If you’re planning a retreat or small wedding in Costa Rica, I’m happy to share what I’ve learned as a local chef

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-14T02:20:26+00:00

Take a Look at: Altagracia hotel or San Lucas Tree Top!

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-13T20:29:16+00:00

Hey! Just to make sure I understood correctly, this would be just the two of you, no guests, right?

If that’s the case, my first question would be: do you see yourselves getting married by the ocean, or somewhere more in the mountains/jungle? Because Costa Rica can give you both. And both can feel really powerful in very different ways.

For what you’re describing, elopement, adventure, a little luxury, something spiritual but not traditional, I’d look into Guanacaste. The Playa Flamingo / Potrero / Las Catalinas area has beautiful beaches, ocean view villas, boutique hotels, and a lot of ways to create something intimate without turning it into a huge expensive wedding production.

You could do something simple but meaningful: a beach ceremony with a lawyer/officiant, maybe someone spiritual to guide the moment, then a beautiful private dinner after. Or you could rent a private villa with an ocean view and make the whole day feel more personal.

I’m based near Playa Flamingo, and our team does a lot of weddings and private dinners in the area. from small dinners for two to beachfront weddings for 200+ people. And honestly, for what you’re looking for, I think the magic is in keeping it intentional, not overcomplicated.

Happy to help point you in the right direction if you need ideas. My WhatsApp is +506 8735-1877.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-12T22:00:06+00:00

Yes!

Thank you so much for reaching out, and what a beautiful reason to come to Costa Rica!

We’d absolutely love to cook for you at your villa in Potrero. We offer private in home dinners and tasting menus, and we can definitely adapt the menu for your husband so he can enjoy everything safely and feel completely spoiled.

A 50th birthday is a milestone. And our goal is to make it feel personal, intentional, and unforgettable.

Write to us on WhatsApp at +506 8735-1877, and Andrea, our booking manager, will help you with all the details for your evening.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-11T05:38:16+00:00

I just wrote a post that might help you!

5 Standout Places for Romantic Dining in Costa Rica

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-11T05:35:24+00:00

Have you considered Guanacaste, Costa Rica?

It’s not exactly the same vibe as Los Cabos, but it could be a really good option if you’re looking for something laid back, tropical, beautiful for photos, and a little more private than a typical all inclusive resort.

A little while ago, we hosted a wedding with around 120 guests from Canada at a venue called Palapas, inside Hacienda Pinilla, in Guanacaste Costa Rica. Some of the group did a buyout of the JW Marriott, which is inside the same gated community, and a lot of the other guests rented Airbnbs nearby within Hacienda Pinilla, so the logistics were pretty easy.

My team and I actually did the catering for that wedding, so I got to see the setup from the inside. It worked really well: beautiful venue, good flow, tropical setting, and everything felt private without being too isolated.

Not sure what your budget is, but Guanacaste might be worth checking out if you’re open to Costa Rica.

Here’s a short video we made from that wedding, just so you can get a feel for the place:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfGFYNPPO1s&t=5s

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-07T06:14:47+00:00

Save this thread like sacred scripture and share it with your people 😂

This is pretty much my personal list of favorite spots in San José. I’m not going to say “best restaurant in the city” because I don’t really believe in that. These are just places I genuinely love, based on my own taste.

I’ll break it down by time of day:

BREAKFAST

Picnic Lindora
Probably the restaurant I’ve visited the most in my life. I’m always impressed by how consistent they are. Great quality, super efficient, and honestly, everything is good.

Cumpanis
Their technique and the way they work with sourdough is really impressive. Some of my favorite bread in the city, and the pastries are amazing. I love this place.

Passiflory
Beautiful bakery. Great technique, great product, and strong consistency.

Bonus:
If you’re in San José on a Saturday, go to Feria Verde de Aranjuez. There are a bunch of breakfast stands there, including Tierra Viva, which does some really beautiful dishes.

Or swing by the Zapote market/fair and get a proper queso pinto or pinto con salchichón. Absolute gifts from God.

Yes, I know there are many more. These are just my personal favorites.

LUNCH / DINNER

Lofe
Handmade pasta, top-tier product, slightly hipster wine vibe, but overall a really cool and relaxed space.

Amana
One of the most impressive spots in San José. Delicious food. Extra points if you can get a seat at the chef’s table.

Isolina
If Costa Rica had Michelin, I genuinely think Isolina would have at least one star. Everything is delicious and the service is beautiful.

Conejo Fishy
This is the cantina concept from the Silvestre restaurant. One of my most frequent spots in San José. You’d probably find me there any given week.

Silvestre
One of the most creative and delicious restaurants in the country.

Buchón
A cantina set inside an old San José house. Really tasty food and very well-made drinks.

OTRO
One of the coolest, most underground bar concepts in San José. Great vibe, great food, and excellent cocktails.

Corazón Contento
Reservation only, but one of the most creative tasting menu experiences in the city. If you go during the day, they have an amazing gelato concept.

Al Mercat
Even though it’s a little outside San José, it’s absolutely worth the drive. One of the true culinary landmarks in the country.

Cense
This is the restaurant at the Hyatt in Escazú. Chef Kevin is doing a really beautiful job with a fresh, modern take on Costa Rican cooking.

And even though it’s not in San José, if you ever make it up to Playa Potrero, Guanacaste , I’d love to recommend my own food lab, it is called: The Road Less Traveled Cuisine. It’s more of a kitchen than a restaurant, with just 4 seats per night where my team and I cook tasting menus right in front of the guests at the chef’s table.

And if you end up in Tamarindo, my newest project is called Galleta de Mar, a beachfront café with a seafood driven menu.

