Shopping · San José · Costa Rica
Shopping in San José
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Puroticorico, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
San José is a good place to stock up on coffee, chocolate and crafts before flying home, with souvenir stalls downtown and supermarkets for local products. Escazú's malls cover international brands. Best souvenirs: Costa Rican coffee, Salsa Lizano and Painted oxcart miniatures.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 3
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- Costa Rican coffee
Where to shop
Avenida Central
The pedestrian street's shops and stores in the city centre.
Escazú
Large modern malls, including Multiplaza, and international stores.
Barrio Amón and Escalante
Design shops, galleries and specialty coffee roasters.
Markets
Mercado Central
Coffee, herbs, leather goods and souvenirs in the 19th-century market.
Plaza de la Democracia craft stalls
Hammocks, wooden carvings, jewellery and t-shirts in front of the Museo Nacional.
Mercado Borbón
A busy produce market near the Mercado Central where locals buy fruit and vegetables.
What to buy
Costa Rican coffee
Beans from Tarrazú, the West Valley and other regions; supermarkets sell good coffee at lower prices than souvenir shops.
Salsa Lizano
The tangy brown table sauce, sold in every supermarket.
Painted oxcart miniatures
Small replicas of the colourful oxcarts from Sarchí.
Chocolate
Bars from small Costa Rican cacao producers, sold in specialty shops and supermarkets.
Wooden bowls and carvings
Hand-turned wooden pieces sold at craft stalls; check species and export rules.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Centro
Mercado Central
Founded in the 1880s, the central market is a covered maze of narrow alleys selling coffee, herbs, spices, leather goods, flowers and souvenirs, with dozens of small sodas serving casados, sopa negra and ice cream at counter seats.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Street · Centro
Avenida Central
The pedestrianised central boulevard links the Mercado Central with the Plaza de la Cultura and the Teatro Nacional, lined with shops, cafés, street performers and preachers.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
Landmark · Centro
Plaza de la Democracia
The stepped public square in front of the Museo Nacional commemorates the abolition of the army and the 1948 events, with views towards the mountains around the valley.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Shopping
Street · Barrio Escalante
Barrio Escalante food street
Calle 33 and the nearby streets have the city's highest concentration of restaurants, cafés, bakeries and craft-beer bars, from Costa Rican and Peruvian to Mediterranean and Asian cooking.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- After dark
- Couples
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Chifrijo, Arreglados, Café chorreado and Agua dulce. Bars and casual restaurants throughout the city, as a boca (bar snack) with beer. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Centro | $ | Pedestrian avenue, museums and the central market |
| Barrio Escalante | $$ | Restaurants, cafés and craft-beer bars east of the centre |
| Los Yoses and San Pedro | $ | University district with bars, bookshops and cheap eats |
| Escazú | $$$ | Hillside suburb of malls, international hotels and villas |
| Alajuela | $ | Separate city next to the international airport |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in CRC. Restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill by law, so additional tipping is optional. Tip tour guides and drivers a few dollars per person per day.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in October; the busiest months are December.
- January: Fiestas de Zapote — fairground festivities (late December to early January)
- December: Festival de la Luz — Christmas parade of lights (usually mid-December)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for luxury, shopping and families
Escazú
Hillside suburb of malls, international hotels and villas
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in San José?
Costa Rican coffee, Salsa Lizano, Painted oxcart miniatures and Chocolate.
+Where is the best shopping in San José?
Avenida Central: The pedestrian street's shops and stores in the city centre.
+What are the best markets in San José?
Mercado Central, Plaza de la Democracia craft stalls and Mercado Borbón.