Súper El Encanto

Súper El Encanto is known around its San José Province neighbourhood as a friendly grocery stop with a casado lunch on offer. Costa Rica abolished its army in 1948 and has no standing military, and that easy, unmilitarised pace shows in how locals linger over a midday meal.

Súper El Encanto is a local grocery shop in Costa Rica, the sort of neighbourhood spot where residents pick up everyday staples. Shoppers here can also grab a casado, the set lunch of rice, beans, plantain, salad and a choice of meat or fish. Spanish is the official language, so a cheerful pura vida goes a long way at the counter.

First-timers should expect a straightforward Costa Rican grocery shop rather than a tourist attraction, with service in Spanish and the local habit of using vos. A casado — rice, beans, plantain, salad and your choice of meat or fish — is the kind of set lunch that fits a quick stop here.

Súper El Encanto sits at Barrio El encanto, Av. 39, in the Calle Blancos district of Progreso, San José Province. That places it within Costa Rica's Central Valley, where the altitude keeps things cooler than along the coasts.

Súper El Encanto holds a rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 21 reviews, a strong score for a neighbourhood grocery shop in San José Province. That reception fits a place where a casado lunch and everyday staples sit side by side.