Local Fare and Fritanga

Masaya is more famous for its street food than its restaurants and nowhere will you find more authentic cuisine de la calle than at El Tiangue, an open-air, multivendor food market in barrio Monimbó.

Vendors set up in the small triangular plaza across from the Don Bosco school. It gets going every evening around 5 p.m. when you’ll find everything from standard finger-licking fritanga served on a banana leaf to hard-core snout-to-tail pig dishes and organ meat, such as that featured on the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, “Nicaragua” episode.

Countless small comedores line both sides of the main street from the central park all the way up to the old train station, all fine places to find out why Masayans refer to themselves as “come-yucas” (yucca eaters).

You’ll find all sorts of juicy, greasy, fried, and roasted treasures at one of several locally famous street grills: Fritanga Alvarez is across from the entrance to Santa Rosa; Fritanga San Jerónimo is a few blocks west of the church with the same name; La Emilina Ñata en el Barrio Loco, or Flat-nose Emilina’s in the Crazy Neighborhood is open every day from 5 p.m. till its world-famous grilled beef runs out.

Still another savory sidewalk barbecue option is La Chepa Ratona, next to the old train station.

Cafés and Restaurants

Eateries close to El Mercado Viejo include Pastelería Norma (20 meters north of the Old Market), for baked goods, juices, and snacks, and Che Gris (on the east side of the Old Market), which offers traditional cooking in an air-conditioned setting.

A livelier, more popular option is Jarochito’s (tel. 505/2522-4831, open 11 a.m.–10 p.m. daily), just north of the central park, for Mexican with a Nicaraguan twist, with plates from $3–8.

A bit farther up the main street is Comedor La Criolla (7 a.m.–5 p.m. daily), serving excellent local breakfast and lunch for $2.50–$4. It’s a great place to sit and enjoy a fresh juice drink.