Fresh, healthy fare at Veggie House

If you are a vegetarian or vegan dining out in Costa Rica, you may find yourself always flipping to the “salad” portion of the menu. But, Veggie House in San Pedro offers a wide selection that will appeal to all taste buds.

As guests enter the small, almost hidden restaurant, they tend to feel right at home amongst the comfy chairs, pretty tables and even a small library; for a moment they may forget that they are right in the middle of busy San Pedro.

The friendly servers will answer questions with a smile, and after seating guests, they bring a hot bun with vegan butter alongside glasses of water infused with ginger and lemon.

Veggie House offers breakfast, lunch and afternoon cafecito (coffee break). The menu promises organic, gluten free meals that are not made with animal products and includes waffles, salads, lasagna and empanadas along with tasty desserts like cake, brownies and ice cream (soy or milk based).

I finally selected Azteca soup (tomato cream), which came warm and lightly seasoned, with sides of avocado, mozzarella cheese and tortilla chips. My dining companion selected a fajita wrap coated in humus and loaded with vegetables. We were not disappointed.

The menu’s refreshing beverages are made with natural ingredients, for example, Mango Shakes are made with mango and orange juice; Bati-Baca has yogurt, basil and lemon; Pemón comes with cucumber and lemon; and LimoHierba-Buena has lemonade with spearmint.

Portions are filling and prices are accessible (between $3-8 per item). Most expensive is a giant burger called “ChiRRipo Kill’l’man’giaro” for approx. $10. Drinks and pastries range from $3-4.

Veggie House is located left of Mall San Pedro, next to Optica Salas. Open Mon.-Fri. 7:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.