GypSea Café | Playa Chiquita — Restaurant in Cahuita

I visit Puerto Viejo at least once or twice a year, and somehow this was my first time at GypSea Café… and now I can’t believe I ever missed it! My boyfriend and I ended up going back five or six times during our stay—every breakfast became a GypSea breakfast.

First of all, the Coco Loco Açaí Bowl is pure joy in a bowl. I’m talking giant shreds of fresh coconut (none of that dusty stuff), and real chunks of cacao that make every bite feel indulgent and refreshing at the same time. It quickly became a non-negotiable part of our morning. Our favorite move was to split the açaí bowl and an Eggs Benedict—we tried both the prosciutto and the hummus versions, and honestly, I still can’t decide which one I loved more. They’re both phenomenal. Rich, flavorful, perfectly poached, and deeply satisfying.

But we didn’t stop there—there’s also this incredible Italian sandwich (I believe it had gorgonzola or something similar?), and when my boyfriend took one bite of mine, that was his order from that point forward. The flavors were layered, bright, and just hit every note. I also loved the avocado toast and the playful, flavorful Caribibowl (a Caribbean-inspired bowl that’s as vibrant as it sounds). Everything we tried was fresh, beautiful, and made with care.

This café has officially earned its place on my Puerto Viejo “musts” list. Can’t wait...

We enjoyed our visit to this outdoor eatery while we were in Costa Rica. The walk from Cocles is an enjoyable 30min trek that is mostly winding road and scenic greenery. The menu offers breakfast, lunch and drink choices, a delightful atmosphere and pleasant and friendly staff. On the day of our visit we enjoyed one of their tasty bowls and a plate of the GF Vegetarian (made vegan) pasta - and it was TASTY! There were diners there were with small children and teenage children, as well as adults, older adults, locals and visitors. On our arrival the music was some sort of electronica, couldn't tell from which station they were broadcasting the mix and after about 20 min it changed over to mainstream reggae hits from the late 70's through the 90's (think UB40 Red, Red Wine and a hit from The Police, A Rita Marley track, etc.) The garden framing the dining room was tranquil and pleasant and at the end of our meal, my Americano was very good. We also found that our meal was reasonably priced. We only had the chance to visit GypSea on one occassion before we left Cocles - the eatery is actually in Playa Chiquita; and I am truly disappointed that we didn't get back to sample more items from the kitchen. The ingredients that we were served were fresh, flavourful...

Stopped in GypSea Cafe this morning for an espresso and ended up staying on for lunch, enjoying the rich flavors of this hangout that has a feel of being a local place for friends to gather, visit, chat, spend the day.

Had a long and engaging conversation with the owner and appreciate his genuine interest in making each customer feel more like a friend. Being Italian, he is an advocate of "slow food", his dishes all combining local goods and tastes. And the food is amazing - in each bite you can taste all the ingredients.

We shared a vegetarian eggs benedict - which is truly out of this world - and homemade pasta. The eggs were on brioche and stacked with avocado, roasted vegetables, sweet plantains, a perfectly poached egg, goat's cheese, and an amazing hollandaise sauce, of which I am not usually a fan, but this is an exception! The pasta dish was equally delicious and savory.

The cafe is a a cozy little corner along the road and one of several establishments owned by three brothers, including a pizzeria open for dinner.

Definitely worth a stop when you are in the...