Eating Out

The most popular restaurant in Nicaragua is the "comedor," generally a family-owned restaurant, often run by the grandmother, that offers fresh and deliciously prepared Nicaraguan fare. One will find meat, fish, pork, and chicken dishes as well as salads, desserts, lemonade and fruit drinks for reasonable prices. The food is served cafeteria style, and one can usually choose whether to sit inside or outdoors. One will also find comedor-style restaurants at the open market.

A "fritanga" is a restaurant similar in style that serves potatoes, plantains and meat that has either been deep-fried or grilled. One can get the meal to take out, wrapped in paper and banana leaves. It is recommended that a traveler ask a resident to recommend the cleanest and most popular of the "comedors" and "fritangas."

Fast food chains sell fried chicken, hamburgers,and pizza. There are also individually owned pizza parlors. Many take advantage of the numerous university cafeterias that are open to the public. As a snack, fresh peeled oranges, mangos and bananas are sold by roadside vendors, where it is customary to use condiments such as vinegar, chili and salt on top of the fruit.