Destinations Central & South America Must-Try Dishes in 7 Central American Countries By Kirsten Hubbard Kirsten Hubbard Kirsten Hubbard is a travel writer and expert who specializes in Central America. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 04/06/19 Some Central America food is extremely familiar, such as fried chicken in Guatemala and fruit smoothies in Costa Rica. Other meals might seem a bit on the exotic side, like fried palm flowers in El Salvador and stuffed yucca rolls in Panama. Yet other Central America recipes might seem downright startling, such as El Salvador's sopa de patas. A lot of the dishes might have the same name but you should try them in each country. The recipes tend to be different. So don't be shy, go on...have a taste of Central America cuisine! You will be pleasantly surprised. 01 of 07 Costa Rica Alberto Coto / Getty Images View Map Address Costa Rica Get directions If you're traveling to Costa Rica for the first time, you're probably curious about Costa Rican food. Fortunately, food in Costa Rica isn't that different from food in the United States with a few notable exceptions like chilera (a spicy dressing made with pickled onions, peppers, and other vegetables) and tres leches cake (a cake soaked in three kinds of milk). 02 of 07 Honduras Nan Palmero / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 View Map Address Honduras Get directions On the Caribbean coast or in the Bay Islands, seafood and anything made of coconut dominate Honduran cuisine. No travel taste test of Honduran food is complete without fresh fish, shrimp, lobster, or the endlessly versatile conch (caracol in Spanish). But they also have some other dishes with a strong Mayan influence worth trying. 03 of 07 Panama nicole tarazona / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 View Map Address Panama Get directions Because of Panama’s diverse Spanish, American, Afro-Caribbean, and indigenous influences, Panamanian cuisine ranges from the familiar, like snow cones and tropical fruit, to the ultra-exotic, like carimanola—a fried yucca roll stuffed with meat and boiled eggs. Seafood is prevalent, and snacks are delicious, especially if you buy them at a fonda. International influence is also quite strong here, so you can find an interesting mix of the main cultures around the world. 04 of 07 Guatemala Caja Digital / Getty Images View Map Address Guatemala Get directions Guatemalan food and drink is primarily influenced by the country's Mayan and Spanish cultures. Nowadays, international influences are found in Guatemala's food as well, such as Chinese, American, and the vegetarian movement. International cuisine is making a big impact in Guatemalan dishes, and the resulting mix represents some of my favorite Central American cuisines. If you have the chance to try only one dish, make it pepian. Continue to 5 of 7 below. 05 of 07 El Salvador Kryssia Campos / Getty Images View Map Address El Salvador Get directions El Salvador's food and drink is particularly distinctive among the diverse cuisines of Central America as a blend of only two cultural influences: the indigenous and the Spanish. El Salvadoran food includes all sorts of stuffed delights, such as tamales, empanadas, pastelitos, and the ever-present pupusas. You have to try them; they make them with just about anything that you can think of. 06 of 07 Nicaragua MJM Photographie / Getty Images View Map Address Nicaragua Get directions Nicaraguan cuisine is representative of the diversity of its residents. It is the results of years of Spanish, Creole, Garifuna, and Indigenous Nicaraguan cultures melting into one. They all have some level of influence in modern Nicaragua food, which most travelers find delicious, but the best part is that it tends to be exceptionally inexpensive. 07 of 07 Belize Anthony Plummer / Getty Images View Map Address Belize Get directions When it comes to diversity in Central American cuisine, Belize is the definite winner. Belize is the ultimate melting pot of cultures, including Creole, Mayan, Garifuna, Spanish, British, Chinese, and American (whew!). As a result, Belize's food and drink is just as varied, from stew chicken to cassava bread, fry jack to Johnny cakes, "Boil ups" to frothy seaweed drinks. If you get the chance, traditional Garifuna dishes are highly recommended. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email