www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I always buy about 5-10lbs of coffee at the airport when flying back from SJO.

I found this old thread about buying coffee in the city and wanted to check if there are any updates to this.

http://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4305&highlight=coffee

Any recommendations, amigos?

BB57 can chime in here, but there is a place he took me to on the "tour" back in Oct. It is in Mercado Central and out near one of the "entrances", don't ask me which. The people working there were VERY nice. The chica even helped me take my rope chain off and said, "put this in your pocket."

They sell peanuts and some bagged candy also I believe. Bang said the coffee was good.

There are several coffee vendors in Mercado Central. I shop at "Moka" coffee which is located at the west exit of the Mercado on Avenida 1 (if my memory serves me correct). I sually pick up 4 or 5 500 gram bags for around C 10K - 12K.

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Blue Devil

Pura Vida...enjoying life to the fullest...

Great smell.. Love the smell especially when I'm back at home.

and the coffee too,

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Livin' & Lovin' in Key Largo....oh....And the one in The Keys, too!

This is the the place Tstef527 was refering to. Actually they have 2 places very close to each other (other one is maybe 20 ft' towards the interior of the Market. I usually go to the one closest to the exit (yes, NW corner - Av1 and Calle8) because of the young chica and the guy that work there; very helpful and friendly and speak some english for those of you who don't.

They have 4 or 5 different coffees. Two cheaper ones that Ticos and those of us who know use--by that I mean the one that is the dark roast and is about c3000 per k tastes just as good as the more expensive ones (c5500 and up).

They will also be glad to give you a free sample. And they have a small bar area on the north side of the other place with stools so you can set down and have a cup.

By the way, I drank about 8-9 cups of the C3000/k coffee every morning!!!!

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

I really like the Tres Rios coffee that Cafe Central sells. It's my favorite (so far). It's not the cheapest coffee in the Mercado but then the premium coffees usually have higher prices. If it's for gifts, buy the cheap stuff. If it is for you, go for what you like!

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Women are like beers. I've never had one that I didn't like. Just some that I like more than others! --Western

I don't know if I just don't have taste, but I drink the cheapest, Cafe Rey, every morning. It's 700 colones for 250 grams.

Try Cafe Volio...it is available everywhere and it is my long time favorite.

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NON ILLEGITIMI CARBORUNDUM

DG

Yep you either have no taste or you been living with the Ticos tooooo long !!

Actually it Cafe Rey is not really bad (beats Folgers or Maxuell House in the states IMHO) but if you will try Montana (In the coffee section of all the mercados along with Cafe Rey) I think you will find the aproximatelly 1/2 cent per cup (about c800 per 250 g) more well worth the price. and actually the MOKA dark roast that I refered to above, is the same price.

For any who do not know; Cafe Rey seems to be the coffee of choise with the Ticos. Not sure if it is the price or the biter taste

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

Yes, MOKA dark roast wins hands-down in my book!

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Blue Devil

Pura Vida...enjoying life to the fullest...

OH! and just one other point concerning coffee here in CR--well actually 2 other points:

1: IMHO and I am certainly not a professional coffee expert; but BRITT COFFEE is without any doubt the most over priced/ under valued product in Costa Rica. Almost every coffee available here is better! again, just this old farts opinion!!! I would not buy nor drank it even if it was the lowest priced coffee here!!

2: If you like a mild, smooth coffee, the shade grown coffees are great thou usually expensive

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

I bought some very nice bulk coffee this way in Cartago adjacent mercado central in addition to some breakfast cereals I took back.

Another BIG fan of Moka here

Before leaving Costa Rica, I always go to Mas X Menos and purchase enough coffee to last me until my next trip. I usually buy Leyenda and 1820. I will also buy some of the shade grown coffee from the coffee shop on Pork Chop Hill near Tarbaca. I have noticed that the Leyenda is a product of CAFE BRITT......it says so on the side of the package. If you buy the Leyenda in the brown bag, which appears to be packaged for the local ticos, you get about twice as much coffee at about half the price of the BRITT coffee that is packaged in the shiny red and green bags, which appears to be packaged specifically for the tourists.

I buy many different coffees for myself and others. I personaly enjoy cafe dorado and agree that Britt is overpriced and not all that good.In the end i think they are all reasonably priced compared to buying in U.S.