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Vegan
Offers vegan food such as burgers, lasagna, bread, various types of hummus, sauces, falafel, brownie, banana bread and other daily fresh choices. Sells at the Saturday market in the center of Puerto Viejo and around the town at a couple of organic shops. Also offers catering. Full menu available at the Stand at the Saturday Farmers' Market. Fresh baked goods are available in the Supermarkets. Take out only. Open Mon-Fri 7:00am-7:00pm, Sat 6:30am-12:00pm.
47 Reviews
First Review by KarinS
Chiraraa
Points +199
Perfect lunch option! - Edit
Really delicious and really affordable! You can buy the items in local supermarkets and take them with you to the Beach! Perfect to save some Money😄
Read moreGuest
ValentinaGolihov
Points +68
Perfect! - Edit
A small bakery full of vegan delicious foods
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-08-14
Pros: The pastries , Good price , Good location
Guest
Purposely_Vegan
Points +1649
Good pastries and empanadas - Edit
This place has a wide range of fully vegan pastries and empanadas! Other reviews for this place rave about it. We found the pain au chocolate really nice and the empanadas just fair. They had just been closed for a week when we went so maybe the empanadas were frozen from before. It would be better if they could expand into a cafe/restaurant as this is more deli style.
Read moreGuest
nathodge
Points +1877
Great pastries! - Edit
Great to support one of the only vegan only businesses in these parts, even better when it's this good!
Read moreLots of options - we tried the Verde and the Classica Empanadas as well as both the Chocolate cream and custard cream filled croissants! All was great, our favourites being the Verde and Custard filled croissant. I think we might well be coming back here before we leave Puerto Viejo!
Fairly priced, lovely staff, locally owned - would absolutely recommend !
Update: we went back and tried 3 more different empanadas/savoury pastries and the frozen kombucha - all great again! Definitely pop by here.
Updated from previous review on 2024-06-04
Guest
Holly.Bourne
Points +167
Amazing !!! - Edit
The best croissants filled with chocolate or custard cream - must try!
Read moreWe also had the verde and original empanadas which were great too
Pros: Reasonably priced , Friendly staff, Amazing food
Guest
VeganAZ
Points +322
Some good vegan fast food - Edit
The food is already prepared. I got a burrito that was prepared with jack fruit, homemade vegan mayo, lettuce, onions and more. I don't know what else was in it, but it was very good.
Read moreI'm pretty sure that what my husband got was an empanada. It was called the Mexicana. My husband thought his dish was okay, but it had too much dough. It was more dough than anything else. He said that he would not get it again. They were able to heat his dish up, but since mine had lettuce, they were unable to heat that up.
The only food available was that which you could see in the deli case.
It was a much smaller operation than I was expecting.
But it was really great to find a fully vegan restaurant or deli.
The lady at the counter really worked with me to find solutions for my allergies to yeast.
Pros: All vegan , Tasty burrito with jackfruit , Worked with me to find solutions to allergies
Cons: Would have liked more options.
RiosVeganFood
Thank you for taking the time to write this review!! We are sorry to hear that the empanadas were not to your liking, they are made with a bread dough which sometimes in this climate rises a little too much and becomes too thick. We will work on it!! Yes, our products are only available in the shop window and sometimes there aren't many... but they are FRESH EVERY DAY and we try to guarantee the best possible service!!!
Read moreThanks again for choosing us!!
Pura Vida!
Guest
MidwifeBec
Points +583
Amazing croissants - Edit
Such a treat to find vegan pastries! Really tasty and reasonably priced, the pain au chocolat was amazing
Read moreGuest
GabiBlue
Points +761
good snacks - Edit
so nice to have an option to pick up a savoury snack or sweet treat! empanada was tasty and the banana bread was lovely although maybe a little dry.
Read moreRiosVeganFood
Thank you, let's hope we can do better next time..
Read moreThank you anyway for being understanding and kind in your words!
Guest
MatthijsGerms
Points +209
Great food, good price - Edit
I had the pizza with veggies and Indian chickpea empanada. They are large size snacks and two were enough as lunch. Taste was good!
Read moreRiosVeganFood
AHhahah!!! We are happy to ear that our portions are abundant!!
Read moreGuest
Vegan_Steph
Points +173
Tasty food to go! - Edit
Walked past this when arriving into Peurto Viejo & had the tacos for dinner! Also took an empanada for a snack later & a crossaint for my breakfast the following morning
Read moreTaco was super tasty! And a good size portion
The crossaint was filled with chocolate cream & soooo yummy
The empanads was empty!😒lol! I don't know what happened there but it had no filling at all. Lol
For all 3 it cost about £13 which I though was very good for an expensive little town😄
Pros: All vegan , Tasty foods! , Well priced
Cons: I had no filling in my empanada. Lol
RiosVeganFood
we were sorry to hear that there wasn't enough filling in the empanadas, it was definitely our mistake.
