Heredia's eating scene is driven by its university population — there are more good-value lunch places here than almost anywhere else in the Central Valley. The streets around the National University campus, particularly along Avenida Central east of the main park, have the highest concentration of sodas (Costa Rican lunch counters) offering casados — the set meal of rice, beans, salad, and protein that is the backbone of the local diet.
The Parque Central and the streets immediately around it have a mix of cafés and restaurants ranging from traditional Costa Rican cooking to pizza and burgers aimed at students. For a more considered meal, look for places serving traditional Costa Rican food — black bean soup, tamales, arroz con leche — rather than the international options that have multiplied with the university crowd. Prices throughout are lower than San José, and quality at the better sodas is consistently solid.