Food
you HAVE
to try.
Local Flavor
A BIG PART of breaking out of your routine and experiencing someplace new is exploring the local cuisine. In the case of Costa Rica, you can’t really go wrong — but here are some extra special items to keep an eye out for.
Rondon
Composed of whatever the cook can “run down,” rondon dates back to earlier times of subsistence diets in the Caribbean. Though the only thing consistent is that it changes, there are a few fundamentals to this spicy coconut soup. Typically, you’ll find a fish head and assorted catches of the day, along with a variety of tubers like sweet potatoes and yucca, simmered in coconut milk for hours over an open wood flame that imparts a smoky depth. Toss in a couple Panamanian chilies for that signature lip singe, and there you have it — rondon.
Picadillo
A typical Costa Rican side dish, you’ll see picadillo accompany many meals, most notably the casados. Picadillos are diced vegetables, a common one being the chayote squash, that are parboiled and then fried with onions, carrots, garlic, and sometimes a little ground meat. Though versions vary, ask any Tico and they’ll tell you their mom makes the best.
Chifrijo
Chifrijo is a popular layered dish of rice topped with black beans, twice-fried pork bits, and pico de gallo (tomato salsa with onion, cilantro, and lemon), served with fresh tortilla chips. A fixture in the bar scene, chifrijos are a drunken rally brick and next-day booze mop wrapped in one.
Ceviche Tico
The Tico variety is clean, light, and refreshing. Fish (typically sea bass) is cut into tiny cubes, mixed with diced red onion, cilantro, and some red pepper, then marinated in citrus juice. The acid in the citrus delicately cooks the meat, leaving it tender and flavorful. The dish is then served with soda crackers or fried plantains.
Coffee
Costa Rica’s recent history has been largely shaped by coffee, and the country’s beans rank as some of the best in the world. The rich volcanic soil at high altitude lends them their characteristic silky body, and the taste of the beans ranges from crisp fruitiness to smoky chocolate.To see the process firsthand, head to the Central Valley region, where the altitude and climate help the coffee bushes thrive. Plantations scattered about the mountains offer educational outreach programs — you’ll see just how a ripe red berry is transformed into a steamy cup of high-grade coffee, and you’ll be taught how to use your palette to distinguish between varieties.
Naturales
Wherever you are in Costa Rica, you’ll see standalone kiosks dedicated to juicing tropical fruits. Climb on a stool — if you can find an empty one — and take your pick. Mango, pineapple, blackberry, melon, and banana are the usual favorites, though watch out for seasonal offerings like my personal go-to, cas (sour green mango), or horchata (rice, cinnamon, and milk). These delicious beverages also go by the name refrescos.
Gallo pinto
You can’t set foot in the country without encountering the Costa Rican take on rice and beans. Local lore points to its origin in the tiny town of San Sebastían, where long ago a local resident, Don Bernabe, boasted widely of his prized gallo pinto (spotted hen), which he was saving for the town’s Christmas celebrations. Small-town gossip spread and grew to daunting proportions when Don Bernabe unexpectedly received a crowd of townsfolk eager to try his spotted hen. Being the quick thinker that he was, Don Bernabe decided to pay homage to the appearance of his gallo pinto by frying up copious amounts of white rice and black beans so that everyone had something to eat.
Casado
Translated literally, casado means “married.” Found in nearly any soda (small restaurant serving typical Costa Rican dishes) across the country, casado is the fixed pairing of white rice with a side of savory black beans, a vegetable side (like cabbage slaw dressed in citrus), and a protein — usually a fish fillet, charcoal grilled chicken, or pork chop — smothered in sautéed onions. Pretty much everything you need.
Agua de sapo
Don’t let the name of this treat — agua de sapo translates to “toad water” — deter you; the moniker derives more from the look than the taste. It’s a refreshing twist on lemonade made with brown sugar and ginger.