Restaurant
Our Summer Menu Is Here — What's Cooking at GigiO This Season
4 min read
We have refreshed the menu for summer, and it is the most Caribbean we have ever been.
That is not a seasonal pitch — it is a reflection of where we are. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca sits on the Caribbean coast in Limón Province, and the food that has developed here over centuries does not need reinvention. It needs a kitchen that takes it seriously and a terrace positioned directly on the sea.
What Is On the Menu
The summer menu centres on what this coast does best: fresh seafood, coconut, tropical produce, and seasoning that builds slowly rather than shouts. You will find:
- Seafood-focused plates built around the day's catch — shrimp, octopus, whole fish, lobster when in season
- Caribbean rice dishes cooked in coconut milk with thyme and local herbs
- Grilled fish and meat with house-made sauces rooted in regional cooking
- Plantains in every form — patacones, sweet fried, stewed alongside
- Tropical fruit accompaniments that belong next to the savoury
- Vegetarian dishes and lighter warm-weather options for longer days and hotter afternoons
The aim was not to build something fashionable. Visitors to Puerto Viejo are increasingly looking for restaurants with a real connection to local identity, not a standardised tourist menu. Our summer menu reflects that — Afro-Caribbean roots, a casual atmosphere, and cooking that respects where we are.
The Bar
The cocktail programme follows the same logic as the kitchen: local ingredients, visual intention, flavour profiles that reward attention. Tropical fruit, regional spirits, house preparations. Drinks made by people who live beside the Caribbean Sea, for people who are visiting it.
The Venue
GigiO sits oceanfront at Stanford's Square, on Playa Puerto Viejo. The terrace opens directly to the sea — diners eat with an unobstructed view of the Caribbean from the outdoor tables. By morning, the light comes in clean and the coffee is strong. By evening, candlelit tables and music in the air create a different space entirely.
The building also houses Casa de la Poesía, an in-house museum, and an upstairs art gallery with rotating work by local artists rooted in Afro-Caribbean cultural history. We host live Caribbean music performances regularly and the venue is available for private events and special occasions with customisable menus.
Whether you are here as a family, a couple, or on your own, the space is designed to work across the whole day. Kid-friendly options sit alongside the full menu; lighter warm-weather plates sit alongside the seafood specialities.
Visit Us
Open six days a week from 7:30 am through late evening, closed on Wednesdays. Stanford's Square is within walking distance of Playa Cocles and the centre of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.
Browse the full menu, reserve a table, or call us at +506 8676 7889.
