Italian Restaurant Guide
Day Note:
Finding a good place to eat Italian in San Jose may seem a daunting task, by La Piazetta will satisfy you and get you ready for more exploring.
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La Piazzetta
Contact:
- 2221-8451
Location:
- Paseo Colón near Calle 40
- Opposite Banco de Costa Rica
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Map
Description:
With a long menu and formal service, this restaurant reminds me of the Italian restaurants of old in New York's Little Italy. The menu includes quite a few risotto dishes, as well as several lobster offerings and some Sicilian fare. The veal scaloppini in a truffle sauce is excellent. Salads are colorful and artistically arranged. For dessert, sample a classic chocolate mousse or tiramisu. The wine list is quite extensive, with good and reasonably priced offerings from Italy, and most other prominent wine producing regions around the world.
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Bacchus
Contact:
- 2282-5441
Location:
- Downtown Santa Ana
Description:
Easily my favorite Italian restaurant in San José, this place is housed in a historic home that is over a century old. You'd never know it following the massive restoration and remodel. Nevertheless, this place somehow seamlessly blends the old with the new in an elegant atmosphere. The best tables are on the covered back patio, where you can watch the open kitchen and wood-burning pizza oven in action. The menu features a range of antipasti, pastas, pizzas, and main dishes. Everything is perfectly prepared and beautifully presented. The desserts are also excellent, and the wine list is extensive and fairly priced.
Day Note:
See and be seen in the center of Puerto Viejo, where the Italians at Cafe Viejo know their way around a great Penne Arrabiata and fettucine alfredo (but don't order margaritas here;))
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Café Viejo
Contact:
- 2750-0817
Location:
- On the main road
Description:
This place is set right on the busiest corner of "downtown" Puerto Viejo. White gauze curtains help to slightly shield this open-air spot from the hustle and bustle just outside. Still, it's often loud and crowded inside as well, and that's part of the charm of this popular place. You can get a wide range of pastas and thin-crust wood-oven pizzas here, as well as more substantial fish, chicken, and meat entrees. The grilled whole fresh fish is an especially good option. On weekends, a late-night lounge often develops here, with electronic music and dancing.
Day Note:
Our favorite Italian restaurant in the region, La Pecora Nera is just off the beaten track and more than just delicious.
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La Pecora Nera
Contact:
- 2750-0490
Location:
- 50m (164 ft.) inland from a well-marked turnoff on the main road south just beyond the soccer field in Cocles
Description:
This open-air joint on the jungle's edge has a deserved reputation as the finest Italian restaurant in the region, if not the country. Owner Ilario Giannoni is a whirlwind of enthusiasm and activity, switching hats all night long from maitre d' to chef to waiter to busboy in an entertaining blur. Sure, he's got some help, including his grandmother, who makes gnocchi, but it seems like he's doing it single-handedly. The menu has a broad selection of pizzas and pastas, but your best bet is to just ask Ilario what's fresh and special for that day, and to trust his instincts and inventions. I've had fabulous fresh pasta dishes and top-notch appetizers every time I've visited. The gnocchi here is light and mouthwatering. The main dishes come with a variety of side dishes.
San Jose
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Café Rock Latino
Contact:
- visit website
Location:
- Costado Sur de bomba La Primavera
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Map
Description:
What used to be a disco like any other, gave way to this establishment for audiences that are more selective. Jazz, Trova, Pop and even Rave are programmed to satisfy such musical tastes. Darts, backgammon and chess are part of the experience, and if you want tropical music, Salsa 54 is one level down. On Wednesdays live Jazz performs on stage for lovers of this genre. If you have some old LPs, or would like to buy a few, the Acetates Club, which meets here on Thursday night, might be just for you.
Puerto Viejo
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Oshii's Caribbean Lounge Cafe
Contact:
- visit website
Location:
Description:
The newest addition to the tiny group of later night venues in Puerto Viejo, Oshii's Caribbean Lounge is a stylish and modern spot with tropical decor and a good location- just off of the intersection at the center of town next door to Baba Yaga. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cocktails, priced on the low-end, from $2-$10. DJs spin house and hip hop-sometimes on vinyl, and it's a fine place to grab a drink after dark.
