Indigena Café & Chocolate

Indigena Café & Chocolate is an eco-conscious café and small batch chocolate making shop near the Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve in Cabuya, Costa Rica. The Café was created with the vital idea of sustaining and supporting the traditions, arts, and languages of the Indigenous communities of Costa Rica, as well as the country’s vibrant ecological systems.

The cacao beans for the chocolate are purchased from various Indigenous Communities, including the Ngobe, a Costa Rican Indigenous Community located near the border of Panama.  

The Café receives the cacao beans already fermented and dried. The beans are then roasted, cracked, and winnowed by hand.  Various kinds of roasting are implemented at the café to bring out the flavors of the cacao bean. The beans then go into a melanger for up to 16 hours to make cacao liquor. Various amounts of sugar are added to the liquor depending on the percentage of chocolate being made and the liquor is then tempered and poured into chocolate bar molds.

By creating a thriving Fair Trade chocolate business that is sustainable, ethical, and profitable, Indigena Café and Chocolate is providing a stable source of income for Indigenous Communities and supporting the local community of Cabuya.

Indigena Chocolate is available for purchase at the Café in percentages of 67%, 75%, 82%, 90%, and 100%.  Cocao nibs, traditional chocolate beverages, and chocolate confectioneries are also available, including specialty bonbons. Indigena Chocolate can also be purchased at local markets and businesses, with the intention to expand into more distant businesses in the future.  

Indigena Café & Choclate serves a select amount of small plates and drinks that compliment the flavors of artisinal chocolate. The chocolate is also incorporated into the dishes and drinks served at the Café.  Enjoy delicious chocolate, food, and drinks in a peaceful environment while experiencing the sights and sounds of the Costa Rican jungle. The cafe is open Wednesdays - Sundays and on slelect nights for dinner. Mini golf and free wifi are also available. 

Follow Indigena Café & Chocolate on Facebook and Instagram for special dinners and events.  A small public bus connects four times a day from Montezuma to the entrance of the Reserve.