Top Costa Rica Food & Drink Classes in 2026

Learn all about the chocolate-making process on this guided tour of a chocolate plantation from Manuel Antonio. Follow your guide as you learn about the local ecology of the cacao plant, the local cultural and economic importance of chocolate, and the production process from collection to fermentation and grinding of cacao beans. Then, visit a trapiche, a traditional oxen-powered mill used to extract juice from sugarcane.

Skip the usual restaurant scene with this cooking class with a local and botanical garden tour in Manuel Antonio, just south of Quepos. Visit the garden, a vanilla plantation, and a sugarcane mill, taking a short hike to learn about the ingredients you’ll use to prepare your meal. Then, visit a local home and make a typical Costa Rican meal with your host.

We will take you around our cacao plantation and vanilla to educate and learn before all the eating and sampling of coffee and chocolate products. We will have lunch and any more snacks that will make you happy.

This experience is unique because it transcends a simple tasting to become a deep, hands-on immersion into both the craft and culture of coffee. You won't just watch a demonstration; you will personally master three distinct brewing methods, from the global standards of the French Press and Chemex to the cherished Costa Rican tradition of Café Chorreado. This triad of techniques provides a comprehensive understanding of how method influences flavor, from bold and rich to clean and aromatic. What truly sets it apart is the context. You are learning this craft in the heart of Costa Rica, a world-renowned coffee origin. The session is framed by the essential art of roasting, connecting the bean's journey directly to your cup. You leave not just with new skills, but with a tangible connection to the local heritage and a storyteller's appreciation for every sip, making it a truly unforgettable personal and cultural journey.

Learn traditional Costa Rican recipes that have been passed down for generations in this online cooking class. You can join a Costa Rican local from the comfort of your own kitchen, making this experience ideal for travel lovers who want a travel-like experience without the hassle and cost that comes with travel. Plus, learning to cook the foreign recipes at home makes it easy to recreate them on your own.

Join a local Costa Rican family for an evening of cooking and conversation at their home near Tenorio Volcano. Enjoy the a meal you won't have at any restaurant as you learn to prepare homemade tortillas, grilled tropical dishes, and other Costa Rican specialties. You can help out in the kitchen or just watch and learn tips and recipes to try back home. Sit down with your hosts to savor the homestyle cuisine together for a delicious cultural experience.

Step into the world of Costa Rican coffee with an unforgettable experience! Watch raw green beans transform into aromatic roasted coffee, and learn how roast levels create unique tastes. Then, join a professional-style cupping session, savoring aromas, acidity, and body just like the experts. Stroll through our vibrant coffee garden, see the plants up close, and discover surprising facts about their growth and harvest. Midway, take a 40-minute break to relax and enjoy a delicious lunch. Afterward, it’s your turn behind the espresso machine! Learn to pull the perfect shot, steam silky milk, and create latte art—hearts, rosettas, and more. This fun, hands-on activity is the highlight for many. We’ll finish with a friendly Q&A, plenty of photo opportunities, and lasting memories. You’ll leave not only inspired but with a new appreciation for every cup you drink!

Dive into Costa Rica’s coffee culture with your hands-on brewing experience! In just four hours, you’ll explore three iconic methods—French Press, Chemex, and traditional Café Chorreado. Learn how roast and technique shape flavor, brew your own aromatic cups, and taste the difference yourself. Enjoy a delicious lunch, connect with local coffee traditions, and finish with a fun Q&A. Perfect for coffee lovers ready to sip, learn, and savor every moment!

If you’re looking for a way to connect with the local people in Costa Rica, taking a cooking class in a private home is ideal. Your hosts will teach you about their culture, traditions, and cuisine, and give you a tour of their organic garden. Learn to cook dishes such as marinated shredded chicken and rice, followed by traditional desserts and washed down with a freshly prepared mojito.

