It’s no secret that Costa Rica has some of the world’s best coffee. Our temperate inland climate, rolling grassy hills, and rainy season provides the optimal conditions to produce supreme quality coffee beans. With every sip you take each morning you’re here, you’ll notice the complex flavor, rich aroma, and superb taste that puts Cost Rican coffee above the rest. But it’s one thing to order a cup with your breakfast, it’s a completely different ordeal to pick out your own bag at the supermarket. Honestly, it can be a bit overwhelming. All you want to find is that traditional Costa Rican flavor, but the coffee aisle is stacked with dozens of different brands and roasts. Dive in below to learn about each of the major Costa Rican coffee brands!
Café Britt
Perhaps the most recognizable coffee brand in Costa Rica, Britt is a regular on the shelves of all stores in Costa Rica. They even have their own brand-named stores in many malls, hotels, and airports. And for good reason, Britt makes high-quality coffee in a variety of blends and roasts. Café Britt is known for creating exclusive gourmet products, most notably their coffees and chocolates. The variety of brews offered by Café Britt will ensure that every coffee lover can find a perfect match. Britt focuses on quality by choosing the highest caliber beans and pairing them with expert roasters. Café Britt’s Tres Rios blend is a personal favorite that is grown on the mountains near Volcán Irazu and is a medium roast with an aroma of honey-nut.
Café Rey
Café Rey has been providing Costa Ricans with high quality 100% Arabica Coffee for 65 years. Café Rey’s goal is to combine the region’s best beans into a rich, aromatic blend of flavor that is evocative of traditional Costa Rican taste. The Café Rey Tradicional blend combines rich flavors with a hint of sweetness.
Café 1820
Named for the year Costa Rica exported its first coffee bean to Panama, Café 1820 is steeped in tradition. Café 1820 is a local favorite and is a balanced mix of Café Oro, which uses coffee from the 7 coffee-producing areas in Costa Rica. 1820 comes from high-altitude nutrient-rich volcanic soils located at more than 1000 meters above sea level. 1820 offers a variety of products including specific blends intended for mixing with milk, espressos, and of course 100% pure Arabica beans.
Volcanica Coffee
Volcanica Coffee offers unique varieties that bring out the rich flavors of the Costa Rican coffee bean. With a focus on estate coffee, (coffee from single farms not mixed with other beans), unique peaberry beans, gourmet flavor, and fair-trade – Volcanica is making a splash in the Costa Rica coffee industry through specialization.
If you’re staying at the surf camp, or in the Tamarindo area, stop by Dawn Patrol Coffee & Bakery, located at the entrance of Witch’s Rock Surf Camp. We have your coffee needs covered!
But next time you’re in Tamarindo, make sure you stop by the store on your way out to bring home the perfect bag of Costa Rican Coffee.