Central America
Costa Rica
Province of San Jose
San Jose Metro
San Jose
Things to do in San Jose
Central Market (Mercado Central)

Central Market (Mercado Central), San Jose: Address, Phone Number, Central Market (Mercado Central) Reviews: 4/5

See all things to do

Central Market (Mercado Central)

See all things to do
See all things to do
Central Market (Mercado Central)
4
652
#15 of 93 things to do in San Jose
Flea & Street Markets
Visit website
Call
About
This collection of stalls and restaurants contains the country's first ice cream vendor.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Central Market (Mercado Central)
See all
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
745 within 5 kms
Cafe La Mancha
75
0.4 km$$ - $$$ • Cafe • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Cafe Rojo
462
0.6 km$ • Cafe • Asian • Fusion
Tenedor Argentino
1,545
0.6 km$$ - $$$ • Steakhouse • Bar • Healthy
POPS
901
0.5 km$ • Dessert
La Sorbetera de Lolo Mora
75
22 m$ • Dessert • South American • Costa Rican
Alma de Cafe
141
0.5 km$$ - $$$ • Cafe • Costa Rican • Vegetarian Friendly
Restaurante Silvestre
421
0.8 km$$$$ • Latin • International • Contemporary
Lubnan
577
0.8 km$$ - $$$ • Lebanese • Mediterranean • Middle Eastern
La Casona Tipica
129
0.2 km$$ - $$$ • Latin • Central American • Costa Rican
Soda Tala
24
10 m$ • Central American • Costa Rican
See all
Attractions
92 within 10 kms
Turu Ba Ri Tropical Park
63
0.2 kmAmusement & Theme Parks
Metropolitan Church (Catedral Metropolitana)
393
0.3 kmReligious Sites
Teatro Nacional Costa Rica
3,547
0.5 kmHistoric Sites • Theatres
Parque de la Merced Park
5
0.3 kmParks
Pre-Columbian Gold Museum
2,414
0.6 kmSpeciality Museums
Galeria Namu
207
0.7 kmArt Galleries
Museo de los Ninos
437
0.8 kmChildren's Museums
Plaza de la Cultura
248
0.6 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Parque Central de San José
308
0.5 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks • Parks
Jade Museum
1,331
0.9 kmHistory Museums
See all
Popular mentions
4.0
652 reviews
Excellent
204
Very good
282
Average
120
Poor
26
Terrible
20
Tarazu.D.House
6 contributions
AMAZING. This ROOFED MARKET PLACE will captivate you. This is Costa Rica Pura Vida !!!!
Oct. 2021
Oh wow. This is a place I have visited every day of my 4 weeks stay in San Jose. It is very interesting for European/UK visitors. Buzzling, amazing, diverse, with food stalls and little shops, a paradise to haggle over prices, and - a great place to get your sourvenirs. I really recommend a souvenir shop which will - for free - personalize every item you buy. It is called ADOLFOS SOUVENIR shop right next to a flower shop, and the best shop assistant is Mr MARLON. He is very kind, very patient and will help you find a nice souvenir for a very good price ( I mean cheaper than in Manuel Antonio) and he will have it personlized for you, just let him know the names you wish to add. Great little shop and full of people, currently with many Costa Rican tourists, Latin American tourist but also some Europeans. Here you will get simply souvenirs, like little wooden mugs or coffee makers, with names on. Also great is lunch at any of the seafood stalls, just sit down, no need to speak Spanish, everybody will very happily help you get the food you wish for an amazing price - you will never get such a fresh, nice food for such a nice little price (about 200 to 3500 Colon for fresh fish!). You can also get great Tarazu Coffee here, as well as leather products and even chicken ! This place, the Mercado Central, is truly a rich and enriching experience, a real "playground" for negotiation enthusiasts, and - you do not need to speak a word of Spanish, people will do everything to understand you. A great place, you will love it. Just keep your walled near you, and relax you mind. Look at all these great little shops, try a real Costa Rica SORBE ice cream, or get a very delicious fish soup. You will leave Mercado Central with lots of impressions, and interesting, authentic souvenirs with a nice local price tag. You can be as shy as you want, or as communicate as you want. Nobody will hassle you. You can go there alone, as a female solo traveller and it will be fine. Nobody will bother you because everybopy at this market place is part of the local population, local people come here to buy their food or eat here. It is a concentrated impression of Costa Rica. Enjoy!!!! It's Great !!!!
Written October 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Around the World
Berlin, Germany517 contributions
Not really worth to visit
Jul. 2021 • Friends
We came here on our first day in Costa Rica.
The market itself is not so special. For me markets are all about people, culture and the variety of products.
Maybe because of the actual situation there are only few people.
It’s not really a hidden gem but we had our first coffee.
There are nothing to discover in San Jose.
Written July 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
IGC_Int
London, UK77 contributions
Good intro to local life in San jose
Dec. 2020
As with most cities in the region, the central market was somewhere regularly suggested to visit. Glad i did. A labyrinth of stalls, shops and eateries that cater to the local population as well as tourists. Certainly do come to eat what the locals eat, where the locals eat, with the locals. As good and 'authentic' as anything i had in CR. As for the rest of the shops, mix of usual tourist stuff, things you will never need but good to look at and then others that would be of interest. Unless youre eating, no need to spend a lot of time here.
Written June 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
JamesFFC
Maidenhead, UK651 contributions
Decent produce and well priced!
Aug. 2020
Definitely worth a visit. There is some excellent value fruit and veg. If the rambuten is in season, get it! It's soooo good.

