Manabí cuisine — arguably the most distinctive in Ecuador — is everywhere in Chone. The regional staples are available at every corner eatery and are worth eating at every opportunity. Ceviche de camarón (fresh shrimp ceviche with lime, onion, tomato, and chifles — thin plantain chips) is the default lunch order. Corviche is a fried ball of green plantain dough stuffed with fish and peanut-seasoned filling. Seco de pollo — slow-cooked chicken in a rich tomato and beer sauce — appears on nearly every menú del día. Grilled or roasted pork with rice, lentils, and patacones (twice-fried green plantain) is the weekend staple at the roadside asaderos.
Chone's market (mercado municipal) is the best place to eat early: the market ladies serving breakfast and lunch platters do so efficiently and cheaply, and the food reflects what the surrounding countryside produces rather than what tourists expect. The plates are large and the price is low — a full lunch with juice will cost a dollar or two.