For most visitors the first encounter with typical Costa Rican food is breakfast. Of course there are the delicious fresh fruits that grow in abundance in Costa Rica. They have better taste since no time need to be reserved for shipping them, so they are eaten almost straight from the tree or field at the right time. But the famous Costa Rica is breakfast is Gallo Pinto. A mix of rice and beans, distinctly spiced and often served with the dark greenish sauce that is so famous in Costa Rica, that name of the original manufacturer Lizano evolved to the common name for the kind of sauce. Costa Rican food is contrary to what people expect not particular spicy. Most food in Costa Rica is based on a combination of rice and beans, eaten with meat, chicken or fish. Sometimes meat is substituted by fried plantains since not everybody can afford the luxury of eating meat every day. Recommended is to try the ultimate tropical food ‘arroz con palmitos’; rice with a creamy white heart of palms sauce. All over Costa Rica you find little places called soda’s, because they have no liquor license and therefore are allowed only to sell soft drinks, where you can enjoy the local food. Most of them offer ‘casasdos’ (married) a name for rice and beans plus meat, fish, chicken or fried plantains. Topped off with a fried egg and some salad on the side. The name refers to the fact that the Costa Rican wives prepared food for their husbands to take to work. Not to be mistaken for the other famous food, the ‘asados’; roasts of chicken, beef or pork. A wide variety of hot sauces is used to spice up the food according to the personal preference. On the Caribbean side of Costa Rica the food is more tasty. The Gallo Pinto is called ‘rice ‘n beans’ and has rich flavor because of the use of coco milk and Panamanian chili for the bite. To try a Caribbean chicken or fish is much for everyone who wants to discover new tastes of food. Many bars in Costa Rica offer food to accompany your drink. These so called ‘bocas’ (mouths) can be spicy shrimps, fried potatoes or chicken and are quiet popular, tasty and relatively cheap. Sea food in Costa Rica is excellent, especially on the Pacific coast in cities like Jaco, since that’s where the fishing fleet brings fresh products on shore on a daily basis. But the international influence is strong is Costa Rica and basically every type of food can be found from the unavoidable MacDonalds to sophisticated international cuisine. That leaves you with all the options to choose the kind of food that fits both your taste and budget and will make your stay in Costa Rica an unforgettable experience.