Café Britt Coffee Tour

Café Britt

A working coffee estate near Barva offering entertaining tours through the bean-to-cup process on the region's famed volcanic slopes. It's a classic introduction to Costa Rican coffee culture and tasting.

Things to do

• Take the theatrical coffee tour — Professional actors guide you through the story of Costa Rican coffee, from its history to modern-day production, in an entertaining stage-style presentation.
• Walk the coffee plantation — Stroll among the coffee bushes on the volcanic slopes to see how the beans grow, flower, and ripen on the estate.
• Learn the bean-to-cup process — Follow the journey from picking the red cherries through washing, drying, roasting, and packaging the finished coffee.
• Join a guided coffee tasting — Sample different roasts and learn to identify aroma, acidity, body, and flavor notes like a professional cupper.
• Watch a roasting demonstration — See the roasting machinery in action and smell the difference between light, medium, and dark roasts.
• Browse the Café Britt store — Buy freshly roasted beans, chocolate-covered coffee beans, and Costa Rican souvenirs at the on-site shop.
• Dine at the estate restaurant — Relax with typical Costa Rican fare and a fresh cup of coffee overlooking the plantation grounds.

Food to try

• Fresh Café Britt coffee — Taste the estate's signature medium-roast Arabica brewed on-site, the highlight of the whole visit.
• Gallo pinto — The classic Costa Rican breakfast of rice and black beans, often served alongside eggs and plantains at the restaurant.
• Casado — A hearty plate of rice, beans, salad, plantains, and a choice of meat that is the standard Costa Rican lunch.
• Chocolate-covered coffee beans — A popular Café Britt treat pairing local chocolate with roasted espresso beans, sold in the gift shop.
• Tres leches cake — A moist sponge cake soaked in three milks, a beloved dessert to enjoy with an after-tour coffee.

Local customs & good to know

• Book your tour in advance — Tours run at set times and can fill up with groups, so reserve online before arriving.
• Coffee is a national point of pride — Costa Rica exports only high-quality Arabica, and locals take genuine pride in their coffee heritage, so engage with curiosity.
• Bring a light layer — Heredia's highland location near Barva can be cool and breezy, especially in the morning and during the rainy afternoons.
• Tipping and colones — US dollars are widely accepted but you'll get change in colones, and a small tip for guides is appreciated.

Nearby

• Heredia City — 2 km
• Barva — 4 km
• Barrio Amón (San José) — 7 km
• La Sabana Metropolitan Park (San José) — 7 km