SpanishSpeakingPractice🇨🇷 Costa Rica guide

Ordering at a soda in Costa Rica

Casados, gallos and refrescos — the tico lunch ritual decoded.

The 'soda' is Costa Rica's version of a diner — family-run, cheap, and the heartbeat of local eating. Lunch means a 'casado' (rice, beans, plantains, salad and your choice of protein) or a 'gallo' (meat or fish in a tortilla). Drinks are 'refrescos naturales' — fresh fruit blended with water and sugar. Understanding the ordering rhythm — 'con todo' (with everything), 'sin chile' (no hot sauce) — makes you look like a regular.

Vocabulary

SpanishEnglish
sodalocal family-run diner
casadoset lunch plate (rice, beans, protein, salad, plantain)
gallomeat/fish in a tortilla (like a taco)
gallo pintorice and beans breakfast dish
refresco natural / frescofresh fruit drink
batidofruit milkshake
con todowith everything (all sides)
sin…without…
picante / chilespicy / hot sauce
arroz con pollo / con camaronrice with chicken / shrimp
olla de carnebeef stew
pejibayepeach palm fruit (popular snack)
la cuentathe bill
propinatip (not required, but appreciated)

Real dialogues

Practice both sides out loud.

Lunch at a soda in San José

Soda in Escazú, 12:30 PM.

  • You

    Buenas. ¿Tienen casado de pollo?

    Good afternoon. Do you have chicken casado?

  • Cocinera

    Sí, señor. ¿Lo quiere con todo?

    Yes, sir. Do you want it with everything?

  • You

    Con todo, por favor. Sin chile, que no me gusta picante.

    With everything, please. Without hot sauce — I don't like spicy.

  • Cocinera

    Claro. ¿Y para tomar? Tenemos fresco de piña, cas y tamarindo.

    Of course. And to drink? We have pineapple, cas fruit and tamarind fresh juices.

  • You

    Un fresco de piña, por favor. ¿Cuánto es?

    A pineapple fresco, please. How much is it?

  • Cocinera

    Son cuatro mil quinientos. Se lo traigo enseguida.

    It's 4,500. I'll bring it right away.

  • You

    Gracias, pura vida.

    Thanks, pura vida.

Breakfast gallo pinto

Soda in Tamarindo, 8 AM.

  • You

    Buen día. Quiero un gallo pinto con huevo y un café con leche.

    Good morning. I want gallo pinto with egg and a coffee with milk.

  • Cocinera

    ¿Quiere el huevo frito o revuelto?

    Do you want the egg fried or scrambled?

  • You

    Frito, por favor. Y una natilla si tiene.

    Fried, please. And a natilla if you have it.

  • Cocinera

    Claro, le pongo natilla. ¿Algo más?

    Of course, I'll add natilla. Anything else?

  • You

    No, eso es todo. La cuenta cuando pueda.

    No, that's all. The bill when you can.

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Costa Rica local tips

'Con todo' means all the sides

Rice, beans, plantain, salad and protein. If you want to skip something, say 'sin plátano' or 'sin ensalada'.

Refrescos naturales are the default drink

Sodas rarely serve Coke by default. Order 'un fresco de…' and pick a fruit. Cas, tamarindo, and piña are the classics.

Tipping isn't expected at sodas

But rounding up or leaving small change is appreciated. In restaurants, 10% is standard if not included.

Practice prompts

  1. 01Order a casado with everything, no hot sauce, and a pineapple fresco.
  2. 02Ask for gallo pinto with scrambled egg and a coffee. Ask for the bill.
  3. 03Explain you're allergic to cilantro and ask what dishes don't have it.

FAQs

What is a casado?

Costa Rica's national lunch plate: white rice, black beans, fried plantain, salad, and your choice of protein (chicken, fish, beef, or vegetarian). Comes with a tortilla on the side.

What is a soda?

A small family-run restaurant — the Costa Rican equivalent of a diner. Cheap, fast, and usually better than tourist restaurants.

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