Contagem Minas Gerais, Brazil Travel Guide
Dishes developed for sustenance and long-lasting storage for miners and settlers. Cuisine has fresh, local ingredients and comforting, rustic preparations.
Dairy products (cheese), pork, chicken, vegetables, and legumes form the basis of numerous traditional meals.
Pork (linguiça, costelinha), chicken (frango com quiabo), and beef.
Couve (collard greens), Quiabo (okra), Mandioca (cassava/yuca), and Feijão (beans).
Queijo Minas (fresh white cheese), Requeijão (creamy cheese spread), Pão de queijo (cheese bread). Rich, savory, comforting, balanced with salt, garlic, onion, and herbs.
Fluffy, chewy cheese breads from tapioca flour and Minas cheese. A national icon, found everywhere from bakeries to street vendors.
Find everywhere.
A rich stew of chicken and okra, often with polenta and grains of rice. A quintessential Mineiro dish.
Seek in traditional Mineiro restaurants.
Hearty beans with bacon, sausage, collard greens, eggs, and manioc flour. Filling and savory.
Commonly found in old-style eateries and Comida por quilo restaurants.
Brazil's national spirit from sugarcane juice. Minas Gerais is a major producer of artisanal cachaça. Try neat or in a Caipirinha.
Minas Gerais is Brazil's largest coffee-producing state. Find excellent, strong coffee everywhere.
Glouton: French-inspired cuisine with local ingredients, Michelin-starred. Domenico Pizzeria Trattoria: Upscale Italian. Xapuri: Traditional Mineiro cuisine, rustic setting. Patuscada: Contemporary Brazilian cuisine.
Pizzas: Parada do Cardoso, Olegário Pizzaria. Traditional Brazilian/Mineiro: Restaurante do Ano (Central Market), Armazém Medeiros, Paladino (rustic, farm-to-table). International: Japanese, Italian, Middle Eastern options in Savassi and Lourdes.
'Comida por Quilo': Pay-by-weight buffets throughout city. Mercado Central: Inexpensive eats, snacks. Street food vendors: Pastel, coxinha, espetinhos. Lanchonetes: Small diners.
The Boteco is at the heart of Belo Horizonte'the city's cuisine. Informal atmosphere, cold beer, and creative Tira-gostos.
Essential for city's social and gastronomic life.
While not unique to Belo Horizonte, the all-you-can-eat steakhouse experience is very popular.
Waiters bring different cuts of meat to table until you signal finished.
Typically lighter (coffee, bread, cheese, fruit).
The most substantial meal of the day (NOON - 2 PM).
Later in the evening (from 7 PM onwards).
Many enjoy Café da tarde with coffee and pastries.
Very limited in Belo Horizonte. Seek specific ethnic restaurants or prepare own meals from supermarkets for rigid requirements.
Plan meals accordingly.
Very limited in Belo Horizonte. Seek specific ethnic restaurants or prepare own food from supermarkets for strict requirements.
Plan meals accordingly.
Clear communication is . Learn phrases: "sem leite" (without milk), "sem amendoim" (without peanuts), "alérgico a [allergen]" (alergic to [allergen]).
Use Google Translate. Make a small card with translations. Utilize apps like HappyCow.
Local operators provide Brazilian or Mineiro cooking classes. These classes often include a market visit to select fresh ingredients.
Food tours often focus on Mercado Central, sampling local products and dishes. Other tours explore the "Comida di Buteco" (bar food) experience.
Arrange day trips to artisanal cachaça distilleries or cheese farms in rural areas around Belo Horizonte. Insights into production and tasting opportunities.
The Boteco is at the heart of Belo Horizonte's culinary scene. Known for informal atmosphere, cold beer, and artistic Tira-gostos.
Experience a Boteco for understanding the city's social plus gastronomic life.
This all-you-can-eat style is popular for churrascarias (steakhouses).
Waiters bring cuts of meat to your table until you signal finished.
Lunch is often the main meal (12 PM-2 PM). Dinner usually starts from 7 PM. "Comida por Quilo" (pay-by-weight buffets) popular for lunch. "Prato Feito" (fixed-price plate) offers good value.
Cachaça (Brazil's national spirit), locally produced coffee, Guaraná (Brazilian soft drink), fresh Sucos Naturais (fruit juices), and a growing the microbrewery scene.
Mercado Central is a must-visit for local produce, cheeses, cachaça, and food stalls. Mercado dos Produtores for fresh produce. Feira Hippie on Sundays includes a significant food section.
Exploring local markets and engaging in food tours can make your culinary adventure.