During this immersive experience, you'll not only indulge in the deliciousness of Costa Rican food but also gain insights into local agricultural products and other ingredients that define Costa Rica's cuisine.There’s no better place to experience local cuisine than the Central Market, a 120-year-old building full to the brim with typical Costa Rican food and drink. It’s here that we’ll also buy the ingredients for our cooking class. Learn to prepare classic Latin American dishes such as ceviche and empanadas, picadillos, all while sipping on mojitos, sodas, and tropical drinks. There’s no better way to experience the flavour of a country than by going from market to kitchen, and we hope by the end, you feel like an authentic Costa Rican foodie! After your class, head back to your hotel with a stomach full of food and a head full of memories for you and your family that will last a lifetime.

We believe that a healthy and prosperous life starts with what we eat; also, gastronomy and family recipes connect us as human beings. Eleven years ago we decided to switch our farm from a "traditional" crops to organic ones to improve our own health. In this experience we'll walk through our organic farm with the last bits of sunlight looking for the fresh ingredients we'll need to prepare a delicious dinner and share our culture with you. We hope that, besides providing a delicious foodie experience, what we do inspires more people to care about the source of their food and protect our planet. We have veggie and vegan options. Please do let us know if you have any other allergy and/or dietary restriction.

Learn to cook some traditional Costa Rican food from a local grandmother, who knows all the secret tips. Dona Chela will help you to prepare the dishes with ingredients from her garden, which you can also wander around before and after you cook. You'll cook your food in the traditional, old school way, by using the wood-fired stove in the kitchen.

Set sail along Costa Rica's Pacific coast on a private catamaran experience designed around your group. Cruise aboard a spacious vessel with a bilingual crew providing attentive service, while lunch and tropical cocktails add a local touch to the experience. With a comfortable setting and plenty of space to enjoy the journey, this is a relaxed way to celebrate, spend time with family and friends, or simply experience the scenic coastline from the water.

Blue Dolphin is the original sailing tour in Guanacaste, creating memories since 2004. Join us for a private morning cruise aboard Blue Dolphin for your own memorable experience. Your private 3-hour cruise will feature a tasty brunch along with Bloody Marys, Mimosas and coffee, what could be better! We’ll cruise the gorgeous Costa Rica coast with a short stop for a dip in the ocean. Enjoy the wind in your hair, a drink in your hand and an extraordinary time with your group. This tour is perfect for families, friend/family reunions, and business outings. Please advise us of your preferred tour language if other than English.

Enjoy a full day guided tour immersing yourself in the abundant natural landscape of Guanacaste. Ride an ATV along dirt roads into the mountains and hills of Nosara, walk along jungle trails and swim in the crystal clear waters of rivers and waterfalls. Afterwards, get a further taste of local life with a visit to an organic coffee farm and regenerative fruit farm. Learn firsthand how the bean is harvested while savouring a cup of the roasted goodness alongside a local organic lunch. All dietary needs can be accommodated.

OOME Mixology Experience, was born with the idea of giving a unique experience in mixology, conceptual menus and providing a space where we will be transported to the Prohibition Era as a hidden bar in the heart of Monteverde. We are a minimalist but very creative space. Our first menu is based in Monteverde, a perfect cloud forest to highlight ingredients, history and Presentation. Jafet is currently the most sustainable champion bartender in Costa Rica and 2nd in Latin America. If you want the experience, it can be to share the cocktails with a friend or your partner. You pay 1 and enter 2. (includes 5 cocktails)

Learn to cook some of the best foods in Tamarindo in this small-group cooking class. Your local chef takes you through the steps in making a three-course meal that you eat at the end with your group. Try things like tortillas, patacones, arroz de maiz, and more. Learn about Costa Rican culture through the food you prepare and the people who teach you.

