Dining & Cocktails · Central Costa Rica
Cloud Forest Dining at Villa Blanca
Farm-to-table Costa Rican cuisine, fresh ceviches and international dishes, served at El Sendero Restaurante above one of the last cloud forests in Costa Rica.
Home / Dining
Breakfast
Complimentary for all hotel guests
Lunch & Dinner daily
À la carte at El Sendero Restaurante
Grown on property
Greenhouse greens & our own dairy
Vegetarian friendly
Meat-free dishes across the menu
El Sendero Restaurante
Where the world meets the cloud forest.
At Villa Blanca, the day doesn’t begin with the clock. It begins with the mist rolling over the mountains and the birdsong that wakes the forest. Our kitchen follows the same rhythm.
El Sendero brings international technique to the best-kept ingredients of Costa Rica. Choose from Costa Rican classics like the traditional casado, bright ceviches, grilled picanha and Texas-style smoked ribs with a Costa Rican twist. Every plate is built around what local farming families harvest that week, so each meal also supports our community in San Ramón.
Welcome to our table — a story to be savored.
Farm-to-Table
Sustainable by nature, from our garden to your plate.
Sustainability is central to life at Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel. It shapes how we cook as much as how we care for the 2,000-acre reserve around us.
01
Organic greenhouse
The lettuces in our Villa Blanca Salad are grown in our own organic greenhouse, steps from the kitchen.
02
Our own dairy
We produce our own dairy with a focus on humane care for our animals. Taste it in our house-smoked cheese and homemade ice cream.
03
Local producers
Fresh produce from farming families in our community, so every meal supports the people who grow it.
From Our Kitchen
Signature dishes at El Sendero
A taste of our current menu, from fresh ceviches to grilled steak.
Ceviche de Chile Tatemado
Fire-Roasted Pepper Ceviche
Fresh fish cured in lime with smoky roasted sweet pepper, ginger and crispy onion.
Croquetas de Papa y Jalapeño
Potato Jalapeño Croquettes
Crisp mashed-potato croquettes filled with bacon and jalapeño, served with spicy aioli.
Camarones y Entraña de Res
Shrimp & Steak
Grilled skirt steak with jalapeño-aioli shrimp, grilled heart of palm and baby carrots.
The Menu
El Sendero menu
Lunch and dinner are served daily, with dishes presented in Spanish and English. Breakfast is complimentary for hotel guests.
Appetizers & Ceviches
Soups
Salads
Main Courses
Pasta & Rice
Desserts
Appetizers & Ceviches
Entradas
Appetizers
Potato Jalapeño Croquettes
Crispy mashed-potato croquettes with bacon and jalapeño, spicy aioli.
Colombian Empanadas
Traditional turnovers filled with potato and sausage, with ají sauce.
Cheese & Picanha Casserole
Melted cheeses, grilled picanha, Argentine chimichurri, homemade bread.
Ceviches
Ceviches
Fire-Roasted Bell Pepper Ceviche
Fish in lemon with roasted sweet pepper, ginger and crispy onion.
Tico Style Ceviche
Lemon, onion and sweet pepper, with cilantro and green plantain chips.
Fried Ceviche
Crispy breaded fish with avocado and red onion in leche de tigre.
Soups
Sopas
Soups
Chicken Soup
Tico-style chicken soup with vegetables, served with corn tortillas.
Ossobuco Soup
Light beef ossobuco broth with grilled corn and baby carrots, with corn tortillas.
Roasted Tomato Cream Soup
Slow-roasted tomatoes with garlic and rosemary, served with homemade bread.
Seafood & Chickpea Cream Soup
Creamy seafood and chickpea soup with crispy onions and homemade bread.
Salads
Ensaladas
Salads
Quinoa & Shrimp Bowl
Quinoa with sautéed shrimp, avocado, tomato and mango, passion fruit dressing.
Villa Blanca Salad
Greenhouse lettuce, avocado and house-smoked cheese with sautéed vegetables, balsamic-honey dressing.
Salmon Salad
Garden lettuces, quail egg, bacon, almonds, orange and salmon, passion fruit dressing.
Main Courses
Platos Fuertes
Main Courses
Creamy Seafood Rice
Shrimp, fish and octopus with white wine and saffron, finished with Padano and mozzarella.
Pan-Seared Fresh Fish
White fish on carrot-sweet potato purée with a creamy cherry tomato sauce.
