Delicious Brazilian food
Every Brazilian will tell you how good the Brazilian kitchen is. And I would highly recommend that you try out some of the typical Brazilian dishes. You might think; why is this dish not on the list? There are so many to choose from that I will probably miss some of them. Plus there are some dishes that are famous in the north but not well known in the south. Brazil is a huge country and the cuisine and culture surrounding it is very diverse.
Pão de queijo
Definitely one of the most famous snacks from Brazil. With lots of options I have tried so many and I have found that the pão de queijo from the gas station and a supermarket called Festival are my favorites. They are nice and crunchy on the outside and on the inside they are fluffy and chewy. Delicious! As a dutch person who loves cheese this is absolutely a treat.
Tropical fruits
If there is a country with a lot of great tropical fruit options it is Brazil. If you like to try some fresh tropical fruits you should go to a market and try some of them. They have fruits that you will have seen like watermelon, pineapple, mango and coconut but also ones that you might not have seen or tasted. Here are some that you might not have heard about; caju, jabuticaba, soursop and kinkan.
Coxinha
One of the typical street food options you can find everywhere is this triangular shaped snack. If you are hungry and in a hurry this can be prepared quickly for you. Most coxinha contain shredded chicken and/or cheese but there are other options available too. The dough is made with flour and the chicken is placed inside before deep frying it. You can buy large ones and small ones. I bought multiple small ones to try which option I liked the best.
Caldo de cana or sugarcane drink
Did you know the Dutch people started sugar mills before the 1600’s in Brazil? From then on sugar became very important for the economy of Brazil and to this day sugar is one of many export products that they have. Caldo de cana is a very nice drink that they make while you stand and watch. The sugarcane is placed through the machine and it spits out the milky yellow liquid. The cane goes through the machine two or three times to get all the liquid out. The drink is very rich in flavor because of the sugar in it, so don’t drink too much.
Feijoada
In lots of countries you have a fish day. In Brazil you have feijoada day which is on Wednesday. You will be able to eat it on other days too, but usually only in a specialty restaurant. Lots of older Brazilians still make Feijoada on Wednesdays. This dish is made with beans, pork, beef and rice. Usually they serve it with a slice of orange, some sort of salad or a vinaigrette with onion, tomato and bell pepper. You will always get farofa (toasted cassava flour with added onion and/or bacon) with it. If you have the chance, go to a specialty feijoada restaurant because it will be better than if you go to a random restaurant and get it. Definitely a must try!
Arroz e feijão
This is the slimmed down version of feijoada. There is less meat in this dish but it’s still very delicious. You will get beans with a tasty gravy, rice and usually with some sort of salad as a side dish. You can buy some meat on the side if you want. You will find this at most typical Brazilian restaurants and at most buffet restaurants.
Açaí na Tigela or bowl of aćai
Maybe you have heard about this snack because it’s taking over the world by storm. Açaí berries are not preserved well so they will be frozen as pulp for us to consume. You can buy a cup or bowl and add all kinds of goodness like granola, other fruits or chocolate. Especially on a hot day, this snack is delicious. It is so refreshing!
Buffet payed by the gram
If you like good food you should definitely check out different buffet restaurants. You pay by the gram (which is not too expensive) and you can choose whatever you want. They will have feijão (bean dish which is a slimmed down version of feijoada), different meats like beef and chicken, fish, rice, vegetables, salads and farofa and other condiments. You can choose whatever you want and the person who you are with can choose something completely different.
Pastel
If I had to choose which Brazilian snack is my favorite it is pastel! You have so many varieties that there is a pastel for everyone. If you like savory you can order this fried dough snack with cheese, meat or vegetables inside. But if you are more of a sweet tooth you can buy one with chocolate or fruits inside. They are made to order so they will be fresh and very hot. At stalls and pastelarias (restaurants specifically for pastel) you will find many options for you to choose from.
