Ahara sambhavam vastu

the body is a product of food

Freshly prepared in our health-supportive, gluten-free kitchen, and served family-style in our open-plan dining area, breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided for all guests daily – all dietary requirements catered for. 

But first, coffee. The kind we serve at Nereus is robust, made from locally sourced beans, and might just spoil you for any other kind forevermore. We also have a wide range of herbal teas. Our breakfast selection includes the likes of toasty coconut granola, overnight-soaked oats, eggs, yogurts, papaya, pineapple and passion fruit, with specials spanning national staple gallo pinto (rice and beans) to gluten-free pancakes with local organic honey. 

Lunches and dinners are, likewise, ingredient-driven, and characterized by an abundance of color and a wide range of tastes. Lunch might be mahi mahi, caught a stone’s throw away, along with marinated tofu, local cheeses, a rainbow of salads, condiments and dressings; dinner, a taco extravaganza, or the ever-popular Chifrijo, a DIY dish that originated at Cordero’s Bar in San José in 1979, when bartender Don Miguel Cordero fancied a snack and experimented with combining rice, beans, pico de gallo (tomato salsa), avocado and corn tortillas, to winning effect. Desserts? Our gluten-free brownies made with cacao from a local farm and mini pineapple upside-down cakes always get rave reviews.

As with our approach to everything, food is never a one-size-fits-all affair. In overseeing the food and nutrition offering at Nereus, Jen’s extensive training in Ayurveda and functional medicine nutrition (not to mention her experience as a restaurateur) allows her to seamlessly blend ancient wisdom with modern-day application, creating seasonal plates that look beautiful, taste delicious and come with health-optimizing benefits.

We believe that bio-individuality is key when it comes to meeting guests’ unique nutritional needs. While here, you may choose to take advantage of the services of an on-site nutritionist, who will tailor your diet to be more health-supportive and ensure that you leave with the tools to implement lasting change between this stay at Nereus and the next.

Buen provecho!

Lunch at Nereus Retreats in Costa Rica
Tropical Fruit for Breakfast at Nereus Retreats Costa Rica

Sample Breakfast Menu

  • Boiled eggs
  • Overnight-soaked oats with cacao and dates
  • Chia seed and coconut milk pudding
  • Toasty granola with coconut, walnuts and almonds
  • Gluten-free pumpkin bread with ginger
  • Almond butter with plant protein
  • Fresh pineapple, papaya and passion fruit

Sample Lunch Menu

  • Pork chops marinated in garlic and oregano
  • Peanut miso rice noodles
  • Bell peppers stuffed with minty quinoa and topped with cheese and basil pesto
  • Tofu marinated in olive oil, citrus and thyme
  • Oven-roasted cauliflower and broccoli
  • Avocado salad with apple cider dressing
  • Pickled red onions
Lunch at Nereus Retreats in Costa Rica

Sample Dinner Menu

  • Arroz con pollo (rice with chicken)
  • Dal fritters with cumin and cilantro
  • Beets with ginger and citrus
  • Picadillo de chayote (a traditional Costa Rican recipe that combines the chayote fruit with traditional sofrito and spices)
  • Crunchy slaw
  • Mixed salad with pesto dressing
  • Jen’s famous individual pineapple upside-down cakes