La Parada del Sabor
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Posted by the owner · reviewed before publishing · times are Costa Rica local
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A tiny, deeply local San José kitchen serving home-style Costa Rican food, including a customizable gallo pinto buffet, in huge, affordable portions. Travelers describe genuinely warm hosting — staff patiently helping through the language barrier, even running to a nearby store for a drink. It's about as home-cooked and authentic as it gets.
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10104 San José, San José, Dolorosa, 10104, Costa Rica
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After completing our tour of the National Theater, we were ready for dinner. Since it was our last day in Costa Rica, Costa Rican food was a must. One of my friends wanted family-cooked food for authenticity, and we found La Parada del Sabor. Vilma was extremely patient and delightful, helping us place our orders despite there being no menu and our very limited Spanish. We ordered two plates with chicken, one with beef, and one with fish. Then came the drinks — they actually ran to a nearby store to get us a Coke and a Coke Zero, along with two glasses of water straight from the kitchen faucet. We told ourselves it couldn’t get more authentic than this! As it turned out, the food was delicious. We now confidently tell anyone who asks that Costa Rican food — at least what comes from this kitchen — is truly delicious. If we had more time in San José, we would absolutely come back.
We have eaten there like locals :) Food is ok, portions are huge. Prices are resonable. Cleanliness - 3 out 5.
Typical Costa Rican cuisine, including a customizable gallo pinto buffet. A small, very local place.
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