Cafezinho little cup of coffee with sugar and no milk
This is only for the coffee lovers among us. Brazilian coffee culture is different from other countries. Although coffee plantations are plentiful the Brazilians drink mostly cafezinho and cafe com leite. The cafezinho is a small cup of coffee with only sugar in it and cafe com leite is like a latte. But not having a big coffee culture doesn’t hold you back from bringing coffee back as a souvenir or gift. Brazilian coffee is really good, especially if you go to a specialty shop to buy it. Read more about souvenirs here.
Churrasco or Brazilian BBQ
Nothing can beat the Brazilian BBQ in my opinion. I’m not the biggest meat eater so that says a lot. In terms of experience the home churrasco is the best because everyone brings something, you have the best conversations and the person who is standing at the churrasco takes great pride in it. It definitely is a team effort with everyone making and bringing salads and side dishes. But in terms of quality the churrascaria is awesome! Usually they have multiple BBQ’s where they have all the different pieces of meat and a cook who prepares it. At some restaurants you walk to the BBQ’s and buffet to get your food but at others the waiters will walk around with the meat (rodizio). The latter is my favorite experience because it is not something I have seen before.
Caipirinha
Of course this drink cannot be left out of this list. If you are at the beach and are longing for a nice cocktail, search no longer. The caipirinha is a fresh cocktail made with Brazilian rum or known locally as cachaça. By adding sugar, lime and ice this cocktail has been born. Most restaurants have this on their menu and at the beach you can even find people walking around with a stall to make this for you. Be aware that cachaça is very strong so don’t drink too much.
Pudim de leite or sweet condensed milk pudding
Together with friends I have traveled quite a bit in Brazil and at lots of accommodations we had a morning buffet. There we would find the sweet milk pudding a lot of the time. Because I’m more of a savory person I wasn’t able to appreciate it a lot but my friends told me that they loved it very much. It is made with condensed milk and lots of sugar. Let me know if you like it or not.
Guaraná
This drink is one of the few soda’s that are made in Brazil by local recipe. This fresh drink is made with an extract of a berry (guaraná) that only grows here. It gives energy and unlike coffee your body is able to digest it more slowly. This way it works for longer and is more effective. There are multiple brands but my favorite taste is from Antarctica.
Tapioca crepes
Like lots of snacks here you can have a savory or sweet option. As the name suggests these pancakes are made with tapioca or cassava flour. You add your toppings and roll it up for a quick snack. The crepe itself doesn’t have a distinct taste but by adding your favorite filling you will make it super tasty. You can buy this at street stalls, snack bars or you can get it at the morning buffet at some restaurants.
Cachaça
Brazilian rum is very strong but very good as well. This rum is used as a base for the delicious cocktail, caipirinha. But you can of course drink it like it is. There are lots of different cachaças so if you like to try you could do a tasting or let yourself be advised if you go to a restaurant or liquor store. This is also a great souvenir to take with you or give as a gift.
Bolinho de bacalhau
These little fish balls are a great snack or side dish. If you go to the north you can find it everywhere but in the south you will need to look for it a bit more. The closer you are at the coast the more easily you can find them. When we were in Belém we went to the food market close to the sea and you could find these codfish and potato balls at every stall. They are truly delicious in my opinion.
Japanese food
This might be a surprise for you but Brazil is famous for its Japanese food. Wait.. what? Yes, you heard it correctly. The largest community of Japanese people outside of Japan is in Brazil. After slavery was abolished in the late 1800’s the Brazilians needed workers for the plantations. The Japanese economy was struck by the Industrial Revolution and thus were out of jobs. The governments worked together and lots of Japanese workers came to Brazil, bringing their delicious cuisine with them. And so you can find lots of Japanese restaurants in Brazil. São Paulo even has a neighborhood called Liberdade, where you can find lots of Japanese stores and restaurants. I have had ramen, sushi, tonkatsu, yakisoba, curry and gyoza and lots more in these lovely restaurants. Ps. Some dishes are made to Brazilian taste so don’t be too surprised if you see for instance sweet sushi, made with fruits and chocolate.
