2–4.
Markets
Within the warren of the Mercado Central (Calles 6/8, Avenidas Central/1, Mon.–Sat.) and adjoining Mercado Borbón (Calle 8, Avenidas 3/5) are stands selling poultry, flowers, meat, fish, medicinal herbs, fresh produce, and coffee.
The Mercado Paso de la Vaca (Avenida 7, Calle 6) is a clean produce market selling everything from fresh herbs to meats; take a taxi and be careful walking around this area.
© Christopher P. Baker from Moon Costa Rica, 8th Edition
Buy Moon Travel Guides
Search
Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.