Restaurants will usually have one or more set meals at midday and their prices can be considerably more reasonable than ordering a la carte . Some establishments will assume that a gringo does not want the daily fare, so persistence may be required if you do. A set lunch is not only something for those on a set budget, as many first class hotels offer an excellent multi- course set meal at midday. At dinner time, and in specialty restaurants, usually only a la carte meals are available. In addition to crop variation between regions, cultural and historical factors play into the diversity of food prepared in Latin America.
Rice is the great common denominator, the main staple throughout the continent.
Roots such as manioc and cassava are the main starch staple in the Amazon basin, while plantain and other varieties of bananas are used for cooking in most tropical areas. In a typical set meal, the main course will consist of one or more of these staples served with modest amounts of meat, or fish, according to the area, except for Argentina and Uruguay, where meat is served in very large portions. Beverages also vary according to region and climate, however coffee, tea, beer, mineral water, as well as a variety of international and local soft drinks are universally available. Wine is common, inexpensive and excellent in Chile and Argentina, while a wide variety of fresh fruit juices are available in tropical areas. Coconut is used to flavour fish and seafood, especially where there is a population of African origin such as in northeastern Brazil, the Caribbean and the northern Pacific coast of South America.