About Cacao Huasi
More Than a Chocolate Shop
People often ask us what Cacao Huasi is.
The answer isn't quite as simple as "a restaurant" or "a chocolate shop."
Cacao Huasi is a bean-to-bar chocolate house, a creative Caribbean restaurant, and a place to experience cacao in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica.
Every day we make chocolate from locally grown cacao, prepare food inspired by the flavours of the Caribbean, welcome guests from around the world, and create opportunities for people to discover one of the world's most remarkable plants.
Some people visit for lunch.
Others join a chocolate making class or a guided tasting.
Some simply stop for a cup of drinking chocolate before heading to the beach.
However you arrive, our hope is that you leave seeing cacao a little differently.
Below you'll find answers to the questions we're asked most often.
Visiting Cacao Huasi
Where is Cacao Huasi?
We're located in the centre of Puerto Viejo, just a short walk from the beach, making us an easy stop whether you're exploring the town or spending the day on the Caribbean coast.
Is Cacao Huasi a restaurant?
Yes.
We serve a creative menu inspired by Caribbean flavours and local ingredients, alongside house-made desserts, speciality drinks, and our own bean-to-bar chocolate.
Many guests join us for lunch or dinner even if they aren't taking part in one of our experiences.
Can I visit just for coffee, chocolate or dessert?
Absolutely.
You're welcome to stop by for a coffee, drinking chocolate, dessert, cocktails, or simply to relax for a while.
No reservation is needed for the restaurant.
Do I need to book experiences in advance?
We recommend booking ahead, particularly during the busy season.
Some experiences have limited places and often fill several days in advance.
Are children welcome?
Yes.
Families are always welcome, and several of our experiences are suitable for children.
Our chocolate making class is especially popular with families visiting Puerto Viejo.
Chocolate & Cacao
Do you really make your own chocolate?
Yes.
We make our chocolate from tree to bar.
That means we begin with cacao trees and carry out every stage of the process ourselves, including harvesting, fermenting, drying, roasting, cracking, winnowing, refining, tempering, and moulding.
Making chocolate this way allows us to highlight the unique flavours of each harvest and each origin.
What is tree-to-bar chocolate?
Tree-to-bar means the chocolate maker controls the entire process, beginning with cacao trees rather than finished chocolate.
It's a slower, more hands-on approach that allows flavour to develop naturally while creating a direct relationship between chocolate maker, farmer, and cacao.
Where does your cacao come from?
We work with our own farm and also with a selection of local Indigenous BriBri women farmers and Afro-Caribbean farms sourcing heirloom and traditional organic cacao grown here on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast. SAll of our cacao comes from within 15 miles of Cacao Huasi.
We build direct relationships with the people growing the cacao, allowing us to understand not only where each bean comes from but also the story behind it.
Can I visit a cacao farm?
Yes.
One of the best ways to understand chocolate is to begin long before it becomes chocolate.
Visiting a cacao farm allows you to see cacao growing in its natural environment, learn how the trees are cultivated, discover the role of fermentation and drying, and understand the work that happens before the beans ever reach a chocolate maker.
If you're interested in exploring cacao from tree to bar, we recommend combining a cacao farm tour with our Hands-On Chocolate Making Class. Together, they tell the complete story—from the living tree to the finished chocolate bar.
Can I watch chocolate being made?
Much of our chocolate is made on site, and depending on the day's production you may see roasting, grinding, or tempering taking place during your visit.
The best way to experience the full process, however, is by joining our Hands-On Chocolate Making Class.
Can I buy your chocolate to take home?
Yes.
Our shop includes a range of bean-to-bar chocolate bars, seasonal creations, drinking chocolate, gifts, and other handmade products prepared at Cacao Huasi.
Chocolate Experiences
What experiences do you offer?
We currently offer several experiences, including:
Each offers a different way to experience cacao, whether through making, tasting, creativity, or conversation.
Which experience should I choose?
If it's your first visit, our Hands-On Chocolate Making Class is the best place to begin.
If you're looking for a memorable evening, our chocolate pairings explore how chocolate interacts with carefully selected rums, wines, or mezcals.
If you'd prefer something slower and more creative, Chocolate & Watercolor combines tasting with relaxed painting.
Do I need previous knowledge?
Not at all.
Our experiences are designed for curious beginners as well as enthusiastic chocolate lovers.
Questions are always welcome.
Apprenticeships
Do you offer longer cacao courses?
Yes.
Our apprenticeships are designed for people who want to spend more time living and working with cacao.
Rather than simply teaching techniques, they invite participants to develop a deeper relationship with cacao through observation, practice, conversation, and shared work.
Our Philosophy
Why is it called Cacao Huasi?
Huasi means "house" or "home" in Quechua.
Cacao Huasi simply means The House of Cacao.
We chose the name because we wanted to create a place where cacao could be encountered from many different perspectives—not only as chocolate, but as a tree, a fruit, a drink, a craft, a history, and a companion.
What makes Cacao Huasi different?
We don't simply teach people how chocolate is made.
We create opportunities to meet cacao.
Chocolate is often the beginning of that journey.
But behind every piece of chocolate lies a remarkable tree, countless hands, years of knowledge, and an entire world waiting to be discovered.
That's the world we hope to share.