Costa Rica

Ask what Costa Rica eats and the answer starts with this: fresh, mild ‘pura vida’ fare of gallo pinto, casado lunch plates, and Caribbean coconut rondón. Look for Gallo pinto (rice and black beans with Lizano sauce; the daily start), Casado (lunch plate of rice, beans, plantain, salad, and a protein) and Olla de carne (beef and root-vegetable soup simmered all day). Rice and beans fried together and seasoned with Salsa Lizano; Costa Rica and Nicaragua dispute its origin and both treat it as breakfast. This atlas has 38 Costa Rica dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.