Fine dining, beach bars, local sodas, and cafes worth your time. Every listing checked against live sources.
San Jose's 11 verified restaurants are led by 3 fine-dining rooms, Bacchus Ristorante, Carne al Fuego by Chef Rafael, and ENSO, plus 2 sushi spots, reflecting the capital's status as the country's most serious fine-dining scene.
Santa Ana
A Mediterranean and Italian fine-dining restaurant in a historic building in central Santa Ana, west of San José. The menu runs to Italian dishes, ceviche, and a notable wine list. It is one of Santa Ana's long-established upscale dining rooms.
Escazú
Mediterranean restaurant in San Rafael de Escazú known for artisanal pizzas, risottos, braised meats, and signature Negroni cocktails, with guest-chef collaborations for brunch and dinner. Open Monday to Wednesday 8am to 10pm, Thursday to Saturday 8am to 1am, and Sunday 8am to 9pm.
Santa Ana
Fire-cooked steakhouse at Santa Ana Town Center from chef Rafael Calderón, blending Argentine and Italian influences with mature, imported beef cuts. Seats up to 90 with free parking for over 150 cars; open Thursday through Saturday, noon to 11pm.
Escazú
Nikkei restaurant in San Rafael de Escazú blending Japanese technique with Peruvian flavor and Costa Rican ingredients, located in the Avenida Escazú shopping center. Hours run Monday through Wednesday 5 to 8:30pm, Thursday to Saturday until 10:30pm, and Sunday noon to 8:30pm.
San José
A specialty coffee and food spot in Barrio Escalante pairing Costa Rican specialty coffee with fresh plates in a designed space. It functions as both a daytime cafe and casual eatery, part of the cluster of cafes that anchor the Barrio Escalante food scene.
San José
Japanese fusion sushi bar and izakaya lounge on Avenida 9 in Barrio Escalante, San José. Known for oversized, crunchy rolls and accessible prices compared to other sushi spots in the neighborhood, with dine-in, takeout, and delivery through its online ordering platform.
San José
Mediterranean-inspired bakery and delicatessen in Barrio Escalante, San José. Chef baker Hasan Yildiz makes ciabatta, baguette, German brotchen, and gluten-free quinoa and chia bread, alongside paninis, salads, gourmet cheeses, and serrano ham.
Escazú
A seafood restaurant and fish market at Avenida Escazu serving fresh-caught fish and shellfish, part of a Costa Rican group built around locally sourced seafood. The menu leans on whole fish and raw bar items. It is a fixture of the Escazú dining scene west of San José.
San José
A contemporary Costa Rican fine-dining restaurant set in an 1895 house in Barrio Amón, led by chef Santiago Fernandez. The flagship is Optica, an eight-course wood-fired tasting menu, and the kitchen also serves a daytime lunch seven days a week. Cooking centers on Costa Rican ingredients taken in unexpected directions.
San José
A restaurant by chef Pablo Bonilla focused on ancestral Costa Rican and Central American cuisine, treating the place as much as a space for teaching as for dining. The kitchen works with indigenous ingredients and techniques tied to the country's culinary traditions. It sits in the Los Yoses area east of central San José.
San José
Costa Rica's best-known soda, founded in 1964 by Bruno and Alice Tapia across from the Museo de Arte Costarricense in La Sabana. Serves classic casados and gallo pinto around the clock on weekends, Monday to Thursday 6am to 2am and Friday through Sunday 24 hours.
Bacchus Ristorante in Santa Ana, Carne al Fuego by Chef Rafael, and ENSO in Escazu are the three verified fine-dining options.
Yes, 2 verified sushi restaurants serve the capital, ENSO and Novoa Sushi.
Franco is a verified cafe in San Jose's Barrio Escalante neighborhood.
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