Samara Organics is a family business owned by Angelina and Steve Phillips, located in downtown Samara. It has been part of the “Natural Center” complex for two years now and recently moved to a different building on the other side of the complex across from its old location.
The new location offers clients a larger and brighter space, which allows them to welcome more people, distribute better products in their store and offer a more comfortable space for the Farmers’ Market that is held two times per week.
Angelina Phillips said that their mission is to support local producers and make organic foods available in the community of Samara. “We support farmers who produce without chemicals and we prefer products made by hand, with love, at home or in any part of Costa Rica,” she explained.
In addition to a shop with healthy products, they have a cafe with a small menu made up of natural, fresh products. For breakfast there are typical dishes like gallo pinto made with brown rice and omelets with fresh vegetables. They also offer lunch and early dinner. For those who eat meat, local chicken is an option, which is the only meat available on the menu.
One of their specialties is vegetable loaf, like meat loaf but with no animal products. It is made from seeds and oils and costs 1000 colones ($2) per slice or 1900 colones ($3.80) accompanied by a salad.
Their Organics salad, for 4000 colones ($8), is one of the best-selling items on the menu. Many order it because it’s a large portion with a lot of color. It is a fusion of sweet and salty flavors and includes feta cheese made in Guanacaste, almonds, blueberries and other fresh products.
They want to change the perception that good food is more expensive. There’s a 10% discount for locals and students.
“We try to keep our prices low, which means that there isn’t a lot of profit in what we do, but we think it’s important that this food is accessible to all. The cheap products are usually harmful to our health, such as white rice or refined sugar, and products like the ones we sell here are considered a luxury, when it should be the opposite,” she expressed.
In this new location they will be hosting raw food and nutrition workshops to teach people in the community to take care of their health. Samara Organics is open Monday to Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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