Eating and drinking in Costa Rica
Costa Rican food: what to eat and drink
Let’s be honest: Costa Rica isn’t really known for amazing food. But after living here since 2016, we can tell you there are some really good things you’ve got to try.
Think comforting rice and beans, just-caught fish, tropical fruit you’ve never seen before, and world-famous coffee. Here’s what we order, where we eat, what we drink, and our restaurant guides for every town we cover.
✦ Today’s menu ✦
What to order first
Gallo pinto
Rice and beans, the classic breakfast
Casado
The everyday “married” lunch plate
Ceviche
Fresh fish cured in lime
Chifrijo
Rice, beans, chicharrón, and pico de gallo
Patacones
Crispy smashed green plantains
Refresco natural
Fresh fruit blended with water and ice
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Food experiences we love
Food tours
Taste with a local
Book on Viator for reviews and flexible cancellation.
Coffee tours
From farm to cup
Book on Viator for reviews and flexible cancellation.
Chocolate tours
Bean to bar
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Our favorite meal
We love gallo pinto
Gallo pinto (rice and beans fried together with herbs) is such a staple for us that when we’re out of the country for a while, we miss it so much.
A Costa Rican breakfast totally hits different: gallo pinto, eggs, fried sweet plantains, a spoonful of natilla (Costa Rican sour cream), and a fresh fruit refresco, which is just fresh fruit blended with water and ice. So good.
💬 Sarah & Thomas tip
Add a splash of Salsa Lizano, the tangy brown sauce on almost every table. It’s what makes gallo pinto taste like Costa Rica.
Must-try dishes
Traditional foods to try first
You’ll find these on menus all over the country, especially at sodas, the small family-run restaurants.
Lunch
Casado
The everyday lunch plate: rice, beans, salad, fried plantains, and your choice of chicken, beef, pork, or fish.
Coast
Ceviche
Fresh fish “cooked” in lime juice with onion, cilantro, and peppers. Perfect after a beach day.
Treat
Copo
Shaved ice with syrup, condensed milk, and powdered milk. A classic on hot afternoons.
From the sea
We eat a lot of fresh fish
Thomas loves fishing, so we’re all about sashimi and ceviche. With two coastlines, fresh fish is one of the things Costa Rica does really well, and you’ve got to try it.
💬 At a restaurant
Thomas always orders a whole fish. Sarah finds it a little daunting, but he loves taking apart a whole red snapper (pargo entero). If you’re up for it, it’s one of the freshest things on the menu.
Tropical fruit
Have you ever seen this fruit?
Some taste like candy, some look like aliens, and one tastes like ice cream. You’ve got to try them. We’ve lived here since 2016 and still stumble across something new at the market.
Ever seen this one?
Granadilla
Peel back the shell and it looks like a sack of brains. Slurp out the sweet pulp and swallow the seeds whole. Weird? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.
What about this one?
Rambután
Those spiky red orbs look intimidating, but just break the skin with your nail and pop the sweet white fruit in your mouth.
Ever seen this one?
Mangostán
Score the hard purple shell, lift the top, and the creamy white segments peel right out. Sweet and so good.
What about this one?
Guanábana
Usually blended. A guanábana smoothie with milk tastes like dessert.
Ever seen this one?
Pejibaye
A palm fruit that’s boiled and eaten with mayo or natilla. Think yucca meets sweet potato.
What about this one?
Manzana de agua
Like an apple crossed with a pear, but juicier. These have honestly replaced regular apples for Sarah.
Ever seen this one?
Guaba
The “ice cream bean.” Crack the pod and suck the fluffy white fruit off the seeds. Worth trying once.
What about this one?
Pitahaya
Dragon fruit! Cut it in half and scoop it out with a spoon. Seasonal and gorgeous.
💬 Our Saturday ritual
The farmers’ market (feria)
One of our favorite things is going to our farmers’ market every Saturday morning to buy fresh produce. There’s always something cool to try, and when friends visit, we love handing them a crazy fruit they’ve never seen before.
Almost every town has a feria at least once a week. Ask at your hotel for the nearest one. It’s a great way to see everyday life here, and prices are much lower than at the supermarket.
Our take: we almost always have a pitcher of fresh passion fruit (maracuyá) juice in our fridge. Order fruit drinks “en agua” (with water) or “en leche” (with milk).
Where to eat
From sodas to sunset beach bars
Local and affordable
Sodas
Small, family-run spots serving casados and Costa Rican comfort food at good prices. In our opinion, this is where you’ll find the most authentic meals.
Toes in the sand
Beach bars
Cold drinks, ocean views, and sunsets on both coasts.
Something different
Unique restaurants
Restaurants with a twist that you’ll talk about for years.
Self-catering
Grocery stores
Stocking a rental kitchen? Here’s where to shop and what to buy.
What to drink
Coffee, cocktails, and cold beer
Costa Rica takes its coffee seriously, and there’s a drink for every sunset.
Coffee
Coffee and coffee tours
We live surrounded by coffee farms, and a coffee tour is one of the first things we recommend to visiting friends.
Cocktails
Local cocktails
From guaro sours to fresh fruit daiquiris, try a few local favorites.
Good to know
Alcohol and tap water
Prices, laws, and whether you can drink the tap water.
Food experiences
Tours worth booking
Coffee farms
Coffee tours
Walk the rows, learn the process, and taste fresh coffee where it’s grown. You can even visit Starbucks’ farm, Hacienda Alsacia.
Fun for all ages
Chocolate tours
See how cacao becomes chocolate, and taste it at every step. It usually involves eating lots of sweet treats.
Cheers
Beer and tastings
Try local brews and flights at breweries around the country.
Curious why people in Nicoya live so long? Read about the Costa Rica Blue Zone.
Restaurant guides
Where to eat in every town
Our restaurant picks for each town, for every taste and budget.
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Heading to Panama? See restaurants in Bocas del Toro.
Free planning checklist
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FAQ
Costa Rican food FAQ: your questions
What is the national dish of Costa Rica?
Gallo pinto, rice and beans fried together, is the classic breakfast and widely considered the national dish. It’s such a staple that we miss it whenever we’re out of the country. At lunch, most people eat a casado.
What is a casado?
A casado is the everyday Costa Rican lunch plate: rice, beans, salad, fried plantains, and a protein like chicken, beef, pork, or fish. You’ll find it at almost every soda.
What is a soda in Costa Rica?
A soda is a small, usually family-run restaurant serving traditional Costa Rican food at affordable prices. It’s one of the easiest ways to eat well on a budget.
What fruits should I try in Costa Rica?
Our favorites to share with first-timers are granadilla, rambután, mangostán, guanábana, and fresh passion fruit juice. Visit a local farmers’ market (feria) for the widest selection.
Can you drink the tap water in Costa Rica?
In most of the country, yes. Some rural beach towns use well water or private systems, so check with your hotel. See our tap water guide.
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