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Province of San Jose, Costa Rica Food Guide: 5 South American food Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in San Carlos
Find out what South American restaurants to try in San Carlos including Bar Zambra, Cafe Agua Azul, El Mirador Bar & Restaurant, La Fonda del Alto, Tierra Gaucha Parrilla Argentina
Things to do in San Carlos
1. Bar Zambra
Overall Ratings
5 based on 212 reviews
The Zambra lobby bar provides the perfect place to relax, featuring martinis, cocktails, sangria and a light tapas menu with live music.
Reviewed By Brunoavalon
I stayed in this hotel for a week and I spend hours everyday at the Zambra Bar because the environment is great, live music every night, you just can't beat that, bartenders treat you like family. Shout out's go to Jonathan, Randall, Chris, Javi, Maureen, Marianella and Anna. Great staff!! Drinks were spot on!! Thanks y'all for making it a really nice experience.Dear Bruno,Thank you for taking the time to share with us your comments. It´s a pleasure you enjoyed the experience of Zambra, we´re glad the service you received was excellent. Forward to welcome you soon.Best regards,Ricardo Menendez,General Manager.
Where to eat Indian food in San Carlos: The Best Restaurants and Bars
2. Cafe Agua Azul
Overall Ratings
4 based on 2550 reviews
Reviewed By W131QZalik
My husband and I recently spent 3 nights in Manuel Antonio and ended up at Cafe Agua Azul twice. There were so many different options on the menu that we wanted to try that we ended up going back. The food and service was excellent both times.
Best Bar food near San Carlos, Province of San Jose, Costa Rica
3. El Mirador Bar & Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 325 reviews
El Mirador Restaurant is located near Arenas del Mar's reception area and pool, overlooking Espadilla Beach, Manuel Antonio National Park, and the Pacific Ocean. El Miradorâwhich means âthe viewpointâ in Spanishâhas an open air, covered interior dining ar
Reviewed By danielle1234552
Great food. Very fresh. Great service and nice atmosphere. If going to the restaurant. and you are staying at a different hotel, they provided us transportation from the restaurant to our hotel.
Best Seafood food near San Carlos, Province of San Jose, Costa Rica
4. La Fonda del Alto
Overall Ratings
5 based on 54 reviews
The "Fonda Del Alto" is a Latin American food rural restaurant, staffed by its owners and served in three courses, the fourth course is a dessert courtesy of the house. It is a small restaurant of Costa Rican and Latin American food with fresh and local p
Reviewed By VacationHoliday
Name of the tour: Booked via âViatorâ-5-Day Caribbean Biking and Whitewater Rafting Adventure (Costa Rica) on Viator (I was asked to leave a review here) Let me start by saying this was a once in a lifetime experience, the trip is local, the people you meet are exceptional and the experience âpricelessâ. The journey started with pick up from our hotel outside of San Jose, where we were greeted by our super energetic tour guide âDiegoâ AlvGamb, and then by the best driver in San Jose, âMiguelâ Alberto Zuñiga Baldizon and within a few minutes we loaded our bags into the car and we were off. We drove about 16 miles outside of the capital and began riding the bikes a few miles outside of Cartago, our first stop in Cartago was the Basilica of our ladies of the Angels, Diego will walk you through the history and its significance to the community and people in the area. From here we biked over to the Orosi, Chruch.You feel the serenity as you walk through the front opening, Orosi church and its courtyard holds so much history. A nice break after riding a bit. Again, Diego does a great job explaining its history. After, we then biked through the town of Orosi and stopped to watch a football (soccer) game that the locals were playing, what a great travel experience. From there we biked a few more miles and stopped to load the bikes on the car and drove the rest of the way to the first lodge located in Jimenez, called âLa Fonda Del Altoâ. Here we were greeted by a daughter and mom (Rosi) duo, who instantly welcome you and make you feel like part of the family. Rosi and her daughter prepared a super tasty and beautifully presented 4 course meal, which started with a root soup (delicious), a selection of delicious âlocalâ cheese, for the main course, a vegetable and fish dish (yum) and ended it with a home made bon-bon type of desert, which consisted of ice cream filling surrounded by a shell of âlocalâ chocolate with a warm buttery topping that makes the shell explode, simulating the beautiful âslightly activeâ volcanoes that surround the area, what a treat. Following great conversation, food and some drinks, we settled in for the night. In the morning, we were greeted with a traditional Costa Rican breakfast. After breakfast, we had some time to walk the grounds, from there we packed up, and set out on the bikes. Since the lodge is located âupâ in the mountain, we started biking with a downhill adventure and it was awesome, we then biked through some valleys with cocoa plants. We then visited lake Cachi, where we got the privilege of seeing the Hydroelectric Power Station, what an exceptional site in the surrounding environment. Following the hydro electric station, we biked a mile or 2 and met our driver âMiguelâ to have some local