How to order food in Costa Rica?

How to order food in any trip you take to any country is essential, cause you expect to feel recharged, and full of new energy to take the next journey.

Costa Rica is an astounding country full of beautiful landscapes, nice people and adventure.

In this country, you not only enjoy nature and new experiences but also enjoy typical food and can learn how to order it.

Food in Costa Rica or the local cuisine has a huge variety of options and it´s really complete since it includes all the food groups; enriched with vitamins, minerals, and proteins among others.

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Feasting in “Sodas”

To fully know how to order in Costa Rica, we should know about Sodas.

Sodas are small restaurants with great prices, they are found almost anywhere, Since little towns up to cities, beaches, mountains, etc…

They are ideal for families or groups of friends because they offer a great variety of real typical dishes.

These meals entice you with their smell and Taste. They are spicy and if you want to add some more spice to it, you can do it with “Salsa Lizano” or a good “Chilera”.

You should try the “chilera”, which is a jar full of pickled vegetables such as; carrots, sweet pepper, onion, etc. with a lot of hot peppers.  They are delicious and an important element not only in restaurants or “Sodas” but also in every home.

Sodas are also found inside “Mercados” every city has its own Mercado which is a big place full of crafts, souvenirs, and groceries.

Some famous Sodas are: “Los Sapitos” inside Alajuela´s Market, Soda “Tapia” in San José and Soda “Tiquicia” and “Pura Vida” in Santa Teresa, Playa Hermosa.

How to order…?

To order food in these places, you do not need to be formal or use complicated vocabulary.

To know how to order in this interesting country, you can use some very Costa Rican expressions, like:

1. ¡Buenos días! ¡Buenas tardes! ¡Quisiera ordenar!/ Good morning! Good afternoon! I would like to order!
2. ¿Puedo ver el menú? / Can I see the menú, please?
3. ¿Qué me recomienda? / what can you recommend?
4. ¿Cuál es el Plato del Día? / What´s the special for today? Or what´s the catch of the day?
5. ¿Qué tiene el casado? / Do you have casado (a dish with rice, beans, picadillo, salad, any kind of meat, fish or chicken, plantain, tortillas or even a fried egg)
6. ¿De qué es el picadillo? / What is the picadillo made of? (It might be made of potatoes, chayote, chickpeas, etc.)
7. ¿Me puede traer___________ en vez de ___________? / Can I have__________ instead of _____________________? (You use this expression when you want to change a side dish for another)
8. ¿Me puede agregar más___________ por favor? / Can I have more______________?
9. ¿Qué tienen de tomar? / What do you have for drink? ( you should ask because in most of the sodas they might have different drinks that are or not included in the menu)
10. ¿Qué lleva la horchata? / What are the ingredients for Horchata?
11. ¿Cuáles bebidas son dulces? / Which drinks are sweet?
12. ¿Cuáles bebidas son ácidas? / Which drinks are acid?
13. ¿Qué tienen de postre? / What do you have for dessert?
14. ¿Qué tiene al arroz con leche? / What are the ingredients for rice pudding?
15. ¿Me puede traer un café /negro/con leche/sin azúcar / con dos cucharaditas de azúcar. / Can I have a black coffee / with milk/ without sugar/ with two teaspoons of sugar, please?
16. ¿Tienen cappuccino? Do you have a cappuccino?
17. ¿Me regala un vasito con agua? Can I have a glass of water, please? (In Costa Rica is very common to use the expression “me regala” even when it means to get something for free in Costa Rica we have clear that, what we are asking for is not a present, we know we have to pay for it)
18. ¿Me regala un tenedor? / Can I have a fork, please?
19. ¿Quisiera una empanada? / I would like an empanada (turnover)?
20. ¿De qué son las empanadas? / What is the empanada made of?
21. ¿Me regala la chilera? / Can I have the chilera, please?
22. Gracias, muy amable / Thank you, you are very nice.

A great place with Costa Rican Taste

Now, you you know a little more about our culture and how to order food in Costa Rica.

The, you have more options when you visit us to enjoy adventure and delicious food.

Here at Perfect Sunset School in Playa Hermosa Santa Teresa, you can feel that exotic and healthy taste of our traditional cuisine, while you have the chance of feeling relaxed, released and full of new energy.

See you soon!

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