Bar Snack · Layered Classic

Chifrijo

Photo: Aleat88 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Its name is just two ingredients mashed together — chicharrón and frijoles — and it's younger than you'd think for something this iconic.

Layers of white rice, stewed red beans, crispy fried pork rinds, fresh pico de gallo, and often avocado, served in a small bowl with tortilla chips or plantain chips for scooping. It's found on nearly every bar menu in Costa Rica.

Why it's made this way: It began as a 'boca' — the small savory snack Costa Rican bars serve alongside drinks — designed to be filling, easy to share, and scoopable with chips rather than eaten with cutlery.