When Lenny Karpman left Brown University 50 years ago, he struggled with his desire to be a writer. The safer route seemed to be to choose a profession that would afford him the opportunity to write as an avocation. Today, he lives with his wife, Joan Hall JD, on a small farm in Costa Rica’s Central Valley — on what he calls a refuge for a dozen parrots, a toucan, a flock of chickens, a pair of guinea fowl, six dogs, six cats, a koi pond, a finch, quail and parakeet aviary and a horse. They are gardeners, cooks, birders and golfers. She is a yogi, horsewoman, singer and artist. And they have three children and six grandchildren.
Lenny operates his own website through which readers click through to a bimonthly blog about food and restaurants in Costa Rica. He recently did us a favor by sharing some of his best Costa Rica travel tips for some of his favorite restaurants. This is an invaluable list for any Costa Rica vacation — and it also showcases the wide diversity of cuisine available in this Central American nation.
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So get your taste buds ready, because here are Lenny’s choices for the best restaurants in Costa Rica, divided by category of cuisine:
#1 WINNER: Park Café in Escazú. The chef, Richard Neat, has Michelin stars for two previous restaurants in London and Cannes and a Top 50 in The World accolade from Conde Naste for a third in Marrakesh. Park Café holds the top spot.
American bar food: Tap House, Santa Ana (Burgers, pulled pork, Reubens)
Argentinean restaurant: La Esquina de Buenos Aires, San Jose
Bakery: La Toscana, Escazú (the only place left with quality bagels)
Dim sum Hong Kong style: Casa China, San Jose
French restaurant: La Terrasse, San Jose
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French café and bakery: Chez Christophe, Escazú
Indian restaurant: A Taste of India, Escazú
International restaurants (tie): El Grano de Oro, San Jose and Saga, Escazú
Italian restaurant: Bacchus, Santa Ana
Middle Eastern restaurant: Sash, Rohrmoser (Lebanese)
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Pan-Asian: Tin Ho, San Jose (dishes from China, Japan, Korea, India, Philippines and Thailand)
Paired wine and tasting menu by chef Gustavo Alvarado: Taller Gastronomico El Punto, Escazu (Molecular gastronomy background)
Pizza: La Fabbrica, chain (thin crust)
Peruvian restaurant: Macchu Pichu, Santa Ana and San Jose
Seafood restaurant: Pescatore, Escazu
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Steakhouse: Doris Metropolitan, Santa Ana
Sushi/Japanese restaurant: Kiraku, Escazu
Tex-Mex: Jalapeños Central, Alajuela
Thai restaurant: Aroi Thai, Ciudad Colon
Tico bar and bocas: El Rancho de Laly, Santa Ana
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Tico chicharrones: Oviedo, La Guácima
Tico restaurant: La Crillolita, San Jose
Tico coffee root spit-roasted chicken: Pollos Del Monte, San Antonio de Belén
Vietnamese: Pho Café and Restaurant, Santa Ana