Nicaragua Cuisine and Culinary Expression
With rustic Nicaraguan local fare and distinctive international options, Nicaragua’s cuisine doesn’t disappoint. Leon, Granada and Managua offer restaurants of fine quality while a tropical climate provides fresh produce daily. Typical Nicaraguan fare is gallo pinto (beans and rice pan fried) served with caujada (rustic white cheese), corn tortillas and fresh vegetables. Try a plate and see what you think.
All Nicaraguan towns have bakeries serving daily creations like baby turnovers packed with pineapples or cheese flaky and soft, sweet or savory. Or a delightful flatbread, loaded with local spices and sugar, then served with coffee. Tropical Nicaragua overflows with fresh fruits commonly served in refrescos – a cold blend of fruit juice, sugar and ice – easily the best way to keep cool in the heat. The misty highlands of Nicaragua yield Arabica coffee internationally renowned for its smooth smoky flavor and low acidity. Try a cup of pan roasted and fresh ground coffee around Matagalpa or Estelí for an experience unlike any other.
Leon, Granada and Managua boast a dazzlingly array of world cuisine. Leon serves up authentic Lebanese food, NY style pizza and innovative vegetarian cuisine for everyone. Poneloya, a beach town 30 minutes to the east, serves fresh fish and lobster to enjoy while the sun settles over the Pacific. Granada revitalizes the palate with Spanish Tapas, authentic Mexican fare, Thai cuisine with Latin flare, or the only wood fired brick oven pizza in the country.
Managua, the mecca of Nicaraguan dining, offers everything Leon and Granada do plus world class French cuisine, organic whole food restaurants, genuine Chinese dining and Swiss bakeries. You never eat the same cuisine twice, unless you want to and after your culinary exploration of Nicaragua ends you can swim, hike or dance those calories away.
