Costa Vida is inspired by the beautiful Baja Peninsula Coast and the lifestyle that pushes you to catch the wave – rather than stand on the sideline to let life pass you by. This costal lifestyle is a vision about the satisfaction of things done the right way. We believe that food created with passion, from scratch daily, tastes better! And our customers know the difference.

Following a trip to Cabo San Lucas on the Baja Coast, Costa Vida founders JD and Sarah Gardner were inspired with a vision. While the surf lapped at their feet and they enjoyed the delicious freshly made local cuisine, they brainstormed how they could bring this vibrant lifestyle and incredible cuisine home with them. The result was the first Costa Vida location in Layton, Utah. Being true to the Baja experience, all of the Costa Vida food is made fresh in each restaurant’s kitchen, every day. Each tortilla is hand crafted daily and served hot, ensuring that no customer will ever have to eat a store-made tortilla pulled from a bag. The hand-selected sweet pork, shredded chicken and beef, and chipotle chicken is perfectly seasoned and slow-cooked for several hours each day to create the signature intense aroma and flavors of Costa Vida.

Since the first restaurant opened in 2003, people have embraced this Costa Vida Lifestyle. Today Costa Vida has restaurants in more than ten states nationwide and has been recognized as one of the fastest growing restaurant franchises in the nation.