Join your local host in Puntarenas for a relaxed 3-hour cooking class built around Costa Rican drinks, savory bites, fresh fruit, and a sweet finish. Start with a welcome drink, then move through a hands-on session where you prepare and taste dishes inspired by the flavors locals enjoy at home and with friends.
As you cook, your host explains the cultural context behind each item and how these flavors fit into everyday life on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming, giving you time to ask questions, compare flavors, and enjoy a more personal side of Puntarenas. Menu may vary slightly depending on seasonal availability.
What makes this activity unique?
This experience is shaped by Puntarenas’ Central Pacific setting and Costa Rica’s regional food culture. Your local host guides you through a relaxed home-style class where drinks, savory bites, fruit, and sweets come together with the stories and traditions behind each tasting. It feels local, social, and rooted in the everyday flavors people enjoy on Costa Rica’s coast.
Sample Menu:
1. Fresco de cas , Traditional drink made from “cas”, a Costa Rican endemic fruit ( As much as you want to drink)
2. Ceviche , Raw fish marinated in citrus and local seasonings
3. Patacones , Fried green plantains served with traditional toppings.
4. Casado con Pescado en salsa tropical , Typical Costa Rican meal with rice, beans, stew, salad and fish fillet
5. Rice , White rice done Costa Rican style with garlic, onions and cilantro
6. Picadillo de chayote , Stewed and diced chayote, carrots with sweet corn
7. Refried beans , Cooked and well seasoned beans mashed into a paste
8. Cabbage salad , Special recipe combining cabbage, lime, tomato and cucumber
9. Pescado en salsa tropical , Locally sourced fish, sauteed, covered with a sweet and sour Maracuyá sauce
10. Maduros en Gloria , Sweet ripe plantains poached in honey and milk, topped with cinnamon and Costa Rican cacao