Passion Fruit Salmon
Herb-grilled salmon on grilled heart of palm with passion fruit reduction.
Seed-Crusted Chicken
Chicken breast in a seed and raisin crust with carrot-sweet potato purée.
Steak & Eggs
Grilled picanha with two fried eggs, potato wedges and sautéed onions.
Villa Blanca Grill Trilogy
Chicken fajitas, picanha with chimichurri and smoked BBQ ribs.
Shrimp & Steak
Grilled skirt steak with jalapeño-aioli shrimp, heart of palm and baby carrots.
Texas-Style Smoked BBQ Ribs
Half rack with the house BBQ sauce, green papaya coleslaw and potato wedges.
Costa Rican Casado
Rice, beans, picadillo, plantain, salad and tortilla with chicken, beef or pulled pork.
Classic Burger
8 oz grilled burger with cheese, sautéed onion and house sauce.
Pulled Pork Burger
Pulled pork with papaya coleslaw, cheese and BBQ sauce.
Ripe Plantain Burger
Breaded ripe plantain and broccoli patty with cheese, lettuce and tomato.
Pasta & Rice
Pastas y Arroces
Pasta & Rice
Pasta in Aurora Sauce
Penne or fettuccine in a creamy pomodoro sauce with Padano.
Pasta & Bacon
Penne or fettuccine in a creamy bacon and Padano sauce.
Aglio e Olio Pasta
Penne or fettuccine with olive oil, garlic, parsley and Padano.
Creamy Heart of Palm & Mushroom Rice
A risotto-style dish with heart of palm, fresh mushrooms and cheeses.
Desserts
Postres
Desserts
Dulce de Leche Rice Pudding
A home-style classic made with our own dairy.
Coffee Crème Brûlée
Smooth custard with a crunchy caramelized sugar top.
Banana Cake
Soft banana cake with chocolate ganache.
Homemade Ice Cream
Ask your server for today’s flavors.
Please let your server know about any allergies or dietary needs.
Jungle Q · Smoked on Tropical Woods
Texas-style BBQ with a Costa Rican twist.
Chicago pit master Sean Murray spent years searching Costa Rica for authentic barbecue and never found it. What he did find was an incredible basket of local ingredients. The result is Jungle Q: traditional Texas-style BBQ smoked over tropical hardwoods, with coffee and guava flavors and Costa Rican sides.
Jungle Q opens soon at Villa Blanca. Until then, you can taste the introductory dishes at El Sendero.
Smoked on tropical woods. Welcome to Jungle Q.
Taste Jungle Q today
Now served at El Sendero Restaurante
Texas-Style Smoked BBQ Ribs
Half rack, house BBQ sauce, green papaya slaw
Villa Blanca Grill Trilogy
Chicken fajitas, picanha, smoked ribs
Pulled Pork Burger
Papaya coleslaw, cheese, BBQ sauce
Dining & Entertainment
Ways to dine in the cloud forest
From a fireside cocktail to a long lunch with forest views, choose the setting that suits your day.
01
Inside Dining Room
The heart of El Sendero Restaurante, for breakfast, lunch and dinner with forest views.
02
Outdoor Tables
Dine in the fresh mountain air, with birdsong and views over the cloud forest.
03
Lobby Bar & Fireplace Lounge
Cocktails, wine and Costa Rican coffee beside a crackling wood fire.
04
Groups & Celebrations
Custom menus for weddings, retreats and corporate events. Ask our event planner.
Good to Know
Dining questions, answered
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our team is happy to help on WhatsApp at +506 8568 9848.
Is breakfast included with my stay?
Yes. Breakfast is complimentary for all Villa Blanca hotel guests and is included with every suite and casita rate.
When are lunch and dinner served?
Lunch and dinner are served daily at El Sendero Restaurante.
Are there vegetarian options?
Yes. Meat-free dishes include the ripe plantain burger, creamy heart of palm and mushroom rice, aglio e olio pasta, roasted tomato cream soup and the Villa Blanca Salad. Please let your server know about any dietary needs.
How do I reserve a table?
Message us on WhatsApp at +506 8568 9848, or tap any Reserve a Table button on this page.
Can you cater for groups, weddings and retreats?
Yes. We create custom menus for weddings, retreats and corporate events. Contact our event planner to plan your menu.
Stay & Dine
Your table in the clouds is waiting.
Join us at El Sendero Restaurante for lunch or dinner, just 90 minutes from San José airport. Message us on WhatsApp and we’ll have your table ready.
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