The Best Street Food in Puntarenas: a Churchill!

After the Covid-19 pandemic, people will cruise again and explore the world. Make sure to try a Churchill in Puntarenas! Many people consider this the best street food in Costa Rica.

This article was rewritten and updated in 2022.

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Welcome to Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Home of the Churchill

Our hotel in Costa Rica (free stay with Hilton Honor points!) was close to Puntarenas, which literally means the Sandy Point. Puntarenas is a city in the Puntarenas Province, on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Because it borders the Gulf of Nicoya, it’s a popular stop for cruise ships,

From the hotel we could see the cruise ships when they docked. Since this was before the pandemic, there was a steady stream of them, a few times a week.

If you are staying locally, try to visit Puntarenas when a cruise ship is in town, because that is when all the local artists show their ware and artisan products. At other times it is less picturesque. So the best way to visit might be by taking a cruise with a Puntarenas stop 😀

Frankly, at other times it appeared quite rundown, although one of the residents disagreed with our assessment. Instead of rundown, he described it as ‘eclectic’.

But let’s focus on why you are here: the best street food in Costa Rica!

Delectable Street Food: The Churchill

When we were reading up on Puntarenas, we found out that it is famous for its Churchill, a variation on the so-called copos street food. The copo is a shaved ice treat (snow cone) you can find all over Costa Rica, usually with condensed milk. In Puntarenas they turned it into their very own version: the Churchill!

What is a Churchill?

This Churchill consists of shaved ice, condensed milk, kola syrup (has nothing to do with coca cola, it is just a very sweet syrup), powdered milk and ice cream or fruit on top. Admittedly, not a health food, but definitely a refreshing bucket list item!

Still, it is not clear to me why they named it a Churchill, although there are stories around about the guy who made it popular. During the 1940s, Joaquín Aguilar Esquivel used to order this concoction all the time. Because he looked like Churchill and his choice of ingredients was unusual, the street food vendors started calling it a Churchill. Clearly, the name stuck.

Where to get a Churchill in Puntarenas?

Since we went into town on a cruise ship day, we could try a Churchill at about any place. Wandering around, we chose Kiosco Bum Bum, since they advertised the Churchill on their sign. I guess it’s good advertising to tempt people with the best street food in Costa Rica!

So we ordered our very first ever Churchill! As a side, they gave us a small container of condensed milk to pour over it. What a great treat for a hot day! So happy I got to try this famous Puntarenas street food.

The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present.

Alice Morse Earle

Enjoying the COLD shaved ice was very refreshing. In addition, the texture of the powdered milk was an unusual sensory sensation. Before I tried my first Churchill, I never would have considered powdered milk as a layer in a dessert. New dessert ideas from Puntarenas!

Conclusion on the Churchill in Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Exploring Puntarenas and trying our first Churchill was a tasty treat in Costa Rica. Have you been to Puntarenas? Ever had a Churchill? Please let us know in the comments.

Other Things To Do in Costa Rica

Beyond tasting a Churchill in Puntarenas, we went on several other day trips.

• We took a crocodile tour on the Tarcoles River. Twice! Although they advertised the crocodiles, it turns out it was really a Costa Rican birding tour! What a treat it was. We even got to see the #1 predator of crocodiles in action!
• We rented a car and visited Jaco, a nearby surfer’s paradise. Regretfully, we didn’t actually get to surf that day, but it is on my bucket list for next time!
• One day we went into Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, where we visited a coffee and cacao plantation.

Foodie Traveler Bucket List

Put these foodie destinations on your list!

• The opposite of street food, but some day you should visit the Waldorf Astoria in Amsterdam, which boasts three award winning restaurants;
• From there you can take the Eurostar to Paris and get an affordable meal at a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant;
• Or follow in Hemingway’s foot steps and dine in historic luxury at La Closerie Des Lilas;
• If you want to stay in the Americas, there will be superior dining once the Waldorf Astoria in New York City re-opens;
• Two unexpected locations to eat fine food in Canada:
  • the British Columbia Parliament Building in Victoria and
  • the Quebec Parliament Building in Quebec City;
• Do you dare to order a Flaming Mexican Coffee?

Best Places to Stay in Puntarenas

If you are not on a cruise, explore the 10 Best Hotels in Puntarenas.

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