Who doesn’t love an awe-inspiring view? Every country has those special places where the scenic views are incredible, people also pay a lot of money for properties with a great view. Costa Rica is no exception, here is a list of some of the best places in Costa Rica where you can delight in a wonderful view. Le Monastere: Located in Escazú, this is one of the most popular restaurants in town, ...

The days when dogs where chained in the back patio and fed leftovers are in the past in Costa Rica, although this may still be the case for many canine companions specially in the rural zones, the education and culture regarding pets in Costa Rica has changed a lot in the last decades, however, there is a lot of work still to be done when it comes to this topic, but, one paw at a time. For now ...

Authentic flavors and diverse textures that promise to bring us close to Costa Rica’s native population through the gastronomy that the Boruca, the Maleku and other ethnic groups have created in their lifestyle; this is the concept of the new menu of Luna Roja (Red Moon) restaurant, located in the “Paseo Gastronómico La Luz” in Barrio Escalante and part of the offering of Boutique Hotel Luz de Lun...

By Wendy Anders Café con Cuerpo's waitresses, Facebook. Costa Rican models Marcela Negrini and Diana Ibarra just launched a café in downtown San José called “Café con Cuerpo,” (literally, coffee with body), reported CRHoy.com yesterday. A sort of part-Hooters, part-Hustlers Club, the company guarantees guests will be served by the sexiest waitresses in the country, according to their Fac...

By Wendy Anders Source: Taco Bell US Ten percent of Taco Bell Costa Rica's workforce is disabled. The fast food restaurant chain leads the country in hiring people with disabilities, reported Costa Rica’s daily La Nación yesterday. Almost half of the more than 67 disabled workers staffing Taco Bell Costa Rica's outfits are deaf, many have some degree of cognitive impairment, and one work...

By Jack Donnelly Mexican cuisine is one of the great culinary influences in the world today, along with Chinese, Italian, and others. Tacos, burritos, nachos, refried beans (an unfortunate mistranslation we will never get back: it should be well fried beans), pico de gallo, and many other Mexican dishes are found the world over. Costa Rica is no exception and, as in other countries, Ticos have ...

Adding a sexy, healthy spin to our familiar breakfast menu of pancakes, eggs and cereal is now easier than ever with Costa Rica's "gallo pinto." A recent study published by Nutrition Journal found that the pairing of any type of beans with rice can help stop unhealthy blood sugar spikes in adults with type 2 diabetes. With 25.8 million people in the U.S. living with this condition, Costa Rican "ga...

By Wendy Anders Last year, many in Costa Rica were surprised by a governmental decision to ban imports of Mexican avocados. The government alleged the ban was due to a blight that might spread to local crops, according to reports in various local media sources, but inside sources said the allegation was unfounded. For the last two decades, Mexico has provided Costa Rica with the vast majo...

Photo: BusinessWire.com Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc., today announced a development agreement with Inversiones DBA-KKD de Costa Rica, SRL (“Inversiones”) to open 10 Krispy Kreme shops in Costa Rica in the next five years. “Costa Rica’s rapid market growth and consumer demand for sweet treats makes this the perfect time for Krispy Kreme to expand in the country,” said Dan Beem, Krispy Kreme ...

File photo By Wendy Anders The Costa Rican Chamber of Restaurants (Cacore, in Spanish) today filed with the Civil and Adminstrative Disputes Court for an injunction against the State Treasury Department (Hacienda). They request that the Treasury Department desist from what they consider to be illegal withholding practices on debit and credit card transactions at establishments with table an...

Source; Wikimedia Commons San Jose, Costa Rica (June 6, 2016) – New data from George Mason University has revealed that shark meat sold in San Jose and Heredia food markets contain high levels of toxic mercury. The levels are so high that three shark species tested exceed U.S. federal health guidelines. Advocates are advising consumers, and especially women and children, to not buy shark due t...

Photo by Jack Donnelly By Jack Donnelly Yuca is not yucca and it’s not at all yucky. Yuca is cassava in English. It is one of a number of starchy roots important to the tropical diet. It is often sold protected with a layer of paraffin, like rutabagas in the United States. Yucca is common in drier areas of the Americas and the Caribbean and is often used as an ornamental plant. The only ...

Ronald McDonald sits in the Netherlands. Source: Wikimedia Commons New York, Mar 31 (EFE).- McDonald's Corp. plans to open approximately 1,300 fast food restaurants in China over the next five years, CEO Steve Easterbrook said. The top exec at the U.S. multinational said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that the firm wants to make China its second largest market worldwide, behin...