Welcome to the Blue Zone experience, where the secrets of longevity are served on a plate. Dive into the art of preparing traditional dishes. Picture yourself crafting a hearty bowl of gallo pinto, a flavorful mix of rice and beans, seasoned with a blend of spices that have been passed down through generations. As you cook, you'll learn about the nutritional benefits of each ingredient and how they play a crucial role in the Blue Zone lifestyle. Whether you're a hands-on enthusiast or prefer to observe and savor, you can choose how much to participate in this immersive experience. By the end of the class, you'll not only have a deeper appreciation for the culinary traditions of Costa Rica but also a newfound understanding of how simple, wholesome ingredients can lead to a longer, healthier life. So, roll up your sleeves, grab a wooden spoon, and get ready to cook your way to longevity.

Unveil the Hidden Gems of Costa Rica's Tropical Fruits! This experience goes beyond just tasting, it's about understanding the story behind each and every ingredient. Fruit Sampling Adventure: Begin your adventure by learning about where these fruits are grown. Discover the cultivation process, the unique characteristics of each fruit, and the cultural significance they hold in Costa Rican traditions. Juice Mixology Workshop: Become an expert as you create and taste three delicious fruit juice mixes. Mastering the techniques to balance flavors, enhance the natural sweetness, and create refreshing beverages that are both tasty and healthy. Health Benefits Overview: Gain a deeper understanding of how these fruits can boost your immune system, provide essential vitamins and minerals, and support overall health and wellness. Cultural Insights: Immerse yourself in the local culture as you learn about the traditional uses of these exotic delights in traditional cuisine and medicine.

This experience uses a structured culinary process to strengthen how groups communicate and work together in a natural, hands-on setting. Rather than focusing on competition, the session emphasizes alignment, clarity, and collaboration through shared preparation using fresh, locally sourced ingredients inspired by Costa Rican culinary traditions. Throughout the experience, the facilitator gently guides the group, helping participants navigate timing, decision-making, and communication in a way that feels organic rather than forced. Traditional techniques and ingredients provide a meaningful cultural context, grounding the experience in its local environment. The result is a guided yet fluid experience that goes beyond cooking, offering both practical teamwork insights and a genuine sense of connection.

This experience is designed to help groups slow down, align, and connect in a natural, pressure‑free way. Rather than focusing on performance or competition, the session emphasizes shared preparation, presence, and collaboration. The facilitator guides the flow gently, allowing conversation and connection to emerge organically. Inspired by Costa Rican and Blue Zone traditions, the experience uses food as a neutral and welcoming space where everyone can participate, regardless of cooking skill.

It is an activity where you will enjoy a real experience of what it is to work on a coffee farm, where you will share with the collectors and the owner, you will be able to feel what a collector feels in his daily work, you will be able to carry out other activities adjacent to coffee production such as it is fertilizing, weeding, spraying etc. It is a unique and 100% real experience. Also, if they wish, they can have breakfast or lunch on the farm and also have the opportunity to see a great diversity of birds and our river with the waterfall.

What distinguishes this experience in Slothland is its combination of nature, conservation and tradition in an authentic tourist experience. More than a tour, it is the opportunity to enter a natural sanctuary where the sloth and other species are observed in freedom, within a protected and completely natural environment. Every encounter becomes a genuine and unforgettable moment. In the middle of a lush tropical rainforest, you will discover one of Costa Rica’s most fascinating ecosystems, surrounded by biodiversity and unique landscapes. The experience is complemented by a sensory experience of coffee and chocolate, where you will meet artisan processes, actively participate and taste flavors that reflect the cultural richness of the region. Adventure, learning and real connection with nature make this activity a unique experience in Costa Rica.

Ten la oportunidad de vivir y ser parte de una experiencia autentica y rural de la producción de café, caña de azúcar y cacao de los costarricenses, además de conocer como esta ha influido en el desarrollo económico y social de Costa Rica. Podrás vivir una experiencia sensorial, de cada uno de los productos además de deliciosas degustaciones de los productos que realizaremos juntos Esta es una vivencia brindada por personas apasionadas y amantes por el café, que les gusta su trabajo y que poseen una excelente relación con la naturaleza y su entorno.