Dave The Diver: The 17 Best Recipes (2024)

2023 has certainly been an impressive year in gaming for indie titles, with multiple releases already gaining global attraction and well-deserved attention. Developers MintRocket added to the incredible roster of indie games with their release Dave The Diver, which combines an underwater adventure with a restaurant simulator. The game's title character is a diver by day who catches the very product that is used in the restaurant he helps run by night.

One of the most impressive components of Dave The Diver is its surprising depth in both culinary and aquatic inclusions. There are over 100 fish that can be caught and used in the game, which equates to even more recipes that can be plated up to impress. Combining fish, home-grown vegetables, and chef Bancho's culinary skills, these are the top recipes in Dave The Diver that can be recreated regularly in the restaurant.

Updated on June 11th, 2024, by Alexandra O'Leary: Dave the Diver was an unexpected indie hit, striking that sweet spot between chill and tense gameplay, drawing in crowds from all over the gaming world. It's cross-genre style, combining fishing simulation with combat and management, appealed to a wide range of gamers, and this versatility has kept it in the conversation for over a year. With Dave the Diver being released on PS5 and PS4 in early 2024, it's no surprise that this lovely little title has remained so popular.

As players will know, running Bancho Sushi is a fundamental part of the game, and Dave will get nowhere unless he puts great dishes on the menu. These dishes bring in money and taste reviews, which can help level up Bancho Sushi's Cooksta. Players will eventually progress enough to open a branch location, and they will want to make sure they're serving the best of the best and raking in as much profit as possible to keep Bancho's good name - and their restaurants - looking good.

17 Porbeagle Shark Sushi

Base Sale Price: 165 Gold

Ingredients:

• 1 Porbeagle Shark Meat

While 165 gold may not seem like a lot to players who've progressed far in the game, but for a single-ingredient dish that doesn't involve vegetables, Porbeagle Shark Sushi brings in good money. Porbeagle Sharks can be found in the Glacial Area and are the easiest shark in that area to defeat. For players to venture to that zone a lot, Porbeagle is an easy catch to bring home.

Porbeagle Shark Sushi caps out at a price of 610 gold, which is still a really great price for a dish with one ingredient. Plus, Porbeagle Sharks are common enough that leveling the recipe up is very easy. There is also a Sea People notice board quest that asks the player to get rid of several Porbeagle Sharks in the Glacial Area, which will help them gather a good chunk of meat.

16 Greenland Shark Sushi

Base Sale Price: 186 Gold

Ingredients:

• 1 Greenland Shark Meat

Another great single-ingredient dish is the Greenland Shark Sushi. Greenland Sharks are the biggest sharks found in the Glacial Area and are usually located towards the bottom of the map - just above the control room entrance. Greenland Sharks drop a lot of meat, especially when the drone is used, and it isn't particularly fast or difficult to defeat.

The fully upgraded Greenland Shark Sushi sells for 688 gold, but selling any shark dishes during the Shark Storm Party will make players an absolute fortune. Greenland Sharks are one of the most reliable sources of meat in the Glacial Area and bring in a good price for little effort.

15 Yellowfin Tuna Steak

Base Sale Price: 305 Gold

Ingredients:

• 3 Bluefin Tuna Chutara
• 3 Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Olive Oil

Going for an alarming 305 per plate at level one, the Yellowfin Tuna Steak is a prime example of why Tuna is one of the best fish to keep high in stock in Dave The Diver. Combining Yellowfin Tuna, Cherry Tomatoes, and Olive Oil, this dish is relatively easy to acquire and will not require Dave diving any more than 100 meters.

The biggest challenge in putting this dish together is catching of the tuna, primarily as they travel in schools of five and are incredibly agile. However, for the patient diver with plenty of storage space, coming across a school of tuna can be a very valuable endeavor.

14 Skewered Cucumber

Base Sale Price: 320 Gold

Ingredients:

• 3 Cucumber

When Dave unlocks the farm, and the ability to grow cucumbers, the Skewered Cucumber dish is a great way to make a good bit of money without ever taking a dive. While diving is central to the game, those who prefer the restaurant management side of Dave the Diver will likely take full advantage of recipes that don't have any fish in them.

Another great reason for having Skewered Cucumber on Bancho's menu is that it literally has one ingredient: cucumbers. For the low cost of 3 cucumbers, players can earn a maximum of 1184 gold when the dish is fully upgraded.

13 Great Spider Crab & Cucumber Sushi

Base Sale Price: 324 Gold

Ingredients:

• 1 Spider Crab
• 1 Cucumber

Marketing itself as one of the fresher sounding recipes in Dave The Diver, the Great Spider Crab and Cucumber Sushi is a reasonably simple dish to acquire ingredients for, provided players know how to kill the crabs. Combining Spider Crabs and Cucumber, this is a simple but profitable dish that players should try and have on their menu as much as possible.

In order to kill a crab, players will need to shoulder their harpoons and resort to old-fashioned techniques and simply drop a rock on the crab. Between this and growing cucumber on the farm, this dish does not warrant the 324 price tag, but there are no complaints from Dave or Bancho.

