Alma de Amón, located in old-school Barrio Amón, seeks to revive some of Latin America’s very best dishes. The border-crossing cuisines are served by candlelight in a relaxed and intimate atmosphere. Among the recommended dishes: traditional Costa Rican olla de carne (a beef and vegetable stew), Puerto Rican–style mofongo, with fried plantains, and Cuban guava pastries. The artisanal sodas—created by Canadian mixologist Liz Furlong—include standouts like the Dr. Clorito Picado (named for a pioneering physician and malaria researcher). The grapefruit concoction is served with a red-syrup-filled syringe for color. The vivid red cocktail happens to match the restaurant’s walls, which are hung with portraits of eminent Latin Americans like Pope Francis, Costa Rican astronaut Franklin Chang Díaz, and the legendary soccer star Pelé.