tailgate eats that included exotic fruits, chocolates and drinks in the best location, the side of the road with spectacular views. I want to point out for those who are wondering, the driver, in the case, Miguel, drives with the group the entire time while riding, you will always have the option of loading your bike on top of the car and driving with him if needed, and your packs are in the car. Following the tailgate eats, we biked to a nearby town located in or around Cartago Province, Turrialba, where we relaxed and took in part of a local soccer game and tried more exotic fruit, this is a travel moment, being with locals, cheering and just enjoying. From this quaint town, we rode through some fun valleys and peaks to a river bank where we jumped off the bikes, climbed down to the river and started stacking rocks, making rock towers, skipping stones, and jumping into the water if wanted, another awesome travel moment. You donât know whatâs going to happen, you just go with it and having people with the spirit and energy of Miguel and Diego with you, helps you just do something without thinking about, so jump in, throw stones, build towers and compete in a fun enjoyable way. We (my husband and I) cannot thank Diego and Miguel taking us to this special location, itâs a memory to last a lifetime. We then biked to an area near Turrialba, which is a beautiful town put on the map for making delicious wonderfully flavored cheese, where we stopped off at a local bar/restaurant that overlooks Turrialba, got some drinks, tried a plate of plantains siting in locally made honey topped with âTurrialbaâ cheese, another delicious treat. At this point the sun went down, so we said thanks and good byeâs, loaded our bikes on the car and headed to the Guaybo Lodge, where we spent one night, located on the slopes of the Turrialba volcano, the morning offers a breathtaking views. We then loaded into the car and headed towards the Paquette River. As if this trip couldnât get any better, when we reached the Paquette River, we met with another guide, Carlos, who provided instruction on what to do on the river, and explained that there would be another guide in a kayak heading down the river with us, and that we would be rafting through 3 and 4 class rapids. We also learned about the training and level of expertise these guides have to go through, the training is intense and ongoing. After the instruction and explanation, the 4 of us loaded into a raft and began the 4 hour journey down river. A once in a lifetime experience, the scenery, learning about different tree species, the excitement of the rapids, and a feeling of happy. Sometimes your slowly moving viewing the surrounding landscape, jumping in for a swim, then your pulled back into the raft and your paddling through a rapid. After a couple hours we stopped off on bank for another surprise, lunch located on a eco friendly lodge with screened cabins and tents. As the guides proceeded to make us a beautiful lunch in an unexpecting fully loaded outdoor kitchen, we took off with our imagination and camera in hand, walking the grounds filled with frogs, butterflies, flowers and more, when they let us know the food was ready, we just wanted to stay out âplayingâ. After some delicious food and refreshing drinks we headed back the raft and started paddling. This experience was amazing, and the guides exceptional. Following the rafting, we headed towards the village of Cahuita, located on Costa Ricaâs Caribbean coast (near the border with Panama). After checking into the Cahuita Inn, we went to a local spot for dinner and enjoyed people watching and walking around. In the morning, we went on a 3+ hour chocolate tour, at âCacao-tailsâ, this tour is local and friendly, a must do in the area, as a bonus, we got to see some sloths sitting/hanging from the trees. Following the chocolate tour, we stopped off at a very local beach front spot for some much desired drinks and local food, we chilled here with Diego and Miguel as the sun went down, after, we found ourselves walking the downtown and reflecting on what an awesome trip this has been. The next morning, we stopped at a sloth sanctuary, we did not have enough time to do the 2+ hour tour so we checked out some of the sites, loaded in the car, gave thanks and said our goodbyeâs to our amazing tour guide Diego and headed off to the pacific side with Miguel (the driver). On the drive to the pacific side of Costa Rica, Miguel stopped to show us a few sites, as we drove through the Limon (which is a cruise port), stopped in the town of Jaco, here we took in fantastic scenery, on to Quepos, Barrita and then onto Manuel Antonio, where we reached our hotel, gave thanks Miguel and said our thankful goodbye. Miguel and Diego, you are both amazing and we hope to see you both on a future trip, thank you for both for everything, you made our trip the special, and we thank you from the bottom of our heart.
5. Tierra Gaucha Parrilla Argentina
Overall Ratings
4 based on 479 reviews
Argentina restaurant and grill with good taste and Argentine style.
Reviewed By MS06
We so enjoyed our meal on our first night in Costa Rica that we returned when we were back in San Jose. The rump steak was excellent - really flavorful - and prices were reasonable. There were a variety of size steaks which is perfect if you don't have a huge appetite. The service was fast and friendly.
