Cafeoteca — Restaurant in Carmen

Positives: Amazing coffee, incredibly knowledgeable staff, plenty of seating, fantastic interior decor, a beautiful outside garden seating area, and if you were like us in your Spanish is pretty rusty they also speak impeccable English. Negatives: They close at 6 PM, yeah that’s genuinely all I can think of as a negative, I just wish they were open longer which is sort of a positive anyway

Summary: Cafeoteca is a must visit in the San Jose area if you are a coffee lover. We only ever had black coffee there, but it tasted like every cup was just as incredible as the one before it. I highly advise anybody that cares about specialty coffees to go to Cafeoteca even if it takes you 30 to 45 minutes out of your way. It’s that good.

Thoughts: My wife and I were very excited about the different coffee shops we might find in Costa Rica given their connection to specialty coffees. Cafeoteca happened to be the first coffee shop we walked into and was hands-down the favorite coffee shop we visited. It’s probably pretty high on the list of coffee shops we have ever visited anywhere in the world. It’s that good.

The set up when we visited was definitely a little unusual because the first time we went they were about to close for a Christmas party, and the second time we went they were only open for another hour because they close at 6 PM. Even though we were there so close to their closing times they still fully engaged with us and we did not feel rushed out the door in any way. Their manager speaks incredible English and is exceptionally knowledgeable about their coffee. From the process, to the history, to the regions the coffee is grown in, he really was a wealth of information and we learned so much about their coffee because of him.

And let me tell you, this coffee is amazing. Any time we talked about buying a bag of coffee they made us a pour over so we could sample it. We wound up buying 5 pounds of coffee, so clearly this sampling method works. We only got pour overs while there, and some free pastries that he brought us since they were closing, but it’s some of the best coffee I’ve ever had. While we didn’t try any of their espresso drinks (and this is partially an “us thing” because Costa Rica uses boxed milk), we still talked about Cafeoteca more than most coffee shops I’ve ever been to. In addition to having absolutely fabulous coffee, and a lot of variety, they also have an amazing outdoor courtyard seating area. If we had the time, or lived near Cafeoteca, we would be here all the time. Like it would legitimately maybe just be my office that’s how much I love this place. I know I keep saying this but they really were incredible.

If you are a lover of coffee, and want to taste some of the best pure black coffee you can get your hands on, you absolutely need to go...

Café Oteca – The Ultimate Coffee Tasting Experience in San José!

If you’re serious about coffee or just curious to experience Costa Rica’s finest, Café Oteca is an absolute must. I did their coffee tasting experience, and it was exceptional from start to finish. We sampled three different single-origin Costa Rican coffees, each processed differently—washed, yellow honey, and natural. Every cup was brewed with precision, carefully measured for weight, time, and pre-infusion.

The highlight for me was the traditional Costa Rican Vandola brewing method. While I enjoyed the V60 and Chemex, the Vandola brought out incredible fruity, floral, and aromatic notes, especially in the natural-wash coffee. It was smooth, vibrant, and unlike any brew I’ve had before.

They pay attention to every detail—from warming your cup before pouring to offering sparkling water between tastings to cleanse your palate. The explanations about specialty coffee vs. commercial beans and small-batch roasting were so helpful and gave me a deeper appreciation for what I was tasting.

I also ordered an almond croissant, and it was outstanding—flaky, buttery, filled just right, and warmed up perfectly on request.

Shoutout to Su for being incredibly patient with me while I used Google Translate to understand everything—she made the experience so smooth and welcoming. And huge thanks to Ana Lu, who was so warm and hospitable, offering tips on local artist events and making me feel completely at home.

I’m already planning to return tomorrow to try their espresso—they use two different beans, one for straight espresso and another for milk-based drinks. Their salads and food menu look legit, and I can’t wait to explore more.

The vibe here is fantastic. There’s an outdoor space for kids, cozy spots for a date, a bar inside for coffee connoisseurs, and a takeout area for quick coffee and pastries. Plus, they offer one of the largest selections of beans and brewing gear I’ve seen anywhere.

If you’re in San José, Café Oteca should be on your list. Exceptional coffee, great people, and an experience you won’t forget!

Primary my most memorable coffee...

Sometimes the food and coffee are great and other times it's average. This is an attractive and creative place to enjoy a Café, some areas are outside, in an interior courtyard. For my most recent visit the waitress asked me what kind of coffee i would like and explained they had 20 different types... but when I asked the brand and then names she said the coffees were sourced direvtly from individual fincas and had no names. OK, then how do you know which coffee is which?

I asked to have two separate cups of coffee, the same coffee where one was brewed by French Press and a second by Vandola, with milk. There was a lot of confusion on her part, I guess because no one orders two coffees 🤦‍♂️ I was very clear that I wanted to try two cups of coffee with the same beans brewed two different ways but she literally could not understand that one person might want two cups of coffee. My date, who was Tica, understood what I wanted and explained more clearly in Spanish as well. Literally in the end, while she did bring me coffee in a French Press and coffee in a Vandola, with milk in a separate container, she still only brought me one coffee cup and I had to ask for the second cup 🤦‍♂️

I prefer coffee brewed by Vandola, the flavor was a little bit stronger which surprised me, and also with less acidity. Also the coffee in the French Press cooled quickly which was a problem. I hope the next few taste tests are...