Brazil Food & Drink

Food in the south of Brazil

Like its neighbors Argentina and Uruguay to the south, meat and mate are popular in the southern region of Brazil. Churrascos (Brazilian barbeques) are king here so be sure to make your way to a rodizio, or all you can eat meat buffet. Yerba mate, known locally as chimarrão, is a highly caffeinated tea sipped through a straw from a hollowed out gourd. Southern Brazil is also home to many families of German descent so expect good beer and colorful Oktoberfest activities.

Food in the center and west of Brazil

The Central-West region of Brazil is home to the Pantanal which is the largest tropical wetland ecosystem in the world. Fish is therefore widely consumed throughout the region and pacu is a commonly eaten fish that is roasted, baked, or stuffed with farofa (toasted cassava) and banana. Dried meat, plantains, and empadãos (literally translated as big empadas, or pies filled with chicken, cheese, or corn) are also popular throughout this region.

Food in the north-east of Brazil

Brazil has more than 4,600 miles of coastline so seafood of all kinds is enjoyed throughout Brazil’s 19 coastal states. The northeast is said to have some of the best seafood available and dishes like Acaraje, Moqueca, and Bobo are a must when visiting this corner of the country. Bahia was once the terminus of the transatlantic slave trade so there is a heavy influence of African ingredients and traditions in the dishes you will eat here. The secret ingredient in the cuisine of the northeast is Dende oil, or red palm oil, which gives the foods a rich, distinctive flavor.

Unlike other parts of Brazil, the cuisine in the northern half of the country is less influenced by foreign ingredients as it is surrounded by rainforest and isolated from the rest of the country. The north is home to the Amazon rainforest and you can expect to enjoy some of the freshest exotic fruits like acai, guarana, cupuaçu, graviola, cajú, and acerola while you are here.

Fresh fish is also widely consumed throughout the north as there are more than 1,200 species of fish found in the freshwaters of the Amazon and its tributaries. Some of the most popular fishes include pirarucu, surubim, and tucunaré. While in northern Brazil, we recommend trying Tacacá which is a unique and delicious soup made from cassava, shrimp, peppers, and tingly tart jambu leaves. The jambu leaves produce a slight numbing sensation in your mouth so it is definitely a different kind of soup than what you are used to at home!

• Açai – This in vogue superfood comes from the Amazon Rainforest and is typically served with tapioca balls in the north and with guarana, banana, and granola in the south
• Fresh juice – Juice stands line the streets of Brazil and offer just about any type of fruit juice you can think of and some others you probably have never encountered before.
• Guaraná – The national soda of Brazil is a sweet, caffeinated drink with guarana fruit extract.
• Caipirinha/cachaça – Cachaça is Brazil’s most popular liquor is distilled from sugarcane juice. It comes in a variety of flavors ranging from corn to dulce de leite. The caipirinha is the national cocktail made with cachaça, lime, and a generous amount of sugar.
• Matte tea with lemon – Brazil’s version of an Arnold Palmer. Best served ice cold with a stick of quiejo coalho on a hot day at the beach
• Moqueca – A seafood stew made with fresh fish, coconut milk, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, and dende oil. Variants of the dish can be found in Bahia and Espirito Santo
• Acaraje – A popular street food in Bahia made from black-eyed pea pasted fried in dende oil and filled with spicy pastes made with shrimp, cashews, dende oil, and peppers
• Tacacá- A tantalizingly delicious soup made with cassava, shrimp, and jambu leaves
• Feijoada – A stew made with black beans, meat, sausage, and spices typically enjoyed on Saturdays due to the long cooking time
• Tapioca –  Tapioca is a thick, starchy tortilla-like snack made from cassava flour. Fill the tapioca with cheese, dulce de leite, or chocolate with fruits and you’ve got yourself a great breakfast or quick meal.
• Pão de Quiejo – Although directly translated as “cheese bread,” this starchy snack from Minas Gerais is made from cassava flour and cheese
• Pastel –  The Brazilian empanada is fried and filled with generous amounts of cheese, shrimp, or dried meat, among many other options. Best enjoyed with a chopp, or draft beer
• Quindim – A small custard made of sugar, egg yolks, and coconut
• Brigadeiro – A bite-sized ball of condensed milk, butter, cocoa powder, and covered in sprinkles
• Paçoca – A small candy of crushed peanuts mixed with sugar. Imagine eating a Butterfinger without the topcoat of chocolate