Cooking Class & Medicinal Plants Garden Manuel Antonio

Recommended by 97% of travelers

Quepos, Costa Rica

3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Whether you’re an avid chef or would just like to learn more about Costa Rican cuisine, this small-group cooking class will teach you all you need to know. Meet a local family and gain insight into how they live, cook, and eat. Your hands-on cooking class will focus specifically on medicinal plants found in your hosts’ garden. Have fun learning new skills and then eat your tasty home-cooked meal after.

Cook local favorites including rice, beans, salad, and chicken or fish
The menu includes a vegetarian option, too
Includes hotel transfers from the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area
Receive personalized attention in a small-group practical class

Sample Menu

Main

Casado (Vegetarian too)

Includes rice, beans, salad, vegetables prepare in a special sauce and a choice of chicken- in tomato & cilantro sauce or fish in coconut sauce.

What's Included

Coffee and/or Tea
Lunch
Air-conditioned vehicle

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Please always enter your pickup location name

Operating hours
.11:00 am

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Infants must sit on laps

Infant seats available
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Hayden_T

One of the best ways to learn about a country is to cook it's favorite food. Of course you need a great teacher and Sergio and his cooking assistant, Elizabeth, were all of that. In an attractive kitchen set in the middle of a forest where many of the ingredients were grown, they not only showed us how to prepare several traditional dishes but gave the history and cultural context. The result was delicious food and a deeper understanding of Costa Rica.

Reviews

4.9

based on 34 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Great cooking class

Thomasina_P, Feb 2026

Overall great experience and would recommend! Food was quite good and the host was very personable. Only downside was that I made a note upon booking that I am pescatarian, and they only had chicken. Would like better accommodations for dietary restrictions. Great class!

Response from Host, Mar 2026

"Thank you so much for your feedback and for recommending our class! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the food and found our host personable. However, we sincerely apologize for the oversight regarding your pescatarian request. We value our guests' dietary needs and will use your feedback to improve our communication and ensure we have the right accommodations ready for everyone. We would love to have you back for an even better experience in the future! Pura Vida!"

Learn by cooking

Hayden_T, Feb 2026

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thank you so much for your insightful review! We truly believe that cooking is the best way to connect with a country's soul, and we’re thrilled that Sergio and Elizabeth helped you gain a deeper understanding of Costa Rica. It’s a joy to share our history and traditions in our open-air kitchen, surrounded by the very forest where our ingredients grow. We're glad you found the meal as delicious as the stories behind it. We hope to see you again for more 'Pura Vida' flavors!

Learn about local industry

erika_T, Nov 2025

We booked for the cooking tour but moved over to the chocolate and coffee one instead. Highly recommend this tour. Learned so much, even my daughter who is 11 enjoyed her self. Sergio was the best guide, he was really informative and fun. Very engaging.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

We truly appreciate your feedback! It was a pleasure having you and your daughter with us. We're happy to hear that Sergio made the experience so engaging and that you learned so much about our coffee and chocolate processes. Thank you for choosing us during your time here and for recommending the tour to others. We look forward to welcoming you back! Pura Vida!

This was a great lunch and time learning a little about their plants.

Brandy_P, Apr 2025

This was great. We have decided that doing one of these excursions should be a must for any new country. You get to see some beautiful areas and experience true authentic food.

Response from Host, Apr 2025

Hello dear Brandy this really makes us happy, and we want to thank you for taking a moment and leaving us this beautiful review. All the products we offer during our session are made with love and this is why we are very satisfy when this comments are received. Hope you had a great time during all your time in Costa Rica. And dont forget to recommend our tour to friends and family please.

Fun and delicious!

QuynhLan_N, Jul 2024

We had a wonderful time as a family doing this cooking class! Unfortunately we did not see the medicinal garden due to weather, but this didn’t lessen our experience. Juan and Elisabeth were very friendly and informative, everyone got to participate, and the entire meal was made from scratch with fresh ingredients. I had mentioned beforehand that it was my dad’s birthday, and they surprised him with a delicious tres leches cake at the end of the class. Viator was also very clear and quick with communication, and arranged seamless transportation to pick up/drop off at our Airbnb.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Hello Mrs Quynhl, we truly appreciate your nice comments about our guide, cook and overall the experience in general, the detail that you choose our tour for your dads birthday made it so special. We wish you a safe travel back home and please dont forget to mention about us to any of your friends and family coming down here. Pura vida! :)

Educational and Delicious!!

Kimberly_R, Jan 2022

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the garden tour and cooking class! The gardens and facilities are beautiful and very comfortable. Our guide Juan and chef Clara led our small group through a fun preparation of a delicious and authentic Costa Rican lunch. We had so much fun and came away with recipes and knowledge about the plants we used in the meal preparation. We highly recommend this class!

Fun Authentic Cooking Class

CherylLyn_R, Sep 2021

My husband and I enjoyed our cooking class with our guide Juan and chef Clara. Juan first showed us the herb and medicinal garden. We learned many interesting facts of these plants. Then we proceeded to the outdoor kitchen where we all helped prepare a delicious Costa Rican tradicional meal. The dessert was very delicious!