A must stop when visiting Monteverde is Stella’s Bakery & Coffee Shop.

Founded in 1992, Stella’s is one of Monteverde’s longest running establishments known for their baked goods, made to order sandwiches, quiche, homemade soups, and a variety of milkshakes, teas, coffee, and much more.

Decorating the walls of Stella’s are the eclectic paintings from Stella herself. Now 85, she retired from the bakery to concentrate fully on her artwork. Stella’s daughter-in-law Glenda took the challenge of pleasing some of the most refined palate’s from all over the world. As true as Stella was to her baking, Glenda followed the same principles and styles and nobody can tell the difference. Glenda and the staff are excellent bakers using many locally grown organic fruits and vegetables to create nutritious and delicious dishes.

Once my wife and I experienced the vegetable and bacon spinach quiche along with a fresh salad ($8 total), we decided to come back the next morning for breakfast and an interview with Glenda. After ordering Gallo Pinto, a ham and vegetable omelet in a tomato sauce, eggs, toast, fruit drinks and coffee ($12 total) Glenda sat down and spoke with us about her enterprise. She speaks lovingly about the long hours in which she refers to as her curse. Her commitment or otherwise known as her curse is the customer’s pleasure.

Our table overlooked the garden located at the back of the restaurant. On a high up stand is unused fruit from the previous day’s business, which attracts all kinds of birds. The Monteverde region is home to over 400 species of birds and you can spot some of them just by glancing out the back window.

Friendly people, great food at a reasonable price, and an inviting atmosphere make Stella’s Bakery a worthwhile spot for a side trip when you enjoy the Monteverde area of Costa Rica.

*It is important to note that Stellas Bakery has 60 reviews on Trip Advisor and 36 of which are Excellent rating.

Stella’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers an excellent selection of wines and art.

This article was graciously provided by Rey Waters.