Curator’s statement
Costa Rica is famous for its sloths. Sloths are herbivores. So clearly the country already had my attention. I often hear clients wonder if traveling in Latin America will mean exciting scenery but very limited food choices—and as a vegetarian traveler myself, I paid close attention to this on my recent trip across Costa Rica. The short answer is: relax, you will eat well. Between gallo pinto, plantains, tropical fruit, outstanding coffee, chocolate, and genuinely thoughtful resort dining, Costa Rica offers so much more than the emergency side salad. The sloths were onto something.
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Things to do in Costa Rica
We made corn tortillas from scratch and had them with local cheese, honey, and freshly brewed coffee.
Take Tabacón’s guest-only rainforest hike to the green lagoon
One of the most special experiences in the Arenal area is the exclusive hike available to Tabacón guests that leads to a beautiful green lagoon. It feels quiet, tucked away, and much more personal than a standard sightseeing stop, which is exactly the kind of “you had to be there” moment I love.
Soak in Tabacón Hot Springs
Tabacón is one of the most iconic hot springs experiences in Costa Rica, and it feels especially magical because the thermal river flows through lush tropical gardens. Go early if you can, then give yourself permission to do absolutely nothing except soak, wander, repeat, and wonder why your regular life does not include volcanic hot springs.
Walk the Arenal hanging bridges
The hanging bridges are a wonderful way to experience the rainforest without needing to be an extreme hiker. You get suspension bridges, canopy views, volcano scenery, and a real sense of being inside the rainforest, not just looking at it from a distance.
Take a Costa Rican cooking class
One of the best ways to understand Costa Rica through a vegetarian lens. Look for a class that includes dishes like gallo pinto, handmade tortillas, patacones, plantains, fresh salsas, and picadillos, because these are the kinds of simple, satisfying foods you will see throughout the trip.
Do a chocolate and coffee tasting
This is such a fun way to connect with Costa Rica beyond the scenery. It is also an easy food-focused experience that does not revolve around meat or seafood, which is always a win.
Visit a local farm or organic garden
This is a beautiful way to see where Costa Rica’s fresh produce comes from, especially in lush areas like La Fortuna and Arenal. Depending on the experience, you may get to taste tropical fruits, herbs, vegetables, sugarcane, cacao, or coffee, which makes it both cultural and very vegetarian-friendly.
Places to eat & drink in Costa Rica
I found my soulmate hummus at Ayla restaurant, Nayara. Pura vida indeed!
Nayara’s Ayla restaurant
This is the one I would point vegetarian travelers toward first. It focuses on modern Mediterranean cuisine with a Middle Eastern flair, which usually means much better vegetarian possibilities: dips, vegetables, grains, herbs, breads, and bold flavors. The lunch I ate here was the best meal of the entire trip. The hummus and muhamara were to die for.
Ave Restaurant, Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa
The menu includes vegan-friendly items like vegan ceviche, Thai salad, lentil tabbouleh, and roasted eggplant. The food was fresh, mild on spices, and satisfying.
The restaurants at Andaz Costa Rica
For very creative vegetarian fare. Remember, even if you are not staying here, you can reserve a table and visit for lunch or dinner!
Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
The menus mark vegetarian and vegan items. I had breakfast here, and they served plenty of fresh fruit, fresh breads, and huevos rancheros, which I loved! For vegans, they can make it without the egg—trust me, the beans, spices, and fresh corn tortilla still make it worthwhile.
Need to know
Costa Rica is very doable as a vegetarian. A few useful tips:
Choose the right hotels and communicate clearly. Mention that you are vegetarian before arrival, especially at luxury resorts. Ask whether broths, sauces, and rice dishes are made with meat or fish stock. Learn a few Spanish phrases, too, such as “soy vegetariana” or “sin carne, pollo, o pescado.” It helps.
Gallo pinto, Costa Rica’s classic rice-and-beans dish, is the vegetarian traveler’s best friend, especially at breakfast. You will often see it served with eggs, cheese, tortillas, plantains, and fruit, making it a very satisfying vegetarian meal. Do not forget to drizzle some Lizano sauce on it. Casado is another common Costa Rican plate, and while it often comes with meat or fish, you can usually ask for a vegetarian version with extra beans, vegetables, salad, plantains, eggs, or cheese.
Vegetarian snacking in Costa Rica is honestly quite joyful. Look for fried plantains, patacones, fresh tropical fruit, tortillas, empanadas with cheese or beans, yuca fries, smoothies, coconut water, local chocolate, and good Costa Rican coffee. This is not a country where you need to carry a suitcase full of protein bars.
Most importantly, do not overthink it. Costa Rica is full of fresh fruit, beans, rice, plantains, coffee, chocolate, vegetables, juices, and increasingly wellness-forward resort cuisine. With the right planning, traveling here as a vegetarian is not a compromise. It is actually one of the nicest ways to experience the country.
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Dee Swaminathan
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