<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nI knew going into the tour that there would be a focus on food, culture, and history. But prior to my arrival in Costa Rica, I\u2019d only tried the classic gallo pinto<\/em>, i.e., rice and beans. If that doesn\u2019t tell you that my knowledge of Tico (Costa Rican) cuisine was limited, I should say that I also had no idea about the variety of fruits and vegetables available in the country. Also, full disclosure: I knew almost nothing about Costa Rica\u2019s history before arriving too. So I showed up for my tour as basically a blank slate.<\/p>\nAn expert local guide with all the answers<\/h3>\n When my guide arrived at the meeting point in front of the National Theater downtown, it was impossible not to notice that I was the only one on the tour! I was excited to have a one-on-one experience, because I am, admittedly, that girl<\/em> who asks way too many questions.<\/p>\nWe headed right to Mercado Borb\u00f3n, which my guide explained was one of the biggest open-air markets in the country. I love a good market, so we got down to trying everything right away. First, he showed me a couple of fruits that I\u2019d never seen before. One of them was called mam\u00f3n criollo<\/em>, which made me giggle because it literally means \u201ccreole sucker\u201d in English. (In Costa Rica, everything that is criollo<\/em> means it\u2019s from there; everything from outside of the country is chino<\/em>, aka Chinese, even if it doesn\u2019t actually come from China.)<\/p>\nThe best coffee, empanadas, and other snacks<\/h3>\n\n
<\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nI didn\u2019t expect to be fed so well, but my guide continued to hand me one delicious treat after another. I had an amazing cup of coffee and a fresh empanada in Mercado Borb\u00f3n, then some fruits and coconut water in Mercado Central next door. All the while, I got the lowdown on the historical significance of both markets, as well as the different cultural influences that have made an impact on them over the years.<\/p>\n
Take this herbal remedy stand, for example:<\/p>\n
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<\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nEvery one of those bundles of herbs has a different use in local traditional remedies. Sure, I\u2019d heard of using aloe for sunburns and mint to make a calming tea, but there were others that blew my mind. Take achiote<\/em>, for example. Prior to the tour, I thought its only use was to give flavor to certain dishes, like they do in the Yucat\u00e1n Peninsula of Mexico. No, no: in Costa Rica achiote<\/em> is only used for dying fabrics or giving a red color to food.<\/p>\nAll the deets on historic monuments and landmarks<\/h3>\n\n
<\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nI noticed how San Jos\u00e9 had a strange mix of historic and new buildings. I wondered aloud about them, and my guide had an answer: most of the buildings were destroyed during moments of turmoil. The ones that remain from decades past are few and far between, surrounded by skyscrapers, condominiums, and new construction.<\/p>\n
There were also plenty of other interesting landmarks that I might have missed if I were to have explored San Jos\u00e9 on my own. Stopping at each one gave me important context about the city\u2019s unique story, something I appreciated greatly.<\/p>\n
Is the San Jos\u00e9 Food Tour Worth It?<\/h2>\n\n
<\/noscript>A sweet market cat chilling on some old vinyls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nYou came to find out if the San Jos\u00e9 food tour is worth it or not, and if the answer isn\u2019t already clear \u2014 yes! I definitely thought it was worth it. This tour is ideal for anybody who is even remotely curious about gastronomy, history, and culture in Costa Rica. And not only does the tour have an awesome guide, but all the snacks are included; combined, they are a meal\u2019s worth of food. <\/p>\n
I did the tour on my first full day in Costa Rica, and I recommend doing the same. It set me up to have more cultural context during the rest of my adventure there. It also made me appreciate San Jos\u00e9, making me excited to go back there at the end of my trip. Considering this city isn\u2019t exactly a crowd favorite among travelers, I think this tour could change a lot of people\u2019s perspectives.<\/p>\n
The tour is also a great starting point, because it gave me so many ideas of where to go and what to do in San Jos\u00e9. I was able to ask my guide about safety and areas to avoid as well, which definitely came in handy as a solo female traveler in Costa Rica.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re just passing through San Jos\u00e9 or plan to stay a few days, don\u2019t miss out on this San Jos\u00e9 food tour. It was one of the best decisions I made while putting together my Costa Rica itinerary. <\/p>\n
Are you thinking about booking the tour? Let us know if you have any questions!<\/p>\n
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