Source: McDonald's MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay--(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Arcos Dorados, the world’s largest McDonald’s franchisee operating in Costa Rica and 19 other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, has unveiled a new premium burger experience, the ClubHouse, which is sure to be a customer favorite. The new creation is part of McDonald’s Signature Collection. It features thick-cut smoked ba...

Source: IBIC Ames, Ia. – Iowa beef producers Scott Heater, Wapello, and Dean Black, Somers, participated in an Iowa Meat Trade Mission to Dominican Republic and Costa Rica in late February. Heater, chairman of the Iowa Beef Industry Council, explained that the mission was exploratory in nature to determine if there is additional market opportunities for U.S. quality beef in these Central Ameri...

Wikimedia Commons MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arcos Dorados, the world’s largest McDonald’s franchisee operating in 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, is celebrating the successful rollout of its popular “Puertas Abiertas”, or “Open Doors”, program across the region. The program provides the opportunity for customers to tour McDonald’s kitchens and see firsthand the hig...

A Brioche Doree in Paris Press Release by All Points PR - SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica – Travelers at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) can now visit the Parisian-style urban bakery café, Brioche Dorée, during every arrival and departure. The exciting new eatery at the airport serving Costa Rica’s capital city, San Jose, specializes in an impressive range of European café options. From fr...

Gallito de arracache in Costa Rica. Jack Donnelly By Jack Donnelly   Eat like an Inca! You can enjoy one of the culinary delights of the ancient Incas of Peru right here in modern Costa Rica. It’s a dish that still thrills my palate.   It is called arracacha in English and arracache in Costa Rican Spanish. In fact, in Quechua (the Inca language, still widely spoken in Per...

Source: Four Seasons Costa Rica Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, an award winning hillside and beachfront oasis surrounded by lush Costa Rican jungle, has launched its own signature Guanacaste Pale Ale craft beer as a collaborative effort with TreintayCinco Brewery called Four Sins. Made exclusively for the resort, the brew was created to embody the distinct local flavors ...

Flickr Commons By Yeny Garcia Havana, Dec 24 (EFE).- At the close of a year marked by the reestablishment of relations with Washington, Cubans are celebrating the Christmas holidays without big parties but the private restaurants known as "paladares" are causing family traditions to evolve and many people are trying out their culinary offerings. Since 1997, when Christmas was reinstated ...

Source: Fast Casual BOSTON, Dec. 10, 2015 () -- Così, Inc. (NASDAQ:COSI), the fast-casual restaurant company, today announced that its franchisee, Fast Casual Ltda., has opened its sixth Così® restaurant in Costa Rica at Nuevo City Plaza, located next to the main movie theater in Santa Ana, part of the western suburbs of San Jose. “We are pleased to announce the opening of another new Così re...

Outback Jack's Costa Rica Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica, October 23, 2015 (Newswire) - ​​In Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Costa Rica, Penny and Jack Williams, the owners of Outback Jack's Beach Bar N Grill, are finally retiring to write their books. Rather than selling their internationally known restaurant, they thought it would be a lot more fun to run an essay contest for someone to wi...

From 2016 to 2020, retail coffee giant Starbucks plans to open 15 more cafes in Costa Rica, a business move that will generate more than 300 jobs. Such was the statement made by Monica Bianchini, general manager of Starbucks in Costa Rica, as she inaugurated the 8th location in our country. According to a news report filed by Marvin Barquero for national newspaper La Nacion, Ms. Bianchini expla...

Source: Hugh Jackman Instagram Mexico City, Oct 9 (EFE).- Australian actor Hugh Jackman, currently in Mexico City promoting his latest film, "Pan," finally had his dream of savoring the best tacos in the capital come true after asking for the advice of his followers on Twitter. "Best tacos in La Marquesa, Mex!!! Gracias ladies (sic)," he posted on his Instagram account together with a photo...

Malinche Costa Rica Newrest Press Relase - Only three months after launching its operations in Costa Rica, the Newrest Group is proud to announce the inauguration of its first restaurant specifically created for Central America: the Deli'Malinche. This novel concept, now open at the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), located in the province of Alajuela and not far from San Jose, w...

Wikimedia Commons QSRweb.com Press Release -- QSR International, developer of Quiznos, Smashburger and Teriyaki Experience franchises throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, announced the divestiture of 32 of its 33 KFC Costa Rican restaurants to Intelectiva Costa Rica SRL, led by Mexican businessman, Roberto González Alcalá. This divestiture will allow QSR International to focus on gro...

Source: Embassy of Canada As Canadian expats in Costa Rica gather today to celebrate one of their most important national holidays, a few will reflect on whether this celebration is appropriately named. Though it may seem as if July 1st has always been known as Canada Day, this holiday has only been officially called as such since 1982, and some would like to revert to the old “Dominion Day.” ...

