Other restaurants in The Southeast
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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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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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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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Restaurante Netto
This fan-cooled, no-frills eatery in the historical center specializes in affordable fish and seafood dishes for two.
reviewed
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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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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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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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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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Galeria dos Pães
This gourmet grocery store also has a great deli where the beautiful people of Jardins come to hash out their social lives over an excellent selection of gourmet sandwiches and fresh juices. There’s also a buffet breakfast during the week (R$14), brunch at weekends (R$18) and a daily buffet of soups and baked goods (R$20; 6pm to 5am).
reviewed
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O Garimpo
Famous for its regional dishes, Garimpo’s house specialty is bambá do garimpo, a high-calorie concoction dating back to the diamond-mining days, featuring pork chops, beans, rice, finely chopped kale and angu (corn porridge). There’s also a weekend all-you-can-eat buffet for R$33.
reviewed
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Casa Verde
From the same owner as Cheiro Verde and offering a generous prato feito (plate of the day) with grilled meat or fish, plus rice, beans and salad, Casa Verde adds free parking, air-conditioning and a discreetly colorful interior, adding up to the best deal on the Paulista coast.
reviewed
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Café da Travessa
For budget dining with a touch of Savassi flair, try this sidewalk café just off Praça da Savassi. It’s a great place to enjoy local street life. Sandwiches, salads and pasta are all delicious, and there’s frequent live music. On weekdays, there’s also a per-kilo lunch buffet (per kg R$29.90).
reviewed
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Brasil a Gosto
At once cozy and modern, this Jardins institution has won kudos for its innovative takes on classic Brazilian dishes and ingredients, from carne de sol (tasty, salted meat, grilled and served with beans, rice and vegetables) to Amazonian fruits such as the berry-like açaí.
reviewed
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Baiana do Acarajé
A little slice of Bahia just off Praça da Savassi, this bright, lively and informal bar-restaurant specializes in tasty and affordable acarajé (shrimp-stuffed brown bean fritters) served alongside pricier and more substantial dishes like moqueca (Bahian seafood stew).
reviewed
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Livraria Café Espaço B
The bookstore-café Livraria Café Espaço B is a relaxing spot to mingle with Diamantina’s bohemian set. You can browse books (including English-language ones), linger over wine, snacks, salads, pasta, trout or fondue, and enjoy occasional live music on weekends.
reviewed
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Pitanga
Behind a screen of vines lies a colonial minivilla that has been transformed into a quaint and airy restaurant. A creative daily lunch buffet ranges from vegetarian lasagna and pasta with filet mignon to spicy anchovy stew. Note that prices rise R$5 to R$10 at weekends.
reviewed
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Itaúna Café
Wi-fi, Lavazza espresso, cheesecake, Argentine-style empanadas, tasty sandwiches and salads, and Saturday feijoada (Brazil’s famous bean-and-meat stew and national dish, R$14) make this new café across from Itaúna beach the perfect low-key, low-budget hangout.
reviewed
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Spot
Sheathed in stainless steel, Spot looks like a US diner but with much better chow. The menu is simple, with classic but well-prepared pastas and grilled meats. The crowd, by contrast, is self-consciously sophisticated, attracting artists, performers and journalists.
reviewed
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Pau de Angu
In a peaceful country setting between Tiradentes and the artsy community of Bichinho, this is a great spot for homemade linguiça (garlicky pork sausage), hot sauces and all things Mineiro. Portions are huge and meant to be divided among two to five people.
reviewed
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Restaurante Atlântico
Wonderful smoky aromas fill the air and the open-air corner location conjures up the lively sidewalk dining atmosphere of a Parisian brasserie. Opt for the simplicity of the impeccably grilled fish, or splurge on paella valenciana, feeding two for R$149.
reviewed
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Maní
One of the most exciting recent additions to the Sampa dining scene, this rustic-chic restaurant is run impeccably by a Brazilian-Spanish couple. The inventive menu includes the remarkable starter of an extremely slow-cooked egg in a foamy sauce – amazing.
reviewed
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Santa Gula
This remarkable restaurant at the end of a leafy court serves up creative Brazilian-fusion dishes such as shrimp with apricots, and cashew-encrusted salmon. It doubles as a showcase of Brazilian crafts, so you can literally take home the table you ate on.
reviewed
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Spaghetti Cantina Italiana
Gaily decorated with red chairs, festooned with multicolored streamers and reverberating with accordion music every night, this eatery specializes in artisanal pasta, sauces and other recipes reflecting the Perrella family’s southern Italian heritage.
reviewed
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Santa Trindade
Since opening in 2009, this bar-restaurant has become an instant hit. Its fixed-price menu (which includes salad, main dish and dessert) is one of the historic center’s best deals. There’s live music nightly (8pm onwards), with a R$7 cover charge.
reviewed