Other restaurants in Brazil
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Bacalhau do Tuga
Since opening in 2009, the ‘Tuga’ (Portuguese guy) has been drawing throngs of people to this beachfront hole-in-the-wall, mixing classic Portuguese codfish recipes with local specialties such as peixe grelhado com molho de manga (grilled fish with mango sauce).
reviewed
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Bodega
This stylish pizzeria and Italian eatery offers prime people-watching, gourmet pies and potent cocktails.
reviewed
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A
Gero
Part of the Fasano family of high-end restaurants, Gero occupies a beautifully minimalist, brick-lined dining room that attracts a lively, fashion-conscious crowd with its brilliantly executed Italian fare, like polenta with squid in its own ink, and homemade pasta with a ragu of sausage and radicchio.
reviewed
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Cantina Jeri
Excellent value spot offering a ridiculously extensive (and good) list of pastas and risottos. Dishes are meant for one, but when they show up – placed on the table in the very pan in which they were cooked – they can easily serve two, catapulting this Italian-run midrange into the budget category.
reviewed
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Mangai
This spectacular regional buffet is worth the stop in João Pessoa alone. Nearly everything is labeled in English and there’s plenty for vegetarians. Save room for the decadent caramelized cashews smothered in doce de leite (creamy milk-and-sugar concoction) and chocolate.
reviewed
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Famiglia Maran
This bakery and cafeteria has something for everyone. Sandwiches, pastas and filling hot dishes will sate your hunger, as will the irresistible soup buffet (R$7, from 6pm to 5:30am). You can enjoy the sidewalk seating during pleasant weather.
reviewed
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B
Satyricon
Best known for its superb seafood – from avocado-and-shrimp-stuffed fish carpaccio to a let-out-all-the-stops mixed grill called fantasia di mare – Satyricon’s wide-ranging Mediterranean menu also includes pizza, pasta and risottos.
reviewed
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Kamadac
This tour operator runs a delicious pizza parlor with a huge choice of toppings.
reviewed
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C
Chafariz
Eclectically decorated with old photos, religious art, Brazilian flags and antiques, Chafariz is a local institution serving one of the tastiest (if priciest) buffets anywhere in Minas. The menu showcases traditional local favorites such as lombo com feijão tropeiro (beans mixed with manioc flour, crunchy pork rind, sausage, eggs, garlic and onions), followed by Minas cheese and goiabada (guava paste) for dessert. The formally dressed waiters will also ply you with shots of cachaća, coffee and jabuticaba liqueur, all included in the price.
reviewed
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Choperia Petrópolis
This corner boteco in bohemian Petrópolis is little more than a few wooden tables thrown down on the sidewalk but it serves yummy specialties like pernilao forno (pork leg), good caldinhos (spicy bean soup) and stone cold chope. There’s live choro (mostly instrumental, highly improvised music), samba, MPB and bossa nova catering to an artsy crowd. Its pastelaria (place that serves fried dough pastries stuffed with various ingredients) across the street serves decadent sweet pastéis (fried pastries).
reviewed
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Cabana do Sol
A starred restaurant since 1998, this is São Luís’ other memorable spot for the Portuguese, índio and African-influenced comida maranhense (the region’s traditional cuisine) . It’s pricey, but the irresponsibly enormous portions for two can serve four with gusto. The specialty is carne do sol (tasty, salted meat, grilled and served with beans, rice and vegetables – the picanha, steak, version is superb), but there is a wealth of chicken and seafood dishes, too.
reviewed
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Cruzeiro do Pescador
It looks like a typical mess of a house, but a closer look reveals a home transformed into a don’t-miss culinary experience. Chef Daniel (a former copywriter) and his former gardener are gastronomic anomalies: everything down to the coffee is done with homegrown finesse and no formal training. Smoked or grilled seafood is the way to go, but call ahead as some dishes take two hours to prepare, like the Seleção do Mar, a slow-grilled seafood feast of Biblical proportions.
reviewed
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D
Kibe da Irene
Though pretty much devoid of character, the friendly service and cheap tasty fare make this a great choice for travelers on a budget. At lunchtime, fill up on a prato feito for just R$5.50, or drop in anytime for fresh-made lanches, most R$2 apiece or less. The namesake kibes are a bit tough, but the rest, including breaded chicken legs and bolinhas (fried cheese balls) is plenty good. Look for a narrow stairway off the street.