Source: Four Seasons Costa Rica Four Seasons Media Release -- On Thursday, July 30, 2015 the talented culinary team at Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo will host a very special evening to celebrate the addition of culinary outlets Sol y Sombra Latin Market & Seafood Grill and Cena Sociale Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City...

By Maria M. Mur Panama City, Jun 9 (EFE).- Latin Americans see junk food as an "aspirational" product that helps them be more like people in rich countries, but the result is obesity and a higher incidence of chronic diseases, Latin American Health Coalition director Beatriz Champagne said. "We aspire to eat the food consumed in the more developed countries," Champagne told Efe. Champagne...

Source: Flickr Commons By Julio Cesar Rivas. Toronto, Jun 2 (EFE).- Canada is the North Korea of dairy products with a tight border through which foreign dairy products only pass in dribs and drabs but where, despite everything, Spanish cheeses are the rage. In 2012, Canadian authorities broke up a profitable smuggling network by arresting three people who were illegally bringing product...

New Bennigan's look. Wikimedia Commons SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR (May 20, 2015) – Bennigan’s has long been one of the most popular American restaurant brands across the globe. Its focus on chef-driven food, innovative drinks and friendly Irish hospitality has helped it stand apart from other concepts that have come and gone over the years. Today, Legendary Restaurant Brands, owner of the ic...

Source: Wikimedia Commons (US DOJ Press Release) A six-count superseding indictment was unsealed last week in Brooklyn federal court charging husband and wife defendants Gregorio and Eleonora Gigliotti, their son Angelo Gigliotti, and a relative who is an Italian citizen, Franco Fazio, with conspiracy to import cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, importation of co...

Source: Fast Casual BOSTON, MA, May 7, 2015 -- Così, Inc. (NASDAQ: COSI), the fast casual restaurant company, today announced that its franchisee, Fast Casual S.A., has opened its fifth Così® restaurant location in Costa Rica in the Sabana Business Center in San Jose, across from the International Soccer Stadium, in Costa Rica. "We are pleased to announce the opening of another new Così® resta...

Screenshot of Padow''6 Richmond, VA (PRWEB)  -- Padow’s Ham & Deli East Main Street proudly announces their one millionth customer celebration at the restaurant’s downtown location on 1009 East Main Street from May 1-7. Padow’s East Main Street location opened the doors for their first customer in the summer of 1992. Twenty-three years later, the store is preparing to celebrate their one m...

"Kanamara Matsuri 2007 (phallus festival)-crop" by Saya M. - Flickr. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons Over a period of two days, a trendy Japanese restaurant in the capital city of Costa Rica celebrated the traditional Shinto Kanamara Matsuri (the Festival of the Steel Phallus) with an unusual gastronomical display that tested the decorum of diners. According to lifestyle jour...

Source: Wikimedia Commons The upcoming boxing match between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao is being billed as “The Fight of the Century” and “The Battle for Greatness.” By many estimates, the bout between these two great practitioners of the sweet science will be the highest grossing fight in history, and its substantial economic impact is already being felt in Costa Rica, where spor...

Wikimedia Commons Tijuana, Mexico, Apr 8 (EFE).- The Lo Yen City Chinese restaurant in Tijuana, a border city in northwestern Mexico, was closed for using dog meat in its dishes and not having a business license. Eyewitnesses said a person called the emergency services number after hearing a dog yowl, looking through a gate and seeing cooks at the restaurant in the El Rubi district butcheri...

Source: Johnny Rockets A new Johnny Rockets restaurant opened in Costa Rica during January, and the California fast-food chain is not planning to slow down its expansion in our country. The new franchise location is situated in the heart of Downtown San Jose, precisely in the Plaza Universal food court on the Avenida Central pedestrian boulevard. According to a news report filed by Nancy Al...

Quick-service restaurants (QSR) make up one of the most active and potentially lucrative business sectors in Costa Rica. As previously reported by The Costa Rica Star, Tico consumers have an ongoing love affair with fast food, particularly when some level of novelty is involved. Enter Cosi, a United States-based restaurant chain specializing in the fast-casual dining segment. This company has gott...

Grupo Enjoy, an investor group in Costa Rica working with 100 percent domestic capital, is preparing to unveil its latest $2.5 million investment in early November. According to finance reporter Evelyn Fernandez of business weekly El Financiero, Grupo Enjoy will welcome diners to the very first P.F. Chang's China Bistro in Costa Rica, located in the ritzy Avenida Escazú, on November 3rd. Reader...