Discover the authentic flavors of Costa Rican cuisine. You can only truly experience some traditional foods while you’re in Costa Rica.
Traditional Costa Rican Dishes
Plantains (Plátanos)
Plantains look similar to bananas but serve as a staple of Costa Rican cooking. Locals use green plantains in savory soups for their starchy, fibrous texture. Cooks also use plantains to make Patacones—they boil, flatten, and deep-fry the plantains into crispy snacks, often serving them with various dips.
Ripe plantains turn yellow or black and become naturally sweet. Frying them in butter with a touch of brown sugar creates a delicious local treat.
Gallo Pinto
Gallo Pinto is the quintessential Costa Rican breakfast. It features rice and beans sautéed with onions, green peppers, and garlic. The secret ingredient, Salsa Lizano, provides a slightly sweet and tangy flavor that defines the dish.
Natilla (Costa Rican Sour Cream)
Locals often serve Costa Rican sour cream, or Natilla, as a topping for Gallo Pinto. It has a thinner, creamier consistency than American sour cream. Many people buy a fresh loaf of bread from a bakery and enjoy it with a drizzle of Natilla.
Queso Blanco (White Cheese)
Producers make this mild white cheese using lime juice or vinegar to curdle the milk before pressing it into a mold. It has a slightly spongy texture and a fresh taste. Restaurants commonly fry it and serve it as a side dish with breakfast.
Handmade Tortillas & Tamales
When eating out, always ask for tortillas frescas. Cooks make these by hand, and they taste much better than store-bought versions. You should also look for Tamales in small local stores called pulperías. Locals hand-make these with corn dough, meat, and vegetables, then wrap them in banana leaves and boil them.
Chicharrones
Chicharrones are fried pork skins with succulent meat attached. Most restaurants and bars prepare them for you, and they pair perfectly with a cold Imperial beer.
Coconut Fish Soup
This Caribbean-style soup is a must-try. It features fresh fish and sometimes shrimp simmering in a rich coconut milk sauce with vegetables and green plantains.
Ceviche
Ceviche is a fish or shrimp cut into pieces with onions and spices cooked in a Fresh lime .
Chicharrones
Chicharrones is cooked pulled pork with some spices. Photo coming tomorrow, having it for dinner tonight. Ok, here is the photo. This is a very hearty, good-feeling food
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