Restaurante Sikwa

Un vanguardista en Costa Rica, fue el primer restaurante en estar listado en Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants; el chef de Sikwa se inspira en la rica cultura gastronómica de su país. Durante muchos años, Pablo Bonilla se acercó a comunidades indígenas como las Bribri y Cabécar, para entender sus culturas, y luego fundó un centro educativo para iluminar las costumbres. Después se creó un círculo virtuoso para que estas comunidades comercialicen sus productos no solo a Sikwa sino a otros también.

In bringing ancient flavors to the newly developing Barrio Escalante neighborhood, Chef Pablo Bonilla and his team at Sikwa are serving something new: indigenous recipes in a modern setting. You get more than a meal here; the team explains each dish as it’s delivered to the table, so you’ve got food for thought and sustenance. Try the “Cocina Ancestral” tasting menu, a chef-selected, six-course meal representing indigenous recipes that change with the seasons.

Sikwa may well be the most unique dining experience you have in Costa Rica. Its ever-changing menu is inspired by the richness of Costa Rican biodiversity, and the country's indigenous and traditional foodways. In fact, the menu is a call to action, highlighting treasured ingredients that are slowly disappearing, such as Guanacaste’s blue corn, as well as introducing diners to the gastronomic traditions of the native people of Costa Rica.

Another eatery that gives top restaurants in Costa Rica (and I’d argue all of Latin America) a run for their money with its spectacular display of local indigenous dishes is Sikwa. Here, you’ll savor ancestral tasting specials you’ll not find anywhere else, served in a warm, cozy atmosphere. You’ll love the fusion cuisine combining old and new dishes together.

Sikwa, in Barrio Escalante, focuses exclusively on indigenous ingredients and recipes. Chef-owner Pablo Bonilla works with communities close to the Panamanian border, learning their techniques and sourcing ingredients to recreate dishes like chicken stew spiced with achiote (a red paste from the seeds of a native shrub) and smoked plantain ice cream.

Make your way to Sikwa for one-of-a-kind gastronomy: ancestral Costa Rican cuisine. The restaurant works simultaneously as an educational and research center to preserve the gastronomic traditions of the country's native peoples. The menu is an assortment of dishes crafted with local, regional, and seasonal ingredients using ancestral recipes.

Sikwa (San José): Inspired by Costa Rican biodiversity and indigenous traditions, chef Pablo Bonilla’s research driven restaurant will bring you in touch with native ingredients you won’t find anywhere else. More than just an exceptional restaurant, Sikwa acts as a cultural space, and a gallery of handicrafts and plants.

Sikwa Restaurant stands out among locals as one of the top restaurants in San Jose. It offers a unique take on traditional Costa Rican cuisine. Chef Pablo Bonilla has delved into ancient indigenous culinary traditions to create a menu that blends old flavors with modern interpretations.

Rstaurant Franco has redirected some of Costa Rica’s best coffee – historically exported – into local hands, while Sikwa works closely with indigenous Bribri farmers to reproduce ancient, native recipes,” the magazine added.

A short walk on from Barrio Escalante is the upper-middle class neighborhood of Barrio Los Yoses. Here you can find Sikwa. This is the place to try Costa Rican food with a twist.