Gia: The Vegan Pastry Shop
Hola Wanderers,
Welcome back to the blog! Nothing could inspire me more to post for the first time in a while quite like a new vegan bakery in town! In this week’s post, I review my experience at Gia The Pastry Shop in San Pedro, Costa Rica. For the past couple of weeks I have been hearing that there is a new vegan bakery in my area, so it was about time I tried it out for myself.
Gia has been around for four years, but just recently relocated from Tres Rios to San Pedro two weeks ago.
Although you can get vegan donuts at Sugar Charm Donuts and vegan ice cream at select restaurants, San José has been seriously lacking some quality vegan baked goods like cakes and cookies. I think I speak for everyone when I say - Gia The Pastry Shop has answered our prayers! Upon the “Instgramable” sign as you first walk in, I already knew I was in love.
I picked a great day to try Gia for the first time, because they were having a celebratory special brunch menu for the Costa Rican national holiday Guanacaste Day.
Guanacaste Day is celebrated annually in Costa Rica on July 25.
The holiday commemorates Costa Rica’s annexation of the Guanacaste Province from Nicaragua in 1824.
This year marks the 195th anniversary of the historic annexation.
-The Tico Times
Mocaccino Frío 2500₡ / Iced Mocaccino $4.36
For my beverage, I got the mocaccino with soy milk. I was pleased to see that in addition to the baked goods, Gia also has a full espresso bar. They have every coffee and espresso drink you can think of, including affogato; which is an Italian dessert and drink where a scoop of vanilla ice cream is drowned in a shot of hot espresso. I really enjoyed the mocaccino and look forward to trying their other espresso drinks!
Tofu Rancheros 5,950₡ / $10.38
Tofu scramble estilo ranchero, dos tortillas palmeadas con queso, pico de gallo y plátano maduro.
”Huevos Rancheros” style tofu scramble, two tortillas with cheese, pico de gallo and sweet plantains.
For my main dish, I got the Tofu Rancheros. This was a part of the special brunch menu for Guanacaste day. I have never had Huevos Rancheros before going vegan so I couldn’t quite compare, but they were delicious.
My friend got the same dish and she said the texture, taste, and presentation was more similar to shakshuka, a Mediterranean dish of eggs, tomato sauce and spices, all baked together in a skillet or pan. It’s a shame they don’t serve brunch every day! However, they do have an amazing daily menu with specialty items like mac and cheese balls and tofu “fish” and chips.
Queque de fresa y naranja 2900₡ / Strawberry and Orange Cake $5.06
Of course I couldn’t leave the pastry shop without having a pastry. This strawberry and orange cream cake was amazing! The cake itself was so moist and the jam and frosting were both delicious. While I have stumbled upon vegan cake a few times prior in Costa Rica, they have not been impressive. Gia is the first place I have been to where the vegan cakes are on par with what I am used to in the states. This cake far exceeded my expectations and I was very pleasantly surprised.
Brookie con Helado 1950₡ / Brookie with ice cream $3.40
My friend got the brownie-cookie pictured above and of course I had a bite. They were happy to liven it up for you with a scoop of coconut based ice cream and chocolate sauce. This was delectable, I can’t wait to try the rest of their treats including their passionfruit cheesecake.
Are you really at a vegan establishment if you don’t make an adorable new friend? This cutie was a more than welcomed fellow brunch guest!
My overall review? If you are looking for vegan dessert in San José, look no further than Gia. There isn’t anywhere else that matches the variety and quality you will find at Gia. The best thing about it is that it is 100% vegan so you can order anything you want.
I hope you enjoyed this post. Stay tuned for more content coming soon.
Wander often & wonder always,