Read moreThanks anyway for the kind words
Guest
sunnyadri
Points +40
Delicious foods - Edit
I was looking for vegan foods in Costa rica. This country is a heaven for vegans after Kolumbia & Panama. Many choices.
Read moreWe got a burrito, a mini pizza, a sweet bun
with chocolate and a mexican sandwich. Was delicious, fast, everything was ready for take away. We paid for thoose 8900 colones. We will go there tomorrow morning too.
RiosVeganFood
Thank you soooo much for chosing us!!!
Read moreGuest
Milkingcashews
Points +66
A must try in Puerto Viejo - Edit
Pleasantly surprised. Croissants and the mayonnaise were the highlights.
Read moreCroissants with cream 10/5
•Was light and airy like they should be.
•I've yet to find a good croissant in the states so I will be sad leaving here.
Mayonnaise 10/5
•Had the same texture and flavor as real mayonnaise.
•I LOVE mayonnaise to a point it's a toxic trait. I would put this one as my #1.
•No after taste, no weird preservatives, just simple and good.
Burrito wrap: 5/5
-shredded red/green cabbage, avocado, plantain, lettuce, beans, hummus, shredded carrot, tomato, splendid homemade tortilla wrap that really added the extra flavor
•Simple, good and filling
Jack fruit sandwich slider 4/5
-young jackfruit with house mayo, lettuce, tomato, soft homemade bun
•mayonnaise shines through but the jackfruit really needs some extra kick to really elevate the sandwich, like celery salt, salt/pepper, lemon, celery, grapes, nuts etc.
Chickpea Cheese 4/5
-chickpea flour cubes served with shredded cabbage and mayonnaise
•thick soft chickpea bread cubes that just tasted really good. Not really "cheese" per se but really yummy.
•basically a thicker faina
•oily and heavy if you eat too much, a lime or lemon with it would really complete the dish
Chickpea nuggets 4/5
-chickpea rounds with ground chickpea and cauliflower served with mayo and shred cabbage
•nice alternative to chickpea cheese dish.
•also needed a lime or something to elevate it
•reminded me more of a thick crust you would put on an eggplant parmesan
Empanadas 3/5
-chickpea with curry
-verde: mushroom, eggplant, cheese
•I had these from the market so I assume they weren't fresh.
•Seemed to be baked.
•Dough was like a thin calzone crust. Filling did not fill the entire inside.
•Verde was the better of the two.
•I prefer baked empanadas to have thicker and lighter crust or a corn based masa
•would recommend definitely as a to go snack or any with the cheese.
Mini pizzas 3/5
-only tried tomato sauce with veggies
•not fresh from oven and no cheese so might be different otherwise
•tasted like bread with tomato sauce and veggies.
• if you are in the mood it is a nice snack but I would pass unless they came from the oven with cheese
Caribbean Salsa 3/5
•Everyone has their own version in Puerto Viejo.
•This one was ok. More of a relish and not spicy.
*They was a lasagna that looked good with lentils. I enjoyed their cheese and tomato sauce so I bet it would be worth a try.
* Forgot pics cuz I ate it all
Pros: Croissants, Mayonnaise, Homemade
Cons: Pizza
RiosVeganFood
thank you with all my heart!!!!!!! It fills our hearts to hear these words about croissants because it took us a lot of work to find a truly satisfying recipe!! Thanks thanks thanks
Read moreAnd the mayo is our own recipe, we hope to start selling it nationwide soon!
Guest
Keneecha
Points +212
I wanted a vegan sandwich and they had it - Edit
We were walking the strip looking for Vegan Empanadas and came across this shop. The people that took our order were kind and knowledgeable. I also was saying I wanted a vegan sandwich. They had it and it was soy free. Vegan Savory Croissant was made with a Vegan homemade croissant stuffed with homemade veg meat (beans), homemade chickpeas cheese, veg homemade mayo, salad.
Read moreVegan Empanadas Mushrooms, Bell Pepper, Onion and chickpeas cheese the magic is at the bottom. The top was mostly dough. It had great flavor.
Pros: All vegan , Hit different (yummy flavor) , Location
RiosVeganFood
Thank you for these sweet words and the amazing photos!!!!
Read moreGuest
dominikhbn
Points +103
Great to-go option for the bus - Edit
Came here twice: after arriving with the bus and before leaving with the bus, making sure to get some to-go for the ride. Tried both sweet and hearty stuff and can recommend all of it! Good prices and the lady working there is very friendly as well 😊
Read moreRiosVeganFood
thanks!!!! We are always pleased to hear that the girl who works with us is kind, she is really sweet and a hard worker!!!
Read moreGuest
Saff
Points +1470
Perfect pop up + small stand - Edit
First discovered this at the Saturday market where they had a pop up. I indulged in the chocolate croissant. During the week the permanent stand is open. Great for grabbing food to go to the beach or catch a bus. The vibes are superb!
Read morePros: Quick grab and go option , Open weekdays , Delicious
RiosVeganFood
Thank you!!! Pura Vida vibes!!! We are living our dream!