The indoor section of the market has some good quality fish/meat/spices as well as souvenirs/wood and plastic produce and general groceries. It is generally cheaper than the supermarkets although, in Costa Rica, that isn't difficult. You do need a bit of Spanish to get a decent deal often but I've always found people very pleasant there whenever I have been. There are some excellent sodas inside the market as well. Go to a busy one where there are some Costa Ricans sitting down, and you can't go wrong!
Written September 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Shubh K
Vienna, VA411 contributions
Part of a guided tour of the city
Aug. 2019
This was one of the stops during a guided tour of the city. We walked through the market, sampled some ice cream, and bought some souvenirs. I've been to many different types of markets in other countries: This market didn't stick out as extraordinary but it gives you a good sense of the local foods. and hustle & bustle.
Written May 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Robert W
Mogadore, OH72 contributions
FUN, ECLECTIC PLACE TO SEE!
Feb. 2020
We were fortunate to have a personal guide, an old friend and high school mate of mine to spend an afternoon showing us the market. Junk, food, souvenirs, breads, fish, meats, about anything you might want to buy in a confusing maze of aisles, corner stands, restaurants, snack places. A fun experience.
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Mary B
2 contributions
San Jose Central Market
Mar. 2020
We have been in Costa Rica now for a week, today was out last day. Decided to go to San Jose and tour the Mercado area. Came out of the Cathedral, we’re we’re quickly accosted by beggars. Then someone came up behind me and grabbed my necklace, twisted and yanked. Then he ran. Be very careful. Do not wear any jewelry when visiting this area. Afterwards I noted that almost all women were not wearing any jewelry around the neck.
Written March 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
dunadan
Lynnwood, WA2,409 contributions
Maze-Like, Crowded, But a Good Experience
Dec. 2019
Finding the central mercado in San Jose was more difficult than it would seem--perhaps because we were unfamiliar with the layout of the city's central core, but we ended up asking for directions from at least two locals (including a helpful police officer) before we found it.

Once found, the exterior of the mercado was fairly unimpressive--once inside however, you are presented with a labyrinth of narrow lanes and corridors, lined with every type of merchant and food vendor selling everything from fresh herbs, fish, poultry, and other meats, to cheap souvenirs and electronics, to tiny four-seat eateries serving up authentic local Costa Rican food.

We spent maybe 45 minutes wandering the maze-like corridors, sat down at a counter and ordered some local ice cream treats, browsed the produce and fresh food stalls, and had a great lunch at a tiny cafe fronted by maybe eight stools where we were served by a trio of hard-working women who spun around each other in perhaps 30 square feet.

This is a must-stop for first-time visitors to San Jose, to experience the sights, sounds, smells, and flavors of an authentic mercado.
Written March 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
johnnyyo
New York City, NY12 contributions
This Was What I Was Looking For!
Feb. 2020
No matter where I go, I always try to find a market where you can find lots of locals eating, and this was exactly what I found here in Central Mercado. It's hard to describe but there is an authentic local feel when you walk through the place.

It's definitely worth coming here again. There are a lot of "sodas" here that look really good (that I didnt get to try) - not to mention the ice cream from La Sorbetera de Lolo Mora!
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
JohnSFleet_Hants_UK
Nailsea, UK646 contributions
real san Jose
Jan. 2020
ideal way to get a flavour of the city - literally. we had an ice cream, it was delicious. it is busy so you have to take care of pick pockets, but we were in a group and had no problems.
Written February 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
2
…
Showing results 1-10 of 421
Anything missing or inaccurate?
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Frequently Asked Questions about Central Market (Mercado Central)
We recommend booking Central Market (Mercado Central) tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 10 Central Market (Mercado Central) tours on Tripadvisor
Hotels near Central Market (Mercado Central): View all hotels near Central Market (Mercado Central) on Tripadvisor
Restaurants near Central Market (Mercado Central): View all restaurants near Central Market (Mercado Central) on Tripadvisor