Costa Rica Food ▷ 12 Must-Try Dishes & Restaurant Tips 22places.com

What to eat in Costa Rica ☞ Gallo Pinto, ceviche, Batidos & more ✓ honest restaurant picks & real tips from travelers who've been there.

Costa Ricans love rice and beans above all else — and they eat them constantly. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So if you want to experience authentic Costa Rican food, rice and beans are non-negotiable.

We also associate Costa Rica with lots of bananas. As banana shakes, as plantains, or as chips (yes, really — more on that later). To us, the bananas in this Central American country taste so much better and more intense than anything back home.

As the main protein, you’ll usually find plenty of chicken or, especially in the coastal regions, fresh fish.

Overall, we really enjoyed the food in Costa Rica. That said, we’ll be honest: we’ve had better culinary experiences on our travels.