Read moreGuest
LiaSofia
Points +379
Very nice find - Edit
Really tasty empanadas. I had the Mexicana one which was amazing.
Read morePros: Lots of options
RiosVeganFood
Thank you!! Pura Vida!
Read moreGuest
Ann-KathrinBiber
Points +2470
Nice - Edit
Good food we liked it - Italian an Frenchlike food
Read moreRiosVeganFood
Thank you!!! Yes we are italian!!
Read moreGuest
jeleno
Points +56
Have a lot of stuff - Edit
Liebe die Auswahl!! Sie bieten Pizza an - 3 verschiedene Arten - gefüllt Empanadas, Crossaints aller Art, vegane Nuggets, vegane Zimtschnecken, Blätterteig mit Marmelade und und und...
Read moreEs ist ausserdem nicht all zu teuer. Geschmacklich auch nicht schlecht. Einige Sachen fand ich super, einige nicht so.
RiosVeganFood
Thank you for your honest review!!! We will try to do even better!!
Read moreGuest
LarissaK
Points +3348
I got addicted! - Edit
I found myself going here all the time to buy snacks for the day, I especially enjoyed the chocolate croissants a lot. To die for! It's so nice to see a good pastry place in Latin America, it reminded me of european places. Also their savoury stuff is simply delicious. Prices are totally reasonable.
Read morePros: amazing pastries , friendly staff, good prices
Cons: sometimes it was closed when I wanted to go
RiosVeganFood
Thank you so much for these words!!!! Finding a recipe for our croissants was hard work, we are happy that you appreciate it!!
Read moreWe're sorry that you found us closed sometimes, it's only because our products are fresh every day and when they run out.... we close!!!!
Guest
🌱Leon🌱
Points +1234
Amazing. I want to try everything. - Edit
Lovely little shop with many vegan options. So far, I’ve tried the savory and a sweet croissant and both were delicious. I’ll make sure to try the entire menu while in Puerto Viejo.
Read morePros: All vegan, Many options, Tasty
RiosVeganFood
Thank you!!!!! The photo are great!!!
Read moreGuest
JoyZ
Points +460
A little dangerous to live so close to this place! - Edit
Instead of my usual oatmeal breakfast, I found myself at Rios Vegan Food's permanent location on the main street of central Puerto Viejo this morning. First I had a chocolate croissant, and it was so good I followed up with a "crema pastelera casera" (cream-filled croissant). You can ask for them to be heated, which I did. So delicious! I took a small veg pizza and empanada home for later. The owner is super nice too. What a great place!
Read morePros: The food, Kind owner, Convenient location
Cons: I might get fatter eating croissants every day
RiosVeganFood
You made us smile!!! thank you very much
Read moreGuest
scheibelhofferliza
Points +385
So good - Edit
We had a chocolate croissant and a chocolate banana bread.
Read moreBoth of them was delicious😋
Pros: Friendly prices
RiosVeganFood
Thank you so much!!!
Read moreGuest
CamilaSilvaL
Points +6257
Yummy - Edit
I got a chocolate croissant and it was so good! It wasn’t fresh but still very tasty and the chocolate cream is delicious.
Read moreRiosVeganFood
Very strange that it wasn't fresh... maybe it was already late in the afternoon?? The products are fresh every morning....
Read moreThanks anyway for the kind words!
Guest
Stargazing.Fairy
Points +315
Yummy food wish they'd be there every day 🤤😍 - Edit
They make lots of good street food, found them by chance on a saturday and was sad to find out they were only there once a week😭 but found their food around town 🙏 still gotta try the vegan sweet croissants 😉🤤
Read moreRiosVeganFood
thank you so much for choosing us!! Yes, the Market is only on Saturday morning, the other days you can find us in our shop
Read more(mon - fri 7am - 7pm) in townr and in the best supermarkets on the coast with our fresh bakery. :-)
Guest
Fiddlesticks
Points +316
Croissants! And more - Edit
First vegan croissant found in Central America! Also banana bread, a tasty triangle thing, a delicious scroll. Great shop!
Read moreRiosVeganFood
Love the 'triangle thing'!!!! thank you so much.
Read moreGuest
melanievi
Points +906
affordable option - Edit
italian food at the street market on saturday.
Read morein december 2022, the cheapest option was 1000 crc (small pizza) and them a couple options for 1500 crc (good size, good taste, not very light for my stomach). other options for a bigger price.
RiosVeganFood
thanks so much. We try to keep the best prices possible, come and visit us in our shop during the week!!
Read moreGuest
alexsattva
Points +64
De las mejores opciones fast food - Edit
Burger, empanadas,pizzas, banana bread todo riquísimo..
Read morePros: Rápido , Buena calidad
Cons: Mejor horario , Abrir todos los días
RiosVeganFood
Muchas gracias!!!!!!!! Ahora tenemos nuestro shop abierto de lunes a viernes de 7 am - 7pm y el sabado en la Feria Agricola!!! Muchas gracias!!
Read moreGuest
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