Whenever you travel to another country food questions come up. The first time we came to Costa Rica we weren’t really sure what to expect. We didn’t know if we needed to be extremely careful about not getting a stomach bug of some kind or if food and drinks were pretty much safe. We didn’t know what to expect about the diet either - would it be like what were are used to back home in Utah, or more like Mexican food? Since we are pretty much OK with any food (we aren’t picky eaters), we weren’t too worried about that last point, but it did pop up a few times, and I’m sure some a lot of other people worry about what they will eat.
Let’s be really clear. The food here is just great. It is simple for the most part, but very good. Of course you can get fancy meals if you want, but just regular daily food is good and not too expensive. A good meal in a decent restaurant will cost you about $20. If you want to eat in a small Soda (small restaraunt frequented by the locals), you can often get a great meal for only about $2.
If you’re going to rent a place here for longer term as I suggest you do, you’ll be able to get pretty much anything you’re used to back home. The brand names may be a little different, but you should be able to find what you’re looking for. If you hire a nanny or cook for your time, you should have no trouble at all. They’ll take care of all the shopping and cooking for you.
A typical breakfast for us isn’t really all the different from what we might have back in the US except that rice and beans (called Gallo Pinto) are the staple. Those will often be served with fried eggs and sausage.
In Escazu you can find some of the bigger American fast food restaurants. But the local food is plenty good enough that I don’t know why you’d ever want to eat at one. I mean isn’t that one of the main reasons to come here - to try and enjoy local food, culture and nature? If you’re really into it, you may as well at least try KFC. You can find one in the Plaza de Cultura in San Jose. You will be surprised at how much bigger and better the chicken is here… even at KFC.
There are tons of good, clean local restaurants, and the resorts and spas we’ve visited have all had excellent food and service.
Is the food clean?
If you are eating out and established restaurants, the food is safe and clean. Eating at a market of from a street vendor might not be the smartest thing you’ll ever do. We’ve managed to stay relatively healthy while we’ve been here, but not 100%. Did we get sick from the food or water? Only once. I was in San Jose and ordered tacos from a street vendor. That didn’t work out so well. In the other several months that we have eaten in restaraunts and at home, we have never had a problem. The water is extremely good here. There is absolutely no reason to drink bottled water.
If you are careful about where you eat, and avoid greasy spoon joints like you would back home and pay attention to keeping clean hands before you eat that will really help. It is just common sense.
When you travel or live in someplace new the food is never the same as back home. You can complain about that if you want to, I personally choose not to. Here in Costa Rica the food is good and not overly expensive. Can you get sick? Sure, but then again there are cases of food poisoning every day in the US. If that doesn’t stop you from going out back home, I don’t see why it should here either.
-James D. Brausch
15 responses so far ↓
1 Ria Ludy // Feb 17, 2008 at 11:38 am
Glad to have found Costa Rica HQ blog. I see lots of talk about food and it’s good to know that seasonal vegetables are available especially since I am vegetarian.
2 The Skinny On January » Blog Archive » Carnival of Holistic Nutrition - February 22, 2008 // Feb 22, 2008 at 10:05 am
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3 JHS // Feb 24, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Thank you for sharing this post with the readers of this week’s Carnival of Family Life! This week the Spring is Just Around the Corner Edition is hosted at home at Colloquium! Hope you will drop by and read some of the many other wonderful entries received this week!
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9 Veteran Military Wife at Life Lessons of a Military Wife // Mar 4, 2008 at 7:07 am
Thank you for participating in the Life Lessons of a Military Wife Carnival at http://lifelessonsmilitarywife.blogspot.com/2008/03/life-lessons-of-military-wife-carnival.html
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13 Jon - The DC Traveler // Mar 20, 2008 at 7:28 am
My recent experiences with the food in San Jose, Fortuna and Tamarindo was that every meal was priced similar to higher-end American restaurants, but the food lacked flavor and interesting preparation.
Basic or casual lunches in all three loctions were $20+ per person, with dinners in the $35+ range. Even at more casual beach joints. No real bargins on food (or activitities or hotels for that matter) .
The local chicken and rice dish, (which is a Latin American staple and one that I have samples across Mexico, Belize and the isalnds) was propbably the least enjoyable version I’ve ever sampled. A huge pile of rice with virtually no chicken (less than 3 oz.), no flavor and priced at around $15, at two different restaurants, both recommended by my high end hotel.
Unfortunately, to me it seemed CR charges U.S. prices for food, but the quality, preperation and experience is far below.
I was also a bit disappointed by the lack of “hospitality”. They know how to offer a nice room and serve a meal, but seemed to have yet to learn the “make the guest feel welcome” part of tourism.
I think CR over promises on many aspects of it’s travel, and sadly it under delivers.
14 admin // Mar 20, 2008 at 10:00 am
Hi Jon,
Of course we are glad you found it disappointing. Perhaps that way you won’t come back.
Those who are ready for Costa Rica find it extremely hospitable. As far as prices go… as long as you hang out with the other negative gringos in the tourist places, you will get tourist prices.
I rarely pay more than $2 for lunch or dinner including a drink and desert. I don’t eat at those gringo places that are for tourists, so I wouldn’t know if their food is poor. I just don’t like hanging around negative gringos.
Pura Vida!
-James D. Brauschc
15 Teri // Mar 23, 2008 at 8:54 am
I really am tired of your bogus comments on my blog directing traffic to your site.
Let me put this nicely…..
Piss off.
Write something of interest instead of commenting on everyone elses blogs
to get yourself more readers.
Quit wasting my time deleting your superficial comments. Teri
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