Costa Rica’s amazing landscape makes for some excellent growing conditions and the most wonderful tropical fruits and vegetables abound. Being surrounded by ocean water offers up the best in seafood and our local small farms offer up the most flavorful chicken and pork you will ever taste. Along with its traditional dishes, Costa Rica is gaining popularity for the fabulous international cuisine.

Traditional Local Food

Throughout the country you will find local restaurants called sodas, offering dishes that are simply wonderful and you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t experience these local dishes.

You must have gallo pinto in the morning for breakfast. From birthdays to weddings, a plate of arroz con pollo is the absolute go-to dish served at every Costa Rican family function. Costa Rican ceviche is arguably the best in the world with your choice of Dorado or Shrimp or a mixto, and a whole red snapper cooked on the grill is truly a  taste sensation.

International Cuisine – The New Costa Rican Fare. 

An unexpected surprise for many visitors to Costa Rica is the abundance of local restaurants offering fantastic international fare.

With many people from all over the world now calling Costa Rica their home, the world of international cuisine has grown by leaps and bounds with incredible options for great eating. 

Combining the best local ingredients with their own ethnic recipes, our international locals serve some amazing cuisine, and many of our Costa Rican chefs are borrowing from these ethnic dishes to offer wonderful new flavours to traditional local cuisine.

A visit to the local farmer’s market is a must while vacationing in Costa Rica and nestled amongst all the amazing fruits and vegetables you may find a vendor selling incredible French style cheese, made in tiny batches by Costa Rican producers.

A visit to an Italian deli may sell amazing prosciutto and other salami  produced in Costa Rica with local pork. The quality rivaling some of the top cured meats in the world.  Italian pizzerias have been known to cook some of the best wood oven pizza you will ever taste outside of Italy.

Throughout Costa Rica you may find Argentinian restaurants offering traditional meat cooked on the wood fire and Peruvian restaurants with their traditional octopus ceviche. Local ethnic bakers offer some amazing breads and baked goods cooked in wood ovens.

Even the most discerning foodies will not have a hard time satisfying their palates in Costa Rica.  

Costa Rica First Class Villas offers the very best in private chef services, from simple yet authentic prepared meals and brunches to elegant dinners planned around the most special occasions. Contact Us  for more information on how you can explore the incredible tastes of Costa Rica