Why Costa Rican cuisine is worth exploring
Costa Rican cuisine developed from Indigenous maize and bean traditions, Spanish colonisation, small-scale farming and Afro-Caribbean influence on the Atlantic coast. Its everyday food is often simpler and less chilli-heavy than outsiders expect.
Why it is famous
Gallo pinto, casado, olla de carne, ceviche, arroz con pollo and caribbean rice and beans are some of the foods that have made Costa Rican cuisine recognisable around the world. Explore further and the picture becomes much richer, with local dishes and everyday combinations that rarely travel as widely as the famous names.
Regional food story
The Central Valley is closely associated with casados and coffee-growing culture; Guanacaste has strong maize traditions; the Caribbean coast uses coconut milk, seafood and Afro-Caribbean spices; Pacific communities make extensive use of fresh fish.
