Restaurante Isolina
A charming "neighborhood bistro" in a historic villa, offering a fusion of Peruvian heritage and modern gastronomy with exquisite flavors.
Highlights
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Restaurante Isolina
Highlights
Must-see attractions
A charming "neighborhood bistro" in a historic villa, offering a fusion of Peruvian heritage and modern gastronomy with exquisite flavors.
"Experience Michelin-quality service and innovative dishes in a gorgeous garden setting."
Make Reservations
Reservations are highly recommended as the restaurant can get busy. Walk-ins may be accommodated.
Tapas-Style Dining
Opt for tapas-style dining to enjoy a variety of flavorful small plates.
Quick Facts
Cuisine
Peruvian
Price
$$$
Phone
+506 2100 8747
Address
WWPP+6J2, 751, San José, Barrio Escalante, 10101, Costa Rica
Website
isolinarestaurante.com/Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences
Elegant Garden Dining
Dine in a gorgeous back garden with beautiful decor, offering a unique and inviting atmosphere.
Michelin-Quality Peruvian Cuisine
Experience flavorful, delicate dishes with seasonal ingredients, receiving service comparable to Michelin-star standards.
Creative Cocktails and Desserts
Indulge in innovative cocktails and divine desserts, like the standout Copey dessert.
Plans like a pro.
Thinks like you
Menu
Most Popular Items
Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Make Reservations
Reservations are highly recommended as the restaurant can get busy. Walk-ins may be accommodated.
Tapas-Style Dining
Opt for tapas-style dining to enjoy a variety of flavorful small plates.
Consider Off-Peak Hours
Visit during off-peak times for better availability and potentially more attentive service.
Explore Wine Selection
Discover an impressive wine selection, including offerings from a private wine cellar.
Tips
from all over the internet
Make Reservations
Reservations are highly recommended as the restaurant can get busy. Walk-ins may be accommodated.
Tapas-Style Dining
Opt for tapas-style dining to enjoy a variety of flavorful small plates.
Consider Off-Peak Hours
Visit during off-peak times for better availability and potentially more attentive service.
Explore Wine Selection
Discover an impressive wine selection, including offerings from a private wine cellar.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Isolina is highly praised for its Michelin-quality Peruvian cuisine, innovative dishes, and exceptional service, often set in a beautiful garden atmosphere. While many rave about the flavorful food and creative cocktails, some reviews mention issues with inconsistent food temperature, long wait times, and occasionally watered-down drinks, especially during peak hours.
"It was a great discovery in Escalante area. We walked around, checked different places and ended up choosing Isolina. Had an amazing experience: the food had great vegetarian options for my husband, I enjoyed tuna tartar. Local cheese board was delicious too. We loved the wine selection and the vine cellar. Our server Carolina was the best, very friendly, attentive, and just Pura Vida as it can be! Next time we are in Costa Rica, we would definitely come back! Great vibe!"
Natasha Sangster
"We found this place on Google maps while looking for "something different". The menu pulled us in.
We initially sat in the garden area, which was lovely but quickly moved inside because my wife didn't like the noise from the water pump nearby. Indoors was also a very pleasant atmosphere with dim lighting and some eclectic, jazz'ish music playing medium level in the background. The tables were spaced well apart, and the vibe is trendy upscale despite the kitchen being open to the restaurant seating.
The wine list is extensive. The menu is smaller but the food combinations and flavors are explosive. We had the steak tartare, goat cheese and pork belly. All were fantastic. Well prepared, well presented and magnificent. We wanted something different and we were not disappointed!
The service was excellent, friendly, multilingual and professional. Wine was flowing and finished plates cleared promptly, with polite courtesy.
This neighborhood is competitive with great restaurants and Isolina is one of the best I've visited."
Gary Samson
"This was one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. Highest quality of service and the food is Michelin quality. The crispy pork belly with honey glazed chili crisp and coconut cream left me speechless. Must go."
Bryan Tom
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Isolina serves Peruvian cuisine with a focus on traditional 'criolla' dishes, blended with modern and international flavors.
Yes, making reservations is highly recommended as the restaurant is very popular and can get busy. Walk-ins may be accommodated but cannot be guaranteed.
Popular dishes include the ceviche with crispy octopus, stuffed scallops, pork belly, and the Lomo Saltado. Many also rave about the creative desserts like the Copey.
Yes, Isolina offers great vegetarian options for diners.
The restaurant offers a unique and beautiful dining atmosphere, with a gorgeous back garden and elegant decor.
Isolina is known for its creative cocktails and has been cited as serving some of the best in San Jose. The Pisco Sour is a popular choice.
While offering high-quality food and service, Isolina is considered upscale and may have European prices.
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The Way to San José
Isolina is named after the property’s original owner, matriarch of the Escalante family, coffee growers who gave their name in the 1870s to the district, then a swathe of coffee plantation dotted with houses, and also provided the land for the Atlantic railway whose elderly diesels still chug past the doorways of the new gastro-businesses on their way south from the old Escalante station. The latest generation of the family has just converted half of the rambling 1940s villa, discovering under layers of wallpaper the old photos and which now form part of the very swish decor. An Argentinian chef produces the sophisticated menu, typical of modern Costa Rica, composed of local ingredients and internationally fashionable combinations: pork belly with pickled pineapple and grilled okra, ceviche of sea bass with passion fruit and roasted chilli sauce, lots of smoking and fermentation.
Dónde comer y beber en San José, Costa Rica
Nombrado por su tatarabuela que construyó una hacienda cafetalera, los hermanos Fernando y Manuel Crespo, se juntaron con el chef argentino Luciano Lofeudo para abrir Isolina, lo que ellos llaman "un bistró de barrio". Por su mezcla de herencias, incluso Bolivia, España y Argentina, se cocina un crisol de sabores. Hay influencias judías, como el gefilte fish que hacía la abuelita de Lofeudo, pero el alfajor de cordero de las montañas de San José es bien notable.
Barrio Escalante among ‘Coolest Neighborhoods’ :
Isolina Restaurante has mastered a distinctive fusion of fine dining and home cooking in what used to be the home of the Escalante family, after whom the area is named. It sources its seasonal ingredients from small producers, resulting in an irresistible menu: try the arracache hash browns, yams in seabass broth, and veal cooked in caramelized garlic and served with hibiscus reduction,” the publication mentioned.
Restaurants in San Jose, Costa Rica
Set in a historic, 1942 home, Isolina is San Jose’s most elegant restaurant, a pretty setting for the city’s pretty people. Guests are seated in one of several intimate dining areas, but if you get to choose, ask to be seated on the beguiling patio, its trees festooned with Edison…
32 Best Restaurants in San Jose, Costa Rica: Where to Eat
I would argue that they also serve some of the best cocktails in San Jose. They have a really good selection of small plates. Thomas and I typically like to just get several of those to share along with some cocktails.
Places to Eat in San José, Costa Rica: A Foodie's Guide
Isolina: Immerse yourself in the fusion of gastronomy and history at Isolina, nestled in the heart of Barrio Escalante, San José.
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