San Jose Cocktail & Cooking Class: Farm-to-Table Evening
Make cocktails and cook alongside a chef in a private dining room
A four-hour evening class in San Jose that combines a historical walk through Morazán Park and the Central Market with hands-on cocktail mixing and cooking in a private home. You'll craft signature drinks like the Morenito and Mojito de Cas while a chef prepares traditional Costa Rican bocas (pollo caribeño, patacones, enyucados), and you'll make your own Empanada Arreglada. The class runs in English or Spanish and is limited to adults 18 and older.
Step-by-step itinerary
Evening tour with food and cocktails
- Meet at Monumento de los Presentes
- Discuss monument's history and community
- Visit Central Market and learn agriculture
- Pass by Templo de la Música in Morazán Park
- Enjoy farm-to-table dinner in private home
- Cook Empanada Arreglada together
- Make signature cocktails: Morenito and Mojito de Cas
- San Jose Central Market 35m
- Morazan Park 2h
What’s included
- A guided walk through Morazán Park and the Central Market with historical context.
- hands-on cocktail mixing instruction for four signature drinks.
- a Chef's Table experience where you watch traditional bocas prepared and paired with each drink you make.
- hands-on cooking of your own Empanada Arreglada.
- all cocktails and drinks served.
- a private home dining setting in a historic building.
- instruction in English or Spanish.
Times
- Monday to Saturday 16:00
Before you book
Operated by San Jose Urban Tours
Prices and times updated 7 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
The evening starts at the Monumento de los Presentes near the bank, where your guide walks you through the symbolism of the monument and its connection to San Jose's history. From there you move into the Central Market, established in 1880, where vendors show you the ingredients that anchor Costa Rican cooking: the agricultural foundation of the country's food culture. You'll pass the Templo de la Música in Morazán Park, a classical pavilion built in the early 20th century that has hosted the city's cultural events for generations.
The core of the evening happens in a private home within a historic building, where the real instruction begins. You step up to the bar and learn to mix four drinks: the Morenito, a coffee-based cocktail rooted in Costa Rica's coffee heritage; the Mojito de Cas, made with a tropical fruit unique to the country; a Classic Michelada; and the Chiliguaro, a slightly spicy local favorite. As you make each one, a chef works in front of you preparing bocas (crispy patacones, pollo caribeño, savory enyucados), and pairs them with the drinks you've just mixed. You also get hands-on time making your own Empanada Arreglada, learning the technique and the local tradition behind it.
The setup is intimate and flexible: one person can focus on cocktails while the other helps with cooking, or you can both step back and watch the chef work. The space is art-filled and quiet, designed to feel like a dinner party with friends rather than a restaurant. The whole experience runs four hours and is open to adults 18 and older. Guides speak English or Spanish, and the dress code is casual.
Is this one for you?The four-hour evening requires a moderate pace (a historical walk through the city, time standing at the bar, and time in the kitchen), so it suits someone comfortable with a few hours on their feet and ready to engage with both the cocktail mixing and cooking. If you want to step back and watch instead of participating hands-on, that's an option too, making it flexible for different energy levels.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Spanish.
What's the Central Market like, and how much time do we spend there?
The Central Market, established in 1880, is a vibrant hub of local life where vendors sell the ingredients that define Costa Rican cooking. You'll explore it as part of the historical walk early in the evening, learning about the agricultural practices and daily culture that have shaped the country's food traditions.
Do I have to cook and make cocktails, or can I just watch?
The Empanada Arreglada and cocktail mixing are hands-on, but you choose your own level of participation. One person can craft the drinks while the other helps cook, or you can both relax and watch the chef and bartender work. The choice is yours for the evening.
What drinks will I actually make during the class?
You'll mix four signature drinks: the Morenito, a coffee-based cocktail celebrating Costa Rica's coffee culture; the Mojito de Cas, made with a tropical fruit unique to Costa Rica; a Classic Michelada; and the Chiliguaro, a slightly spicy local favorite. Each one is paired with bocas the chef prepares as you work.
Is this suitable for someone visiting San Jose for the first time?
Yes. The evening combines a historical walk through Morazán Park and the Central Market with the cooking and cocktail class, so you'll learn about the city's cultural landmarks and food traditions alongside the hands-on instruction. It's designed as an introduction to local life and cuisine.
What time does the evening start and end?
The class runs for four hours total. It begins at the Monumento de los Presentes near the bank and concludes in the private home dining setting after you've finished cooking, drinking, and eating the bocas prepared by the chef.
San Jose Cocktail & Cooking Class: Farm-to-Table Evening
4h · EN · ES
from US$ 57 per person
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