There are so many unique and delicious foods in Costa Rica that it is truly difficult to make a list of just ten. After much deliberation, here are some of my personal favorites:
Pipa, pipa! Bien fria la pipa!
1. Gallo Pinto – This dish of rice, beans and cilantro is generally eaten for breakfast, alongside eggs, toast and sometimes a slice of cheese or meat. On the Caribbean side of the country, chefs add coconut and call it “rice and beans,” pronounced rice an’ beans.
Dragon fruit, also known as 'pitaya' or 'pitahaya'
One of the only sweet fruits to come from a cactus, the pitaya – or Hylocereus undatus, also known as pitahaya – blooms in Costa Rica and Nicaragua between June and November. Known as dragon fruit in English, pitaya is a bright pink globe with pointy bits that look like peeling leaves. Before picked, it vaguely resembles the magenta head of a dragon with a spiky cactus body. In Costa Rica, the pitaya is most often used for blending thick juices and smoothies. However its sweet, jello-like consistency is also perfect for eating as is, right out of the shell with a spoon.