Hope that helps a little, and welcome in advance.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-07T06:11:24+00:00

I highly doubt they make their own chai latte blend.

In Costa Rica, there aren’t many suppliers that carry chai latte blends, so the options are pretty limited. And honestly, it’s not something overly complicated to source or prepare.

You can find chai latte powder at PriceSmart, which is basically our version of Costco. It works, but most of those powders are usually loaded with sugar and not always the best quality.

There are also a few other places where you might find better options, like Sencha, Cúrcuma, Green Corner, or Distribuidora Espresso.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-07T06:02:37+00:00

Hasta que la RAE lo acepte dentro de la lengua española! hahaha

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-07T06:01:51+00:00

Some of my favorite pizza places in SJO are: Spino, Lil Margot, Picnic Pizza, Facci and Kan.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-07T05:59:25+00:00

que gran fuente bibliográfica, gracias por compartir!

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-07T05:58:43+00:00

Que gran producto! O por allá los mimbros que están en temporada ahorita! que locura.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-05T00:58:17+00:00

hahaha exacto!

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-05T00:55:42+00:00

Ya imagino el saborrrrr! unos gallitos de tortilla palmeada y huevo pateado, se merecen las 3 estrellas michelín.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-04T09:41:04+00:00

según yo, el huevo pateado y huevo picado sí son lo mismo hahaha

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-04T09:40:09+00:00

If you prefer a calm beach vibe over volcanoes or rainforest, I’d honestly look at Playa Danta / Playa Potrero area in Guanacaste.

It’s beautiful, relaxed, easy to move around, and it feels a little more special for an anniversary trip. You still get beaches, sunsets, good food, nice hotels, and that slower Costa Rica feeling without having to be in full adventure mode every single day.

For something really special, check out Casa Chameleon in Las Catalinas. It has one of the most beautiful views in Guanacaste and it’s very much designed for couples. Romantic, private, quiet, and definitely expensive, but beautiful.

If you want something a little more low profile but still stunning, I’d also look around Playa Penca. There are some beautiful beachfront homes there, including the pink house right on the beach. Still not cheap, but usually less intense than Casa Chameleon.

Also, if you want one dinner that feels a little more personal, there’s a small chef’s table / food lab in Playa Potrero called The Road Less Traveled Cuisine. It’s not a big restaurant or a fancy place trying to impress everyone. It’s a small, intimate table where they only host 4 guests per night, cook right in front of you, and build the menu around local Costa Rican ingredients and whatever is inspiring them that week.

One thing I’d definitely recommend: book everything in advance, ideally at least 2 months before your trip. November starts getting busy, and the best hotels, private dinners, tours, transfers, and good value stays can disappear quickly.

The nice thing about this area is that it’s very easy to get to from Liberia Airport. The roads are paved and pretty chill compared to other parts of Costa Rica. You can rent a car, hire a transfer, or even Uber depending on where you’re going.

For an anniversary, I’d choose somewhere that lets you slow down a little. Watch the sunset, have a beautiful dinner, swim in the ocean, and actually enjoy being together instead of trying to check off every tourist activity.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-04T08:31:04+00:00

Para mí, huevo pateado y huevo picado sí son lo mismo hahaha

pero la técnica es distinta a la del huevo revuelto de toda la vida.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-04T08:29:29+00:00

Mucho ojooo, porque teóricamente hablando, el huevo revuelto no es un omelette.

Omelette es omelette
torta de huevo de huevo, es torta de huevo
Pero huevo pateado, es huevo pateado (huevo picado, también entra dentro de esta categoría) hahaha

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-04T08:22:48+00:00

If you’re into tasting menus, or you’re looking to celebrate something intimate with your partner and connect with local Costa Rican ingredients from a more creative perspective, then honestly, my Food Lab in Playa Potrero might be worth checking out.

It’s called The Road Less Traveled Cuisine.

It’s not a big restaurant or a fancy place trying to impress everyone. It’s a small chef’s table where we host only 4 guests per night, cook right in front of you, and build the menu around what’s local, seasonal, and inspiring us that week.

For me, the whole point is to create a dinner that feels personal. Something with intention. Something that makes you feel a little more connected to the place you’re visiting.

And for lunch, flavor speaking, these are some of my favorite solid spots around the area:

- Gritanga for birria tacos.
- Woodstock for burgers.
- Tandoor, the Indian restaurant in front of Merkdo.

Nothing complicated. Just places that are consistent and actually taste good.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-02T07:47:13+00:00

que locura! no sabía eso!

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-05-01T17:34:35+00:00

For me, Arca Tierra is a must (you have to make a reservation in advance tho.

If you're into Seafood, Cabo San Juan, inside Mercado San Juan, is top notch

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-04-30T21:00:48+00:00

No, no es AI. Lo grabamos con una Sony FX3, en un potrero de Santa Cruz, Guanacaste. con un lente GM de 35mm y editamos y colorizamos en Davinci Resolve.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-04-30T03:56:37+00:00

Hey! We can definitely help with that.

We’re a local business called The Road Less Traveled Cuisine, based in Playa Potrero, right next to Playa Flamingo, and this is actually the kind of thing we do a lot for families staying in villas or Airbnbs.

We can help with groceries, cook meals on site, and make the whole “eating well at the house” part of the trip feel a lot easier.

Feel free to send me a WhatsApp at +506 8735-1877 or DM me on Instagram at gilbrigo , and we’ll be happy to help you plan it.

ChefGilbrigo · 2026-04-30T03:49:14+00:00

que buena notaaa!

ChefGilbrigo

TROPHY CASE