12 Bluefin Tuna Rice Bowl

Base Sale Price: 360 Gold

Ingredients:

• 3 Bluefin Tuna Akami
• 3 Rice
• 1 Egg
• 1 Sesame Seed

Another dish that showcases the range in Dave The Diver, the Bluefin Tuna Rice Bowl combines elements found both in the ocean and on the farm. Using ingredients that Dave is able to grow and harvest himself, this dish is about as handmade as they come.

The dish requires Bluefin Tuna, Rice, Egg, and Sesame Seed, the latter of which can be acquired by sending a staff member out or finding it in loot boxes underwater. The only challenge to this dish is acquiring the tuna, however, Dave won't have to go far to find one, and the 360 fee for a plate is worth it.

11 Tropical Sushi Fish Set

Base Sale Price: 375 Gold

Ingredients:

• 3 Titan Triggerfish
• 3 Harlequin Hind
• 3 Coral Trout
• 3 Rice

One of the prettiest looking dishes in Dave The Diver, the Tropical Sushi Fish Set combines a multitude of bright and vibrant colors and flavors that reflect the tropical marine life that inspired it. It will require some work to obtain the three different fish involved, but fortunately, they are not deep-sea dwellers.

The Tropical Sushi Fish Set combines Titan Triggerfish, Harlequin Hind, and Coral Trout with rice to create a spectacular and huge portion of delicious sushi. It is worth the effort of catching all the required fish, as customers are happy to pay 375 before any enhancements are made.

10 Marlin & Soybean Paste Roast

Base Sale Price: 380 Gold

Ingredients:

• 3 Marlin Meat
• 2 Garlic
• 1 Miso

Marlin is one of the best fish to catch in Dave The Diver due to its ease of accessibility as a shallow-water fish, as well as the high value of its meat. This is on show in the Marlin and Soybean Paste Roast dish.

This dish has only 3 ingredients, Marlin, Garlic, and Miso, which are all relatively simple to acquire. To make it even easier, Garlic is one of the first vegetables that can be grown once the farm opens, and Miso can be acquired by either sending a staff member to fetch it or by finding it in a loot box underwater.

9 Tomato Egg Soup

Base Sale Price: 380 Gold

Ingredients:

• 2 Grade A Egg
• 2 Cherry Tomato
• 1 Black Pepper

While players may speculate if paying 380 for a soup is really worth it, the happy faces of full-bellied customers will encourage them to keep plating it up in Bancho's restaurant. The Tomato Egg Soup is one of the best recipes to have on hand in Dave The Diver as the ingredients practically grow themselves and require very minimal effort to acquire.

The dish calls for a Grade A Egg, Cherry Tomato, and Black Pepper. The first of these two can be grown on the farm, meaning they only need to be harvested when ready, and Black Pepper can be picked up by a staff member. This dish is one of the most minimal-effort ones in the game, yet will yield a significant profit.

8 Deep Fish Tempura

Base Sale Price: 395 Gold

Ingredients:

• 1 Cookiecutter Shark
• 1 Vampire Squid
• 1 Barreleye
• 3 Kelp

One of the winning dishes that Bancho uses to claim his superiority in the cooking competition, players get to see first-hand what goes into creating the Deep Fish Tempura. In fact, players see all aspects of this dish's creation, given Dave had to catch the ingredients for the meal.

This dish requires some effort to put together on account of needing one deep-diving fish and two from the Glacial Area, but its 395 charge makes up for it. The dish combines Cookiecutter Shark, Vampire Squid, and Barreleye with Kelp to create a deep-fried delight.

7 Antarctic Octopus Carpaccio

Base Sale Price: 405 Gold

Ingredients:

• 3 Antarctic Octopus
• 2 Onion
• 1 Olive Oil

For those who've unlocked access to the Antarctic area, this dish will quickly become a go-to thanks to its relatively simple ingredients and incredibly high sale price. The Antarctic Octopus Carpaccio recipe is acquired after completing the side-quest 'Let Us Begin the Contest', in which Bancho goes up against a number of award-winning chefs in a TV cooking competition - which gives him a chance to show off his creative skills.

This Italian-inspired octopus dish starts at a decent base price of 405g, but increases exponentially as it's leveled up, reaching a whopping 1498g when maxed out at level 10. There are three main ingredients in this dish: 3 Antarctic Octopus, 2 Onions, and 1 Olive Oil. Although Antarctic Octopuses aren't easy to catch - since they'll spray poison at Dave if he gets too close - they're certainly worth the hassle when the can be featured in this classy dish.

6 Humboldt Ink Pasta

Base Sale Price: 420 Gold

Ingredients:

• 1 Humboldt Squid Meat
• 3 White Shrimp
• 3 Wheat
• 3 Garlic

Players will first come across Humboldt Ink Pasta during the 'Let Us Begin the Contest' task, in which Bancho goes up against various chefs on a TV cooking show. The final task of their challenge has Bancho think of a pasta dish, and completing this section will unlock the Humboldt Ink Pasta recipe.

