Way over-priced gringo fare

News Cafe, San José, Costa Rica

I passed News Cafe to and from work for maybe a year and a half before I ever ventured inside. Open to the passing Ave Central means lots of gringos sitting on tables sipping Imperials and vagos begging for tejas a few feet away. I was in downtown with some visiting friends and looking for a place that might offer a nice breakfast and coffee and made the mistake of trying the Cafe. A $15 fruit plate included bananas, oranges, apples and grapes - this place was definitely for gringos staying at the hotel who would travel half-way around the world to eat the food they are accustomed to at home. Granted good fruit and coffee is surprisingly hard to find in Costa Rica. Maybe better luck with Vishnu's - probably about half-a-dozen around downtown. Very best would be the farmer's markets held every weekend in just about every barrio of the city.

experienced on April 2004 by Aeron Glemann