reviewed
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E
Mundo dos Sucos
Next door to Casa do Pensador, Mundo dos Sucos is indeed a ‘world of juices,’ with page after page of fresh fruity creations served in plastic cups. There’s a world of hot tasty sandwiches, too, with various combinations of chicken, hamburger, sausage, cheese, and egg, or, for the hopelessly indecisive, tudo (everything). Still widely known by its former name, ‘Africa House,’ which remains painted in huge letters above the door.
reviewed
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Maracangalha
This colorful restaurant is a step above in food and service and is the spot for a blowout meal. Chef/owner Melchíades Dantas turns out creative seafood and meat dishes that match the artsy atmosphere in flair and presentation (the caldeirada maranhense – a seafood stew – is excellent). Staff is impeccably on point. If there’s a flaw, it’s either the freezing red wine or the large, noise-hugging space that can swell with kids.
reviewed
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F
Casa Cheia
The name means ‘full house, ’ and if you visit on a weekend you’ll understand why. People line up by the dozens for a table at this long-established Mercado Central eatery, where a bevy of women cooks up traditional favorites on a giant stove. Pratos do dia (daily specials) include a Saturday feijoada (a bean-and-meat stew served with rice; the Brazilian national dish) for only R$14.50 – not to be missed!
reviewed
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Pacífico
High-end cuisine is rarely this low-end on your wallet in touristy Brazil, but the Californian owner-chef here prides himself on value along with his exceptional Nouveau California-Brazilian dishes with Asian flare, such as Thai-tinted moquecas (fish stews) and black and blue pepper tuna. The cognac-flambé pepper steak is a treat. Side dishes are extra but you’ll still come away surprised at the bill.
reviewed
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Tamarindo
Far and away the most creative dining experience in Jeri, under the shadow of a giant tamarind tree. Nearly everything is cooked in the brick oven, which is the norm for the pizza, but not for exquisite gems like Brazil nut–crusted filet mignon or seasoned fish with grilled mango. From the cocktails (frozen tangeroskas with ginger) to the staff and service, it’s a class act above anything in town.
reviewed
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Le Petit
Affable owners Sapo and Miriam launched their business a generation ago as a place for locals to sip beer while waiting to use the town’s lone public phone. Over 20 years later, it’s still popular as much for its unhurried, convivial atmosphere as for its inspired treatments of the valley’s favorite fish; try the trout in sake sauce with coconut farofa (sautéed manioc flour).
reviewed
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Uai Tchê!
This cozy hole-in-the-wall with cachaça bottles lining the shelves serves a mean feijão tropeiro (a classic concoction of rice, beans, sausage and kale) and an even meaner caipirinha to wash it down. The inspired range of artisanal sausages includes truta (made with local trout) and Jamaica (made with chicken, cinnamon, cloves, oranges and honey).
reviewed
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G
Dom Britto
A cool sleek interior and expertly prepared dishes make this a popular spot with professionals and guests at nearby upscale hotels. Though it’s more expensive than other per-kilo places – but not by much – the mellow ambience and always-on air-conditioning can be just the respite you need in the middle of a long hot day. The Sunday spread is even fancier, and costs $35 per kg.
reviewed
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Peixaria Peixe Brasileiro
Some local fisherman got a bright idea: run a peixaria (fish shop) by day, throw some hot coals and nice tables in the sand alley by night and grill whole fresh fish for tourists. Pick your dinner – pargo (red snapper), robalo (sea bass), shrimp and/or langosta – right out of the fish cooler, where it arrived only hours ago. An experience!
reviewed
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Recanto das Tulipas
A Dutch-Brazilian team holds down this fort, a colorful and discerning restaurant decked out to the sounds of MPB and the tulip paintings of the co-owner. Seafood is the specialty but the menu is well-rounded otherwise. Try the Jorge Amado caipirinha, a lime and passion-fruit cocktail made with cinnamon and clove-infused cachaça (sugarcane alcohol) from Paraty.
reviewed
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H
Sinatra
Excellent fusion cuisine is the name of the game at this fancy eatery with black tablecloths and white lights twined around palm trunks. The Argentine chef, whose other culinary ventures include stints in Ibiza, Spain and Arraial d’Ajuda, cooks up fabulous specials such as risotto de camarão, manga e capim limão (tiger prawns risotto with mango and lemongrass).
reviewed
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Giramundo
Overcooked picanha (choice beef cuts) shouldn’t stop you from having a good time at this wildly popular beach kiosk, a Swiss-Brazilian endeavor, notable not only for the usual suspects, but also for the out-of-place grilled bratwurst, currywurst, kalbsbratwurst and Eisenbahn microbrews – none of which are often seen north of Santa Catarina.
reviewed