Bolo de fubá or cornflower cake
Cake is all we need… right!?! Hahaha, this cake is really good though. It’s funny for me that this cake is being served with breakfast or lunch. When you go to a breakfast bar or go out for lunch you can easily find it. It can be served with cremoso (light flavored cheese) or coconut for an even more rich taste. P.s. it is also easy to make if you like baking.
Moqueca or Brazilian fish stew
Fish stew from Brazil have lots of variations depending on where you are from. There are stews with heilbot and other fishes, with or without coconut milk and with different herbs. But what they all have in common is that this stew is rich in flavor and texture. I have tried multiple ones and I really enjoy them. The best one that I had was in Bahia.
Brigadeiro
Do you love chocolate? Then this treat is for you! This little chocolate bom only has a couple of ingredients and they are easy to make. If you are invited to a birthday party there is a very high chance that they will have these for you to try, but if you are not invited you can buy them at a lot of places. You can find them in the sweet bakery, at the supermercado, at the fresh bread section or if you are lucky someone is selling them in the street. Super delicious.
Chimarrão or strong tea
As a Dutch person this tea is quite strong but I do like it. There is a beautiful tradition surrounding the drinking of this tea. Almost always you drink this in a group setting. The tea powder is placed in a specialty cup and a big thermos is filled with hot water. If you are ready you pour the hot water over the tea and add the special straw with a filter on the bottom in the cup. The first person drinks from the cup until it is empty. The cup is filled again with water and the cup is handed to the next person and so forth, until everyone has drunk the tea or the hot water needs to be refilled. If you travel a bit in Brazil there is a high chance you will see people walking around with their cup and thermos. I have seen it more in the center and south of the country but you can buy it all over the country.
Sucos or fruit juices
I already have spoken in this blog about different fruits and the sugarcane drink but I also have to tell you about the different fruit drinks. They have so many flavors that there will be at least one for you that you will love. From passionfruit, to berries and pineapple to watermelon, this list is endless. I will not list what kinds of juices there are because there are toomany. Some juices have milk or sugar added to it. If you don’t want that ask for ‘suco sem açúcar e sem leite’.
Paçoquínha
This yummy peanut snack is so nice and you find it at most gas stations, stationary shops and at some restaurant registries you might find them too. When you put it in your mouth it will fall apart first before melting slowly and deliciously. When I brought it with me to the Netherlands people loved it too! If you don’t have a nut allergy then you should absolutely try it.
Brazil has a lot of foods that you might already know but as seen on this list there are some foods that you can only find in Brazil. Some of these I like, some I didn’t like as much but it has surprised me how many I loved. I don’t live in Brazil anymore and I miss some of these delicious foods.Luckily I can make some myself and where I live there is a Brazilian Supermarket. Very happy about that!
Is Brazil accessible for wheelchair users?
Museums*
Most bigger museums have ramps and elevators. But smaller museums or museums in smaller cities don’t. So of course you need to check before you go because it will be different museum to museum.
Café’s and restaurants
There are so many places where you can enter but a lot of place don’t have ramps. Bathrooms in smaller places usually are upstairs. You can always go to a shopping mall because they have food courts that are accessible.
Public transport
Bad in most cities. Some busses have a ramp but a lot of them have steps. The busstops are not alway even and you will need help for sure. For a hassle free trip it’s easier to use Uber or taxi.
Toilets
If you go inside malls or other public places you will have a designated toilet for wheelchair users.
*And other attractions
Items I love while traveling
Collapsible sunglasses case
My sunglasses are a great way to accessorize my outfit and I want it to stay without scratches. This case is great for you in your purse or backpack. When you don’t use it, it folds flat which is great.
Sennheiser noise canceling headphones
The sound of traveling can be overwhelming. These Sennheiser noise canceling headphones I have used for more than 4 years and I still love them. 25h of battery, great noise canceling and the sound is wonderful. They pack small and they are not too heavy.
Sun hat for ponytail or bun
On days where I want to look a bit more put together I use this great sun hat, also with a whole for my bun or pony tail. Love it!!!