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.


Venue map for Rios Vegan Food
© OpenStreetMap contributors

50 Reviews

First Review by KarinS

albergonx

Points +846

Vegan
30 Nov 2024

Bueno y barato

Pequeño puesto con panadería. Lo encontramos cerrado, pero pudimos comprar sus empanadas en el Super Negro de Cocles y cenar barato. Hoy hemos ido al puesto que estaba abierto y hemos repetido, pero dulce: croissant de crema vegana y de chocolate, ambos buenísimos. Muy recomendable para picar algo en el coche, en la playa o en el hotel y ahorrar dinero.

siegburg03

Points +2750

Vegan
03 Sep 2024

Sehr lecker

Gutes Straße Food, dass man zum Meer mitnehmen kann

lydiab96

Points +1170

Vegan
01 Sep 2024

Cheap, tasty and convenient

This place is great if you want a snack to take to the beach or for a long bus journey.

I went a few times and tried most of the empanadas. My favourite was the bolognese one but all were tasty.

Chiraraa

Points +288

Vegan
30 Aug 2024

Perfect lunch option!

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😄

ValentinaGolihov

Points +68

Vegan
14 Aug 2024

Perfect!

A small bakery full of vegan delicious foods

Updated from previous review on 2024-08-14

Pros: The pastries , Good price , Good location

Purposely_Vegan

Points +1690

Vegan
17 Jul 2024

Good pastries and empanadas

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.

nathodge

Points +2086

Vegan
04 Jun 2024

Great pastries!

Great to support one of the only vegan only businesses in these parts, even better when it's this good!

Lots 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

Holly.Bourne

Points +167

Vegan
04 Jun 2024

Amazing !!!

The best croissants filled with chocolate or custard cream - must try!
We also had the verde and original empanadas which were great too

Pros: Reasonably priced , Friendly staff, Amazing food

VeganAZ

Points +322

Vegan
02 May 2024

Some good vegan fast food

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.
I'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

10 May 2024

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!!!
Thanks again for choosing us!!
Pura Vida!

MidwifeBec

Points +601

Vegan
09 Apr 2024

Amazing croissants

Such a treat to find vegan pastries! Really tasty and reasonably priced, the pain au chocolat was amazing

GabiBlue

Points +761

Vegan
06 Apr 2024

good snacks

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.

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

Thank you, let's hope we can do better next time..
Thank you anyway for being understanding and kind in your words!

MatthijsGerms

Points +209

Vegan
13 Mar 2024

Great food, good price

I had the pizza with veggies and Indian chickpea empanada. They are large size snacks and two were enough as lunch. Taste was good!

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

AHhahah!!! We are happy to ear that our portions are abundant!!

Vegan_Steph

Points +173

Vegan
19 Feb 2024

Tasty food to go!

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

Taco 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

10 May 2024

we were sorry to hear that there wasn't enough filling in the empanadas, it was definitely our mistake.
Thanks anyway for the kind words

sunnyadri

Points +40

Vegan
10 Feb 2024

Delicious foods

I was looking for vegan foods in Costa rica. This country is a heaven for vegans after Kolumbia & Panama. Many choices.
We 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

10 May 2024

Milkingcashews

Points +72

Vegan
06 Jan 2024

A must try in Puerto Viejo

Pleasantly surprised. Croissants and the mayonnaise were the highlights.

Croissants 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

10 May 2024

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
And the mayo is our own recipe, we hope to start selling it nationwide soon!

Keneecha

Points +212

Mostly Veg
21 Dec 2023

I wanted a vegan sandwich and they had it

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.

Vegan 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

10 May 2024

Thank you for these sweet words and the amazing photos!!!!

dominikhbn

Points +103

Vegan
16 Dec 2023

Great to-go option for the bus

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 😊

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

thanks!!!! We are always pleased to hear that the girl who works with us is kind, she is really sweet and a hard worker!!!

Saff

Points +1539

Vegan
29 Nov 2023

Perfect pop up + small stand

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!

Pros: Quick grab and go option , Open weekdays , Delicious

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

Thank you!!! Pura Vida vibes!!! We are living our dream!

LiaSofia

Points +379

Herbivore
07 Nov 2023

Very nice find

Really tasty empanadas. I had the Mexicana one which was amazing.

Pros: Lots of options

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

Ann-KathrinBiber

Points +2581

Vegan
30 Oct 2023

Nice

Good food we liked it - Italian an Frenchlike food

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

jeleno

Points +56

Vegan
25 Oct 2023

Have a lot of stuff

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...
Es ist ausserdem nicht all zu teuer. Geschmacklich auch nicht schlecht. Einige Sachen fand ich super, einige nicht so.

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

Thank you for your honest review!!! We will try to do even better!!

LarissaK

Points +3481

Vegan
01 Oct 2023

I got addicted!

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.

Pros: amazing pastries , friendly staff, good prices

Cons: sometimes it was closed when I wanted to go

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

Thank you so much for these words!!!! Finding a recipe for our croissants was hard work, we are happy that you appreciate it!!

We'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!!!!

LeonV

Points +1288

Vegan
22 Jun 2023

Amazing. I want to try everything.

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.

Pros: All vegan, Many options, Tasty

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

JoyZ

Points +664

Vegan
14 Jun 2023

A little dangerous to live so close to this place!

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!

Pros: The food, Kind owner, Convenient location

Cons: I might get fatter eating croissants every day

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

scheibelhofferliza

Points +458

Vegan
04 Apr 2023

So good

We had a chocolate croissant and a chocolate banana bread.
Both of them was delicious😋

Pros: Friendly prices

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

CamilaSilvaL

Points +6403

Vegan
16 Feb 2023

Yummy

I got a chocolate croissant and it was so good! It wasn’t fresh but still very tasty and the chocolate cream is delicious.

RiosVeganFood

10 May 2024

Very strange that it wasn't fresh... maybe it was already late in the afternoon?? The products are fresh every morning....
Thanks anyway for the kind words!

Stargazing.Fairy

Points +333

Vegan
05 Feb 2023

Yummy food wish they'd be there every day 🤤😍

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 😉🤤

RiosVeganFood

13 Feb 2023

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
(mon - fri 7am - 7pm) in townr and in the best supermarkets on the coast with our fresh bakery. :-)




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