When traveling to another country it is always nice to feel comfortable when choosing where you will dine, the type of food you’re interested in and of course price, value & service. At www.costaricarestaurants.net we will give you a basic overview of what to expect when dining out in Costa Rica. Where ever you travel in and around the San Jose Central Valley area, you will find a variety of restaurants including many fast food chains found in the US & throughout out Europe. If you want something specific you can find that also. This site will give you a basic Idea of what you will find and a list of restaurants that you can feel assured will provide a good value for your hard earned dollar. You can also visit our featured restaurants section with some photos as well as links to full reviews on these establishments. If you want full reviews of many other restaurants through out Costa Rica, you can visit www.costaricaticas.com and follow the links to the public discussion forum and our restaurant review section.
Restaurants in the Central Valley include everything from rustic mountain lodges to the exceptional eateries in the hills above Escazú. Guanacaste's traditional foods derive from dishes prepared by pre-Columbian Chorotega Indians. Typical fare includes frito guanacasteco (black beans, rice, vegetables, and meat) and arroz de maíz (a kind of corn stew).
Costa Rican specialties include arroz con pollo (chicken with rice), ensalada de palmito (heart-of-palm salad), sopa negra (black-bean soup), and casados (plates of rice, beans, fried plantains, salad, cheese, and fish or meat). Take advantage of the plato del día (plate of the day), an inexpensive lunch special at most restaurants that often includes a main course, fresco natural (fresh fruit drink), soup, and dessert. The most popular fish on Tico menus is corvina, a white flaky fish. Tico food is often mild, but San Jose has a smorgasbord of international restaurants, should you need some variety.
Meat lovers, rejoice: the northwest, whose plains are covered with cattle ranches, produces the country's best steak. On the Nicoya Peninsula, seafood is plentiful: camarones (shrimp), langostinos (a kind of lobster), and a fine variety of fish are served in most restaurants at reasonable prices. Restaurants in Manuel Antonio and Jacó on the Pacific Coast serve some of the best food in Costa Rica: thanks to world-class fishing, seafood is the forte of the area's best chefs.
In San José, wherever you eat, be it a small soda (café) or a sophisticated restaurant, dress is casual. Meals tend to be taken earlier than in other Latin American countries; few restaurants serve past 10pm. Note that 23% is added to all menu prices -- 13% for tax and 10% for service. Because a gratuity is included, there is no need to tip. However, if your service is good, it's nice to add something to the obligatory 10%.

“Meridiano al Este” Steak House!

 

 
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