FOOD & DRINKS

Costa Rican cuisine is simple and spices tend to be shunned. Comida tipica, or native dishes rely heavily on rice and beans, the basis of many Costa Rican meals, and home-style cooking predominates. Meals are generally wholesome and reasonably priced. Gallo Pinto, the national dish of fried rice and black bean, is ubiquitous, particularly as a breakfast staple. Many other meals are derivatives such as arroz con pollo (rice and chicken) or arroz con tuna.

Food staples include beef, chicken, and fish. Costa Rica exports most of its seafood. As a result seafood such as shrimp or lobster is relatively expensive. Travelers with low budget should stick with the casado on lunch time menus, or 'plato del dia'. Eating in Costa Rica doesn't present the health problems that plague the unwary traveler elsewhere in Central America.

Costa Rica has no national drink, but very popular in the cultural tradition of drinks are Horchata, a cinnamon flavored cornmeal drink, Chan, a slimy drink made of seeds, Linaza, which is popularly used to cure indigestion, and Fresco de Frutas, which is basically a fruit salad floating on a base of kola and water, delicious!! And, of course, guaro, the campesino’s nearly-tasteless yet potent alcoholic drink of choice. And coffee of course, Costa Rica’s grain of gold. Most of the best coffee is exported, so don't expect the best coffee everywhere you go. Coffee is traditionally served very strong and mixed with hot milk.

Many bars in Costa Rica have the now disappearing habit of serving bocas with each drink , bocas are different types of food in small amounts, usually ceviche or chicken wings or bean soup, to have a better time with your drinks. Some bars provide them free but others may apply a small charge. Turtle eggs which may have been taken in a special legal season are a very popular dish in many bars for its special taste, but are best avoided because of the possibility of having been poached illegally.

Imported drinks may be expensive so you might be better of trying with the local Costa Rican drinks. The beer is a very popular drink and the ones of most sale are Bavaria and Imperial. Even the poorest campesino can afford the native red-eye, guaro, a harsh , clear spirit distilled from fermented sugarcane. In rural areas you might find Vino de Coyol, which is a wine distilled from liquid that is collected on holes on the trunk of a very spiny palm, drink with caution, intoxication goes away, but many say if you go out in the sun with a Coyol hangover, you might find yourself drunk again.

Much of the information on our site as it relates to Costa Rica is:

Courtesy of Christopher P. Baker and Avalon Travel Publishing.
© 2004 Christopher P. Baker. All Rights Reserved.

Spanish Abroad, Inc. highly recommends Christopher P. Baker's book: Moon Handbooks Costa Rica. Click on the image to visit his website where you can purchase this book or find out more about the author.