Most of the best dishes in the game require a variety of ingredients, and this one is no different. Although it requires Humboldt Squid meat, White Shrimp, wheat, and garlic, the dish starts at a base price of 420 gold and maxes out at a staggering 1554 gold - making it well worth the hassle of acquiring the many ingredients. Players who filter their menu by price will likely see this dish stay close to the top throughout the whole game, as there are few that will make Dave so much money.

5 Boiled Sailfish & Seaweed

Base Sale Price: 425 Gold

Ingredients:

• 3 Sailfish Meat
• 2 Southern Bull Kelp
• 2 Kajime
• 1 Soy Sauce

The Sailfish is perhaps one of the more overlooked high-value creatures in Dave The Diver, but that is mainly due to the fact that it can only be found underneath the shipwreck. This means that, unless fans actively go looking for it, players won't find it while wandering the various levels of the ocean on their travels. Those who venture back to the shipwreck for the Sailfish are handsomely rewarded with a very high-value dish.

The Boiled Sailfish and Seaweed dish is self-explanatory and uses the fish as the hero of the plate with a few aquatic seasonings. To put this one together, players will require Sailfish meat, Southern Bull Kelp, Kajime, and Soy Sauce. At its base level, customers will pay 425 for a plate, so it is definitely a worthwhile investment.

4 Seasoned Waptia Fieldensis

Base Sale Price: 425 Gold

Ingredients:

• 3 Waptia Fieldensis
• 2 Cucumber
• 3 Black Coral
• 1 Black Vinegar

Found in the hydrothermal vents, the Waptia Fieldensis is the cash cow of the ocean in Dave The Diver. However, while it is a very valuable dish, the Seasoned Waptia Fieldensis is one of the more intricate to put together.

The dish requires Waptia Fieldensis, Cucumber, Black Coral, and Black Vinegar. Fortunately, Cucumber can be grown and players can send their staff to acquire Black Vinegar. However, Dave will need to head to the Glacial Area for the coral. This is certainly a worthwhile venture, as an unenhanced dish will earn the restaurant an incredible 425 each.

3 Soy Sauce Marinated Crab

Base Sale Price: 435 Gold

​​​​​​Ingredients:

• 2 Golden King Crab
• 2 Snow Crab
• 2 Horsehair Crab
• 1 Soy Sauce

Soy Sauce Marinated Crab isn't exactly the easiest dish to make, but it sure is the tastiest - literally. This crab-based dish has the highest taste rating of all the dishes in the game, with a maximum taste rating of 505 at level 10. Getting to this level will cost Dave 115 Golden King Crabs, 115 Snow Crabs, 115 Horsehair Crabs and 76 Soy Sauces - meaning it really isn't for the faint of heart.

Getting to level 10 also prices this dish at 1609g, making it one of the best dishes in the entire game. The ingredients aren't too easy to come by, though, since crabs aren't one of the more common sea creatures, and players will need to sacrifice a lot of them to reach such a high level. It's definitely worth it if players have the patience to catch hundreds of them, since no other dish scores quite as high when it comes to the tastebuds of Bancho Sushi's customers.

2 Vegetable Sushi

Base Sale Price: 487 Gold

Ingredients:

• 1 Rice
• 1 Carrot
• 1 Eggplant

Perhaps one dish that is rated surprisingly high, the Vegetable Sushi recipe, does not actually require any underwater looting from Dave to be presented to the clientele at Bancho's. Making its first appearance when farming is made available for Dave, the Vegetable Sushi combines the home-grown elements produced on the farm to create a dish that would even wow the marine life.

This dish is one of the best recipes in Dave The Diver on account of its ease of access, particularly when considering the hefty price tag customers are happily paying for it. All three of the ingredients, rice, carrot, and eggplant, can be grown at the farm in a heartbeat and customers will play close to 500 when the dish is only on level 2.

1 Truffle Sailfish Tartare

Base Sale Price: 785 Gold

Ingredients:

• 3 Sailfish Meat
• 3 Purple Sea Urchin
• 1 Truffle

Truffle Sailfish Tartare is the most expensive dish in the game, reaching a monumental 1727g. Sailfish are often overlooked in Dave the Diver, but they're a main ingredient in many of the best dishes in the game. The highest level this dish can reach is level 5, and it will cost Dave 20 Sailfish, 20 Purple Sea Urchin, and 10 Truffles.

Although it's the most expensive dish in the game, there are a fair few others that rate higher than it on the taste scale. Truffle Sailfish Tartare reaches a maximum taste rating of 295, placing it higher than most dishes, but still a few rungs lower than the tastiest dish in the game. Luckily, it's good enough that this fancy food will score Dave and Bancho Sushi some seriously good reviews.

Dave the Diver

Platform(s)

PC , Nintendo Switch , PS4 , PS5

Released

June 28, 2023

Developer(s)

Mintrocket

Genre(s)

Simulation , Adventure

See at Steam