Gallo Pinto, or pinto in short, is probably the most well-known traditional Costa Rican dish. It is made from rice and black beans stir-fried together with onions, bell pepper, garlic, and fresh cilantro. It’s usually seasoned with salsa lizano, which gives it its signature flavor. It is commonly served as breakfast. Gallo Pinto is my personal favorite. It is a type of simple comfort food and very tasty as it served with all kinds of sides like eggs, natilla (sour cream), tortillas, plantains, fried cheese, sausage, and avocado.

The name gallo pinto literary translates to spotted rooster. There is some folklore about how the dish got this nickname, but the most common explanation is that the color resembles the flecked feathers of a rooster.

A casado is another of Costa Rica’s best known traditional meals. Most served as lunch, but not weird if you order this for dinner. Casado can be translated as ‘marriage’ and the name really captures what this plate is about. It is a hearty, colorful plate that brings together the essentials of everyday Tico cooking. It is typically a combination of rice, beans, salad, sometimes even two types of salad, plantains, and a choice of meat or fish. It might as well include pasta. All of this is not mixed but served together on a plate. Expect a generous serving, you will not be left hungry after this one.

While gallo pinto reigns supreme in most of Costa Rica, the Caribbean coast has its own legendary variation called Caribbean rice and beans. Influenced by Jamaican and Afro-Caribbean traditions, this dish is elevated by cooking the red or black beans and rice together in fresh coconut milk. Infused with thyme, garlic, onions, and Panamanian chili pepper for aroma. This gives the dish a bit of a creamy texture and a distinctly tropical, savory-sweet flavor.

Pollo Caribeño (Caribbean Chicken) is the ultimate partner to Caribbean rice and beans, as you can see in the picture, creating one of the most celebrated culinary duos on Costa Rica’s Atlantic coast. In my opnion, you cannot have visited the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, without having tried this combo.

Costa Rican chifrijo is a dish which started as a bar snack which became a traditional dish found on the menu of many sodas and restaurants. Served in a bowl layered with rice, beans, crispy fried pork named chicharrón, topped off with pico de gallo, which is a mix of chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice. It is often served with tortilla chips and patacones, which are smashed, twice‑fried, crispy, green plantain slices. Chifrijo is a dish which is casual and messy in a delicious way.

Ceviche is a refreshing and healthy dish that stands out for its simplicity and bright flavors. This dish typically features firm white fish finely diced in cubes and cured in fresh lime juice. It is tossed with finely minced red onion, bell pepper, and a generous amount of fresh cilantro. Often served chilled with a side of salty tortilla chips, plantain chips, or crackers. I was told ceviche is a great medicine against a hangover, although I got mixed results.

Costa Rican tamales are a beloved christmas holiday tradition wrapped in sweet banana leaves. Costa Rican tamales have a mild flavor dominated by a well-seasoned corn dough made with pork broth, garlic, achiote, and cumin. Tucked inside this dough is a mix of shredded pork or chicken, rice, potatoes, peas, and sweet peppers. The process of making them, known as a tamaleada, is a festive family affair where multiple generations gather in December to assemble, wrap, and tie the tamales into pairs before boiling them. Eating them hot out of the leaf, often accompanied by a dash of Salsa Lizano.