Brazil Local Food

Local Food

Brazil’s cuisine is varied and caters for all tastes ranging from European, North American and Asian foods. The standard of food is generally very high throughout the country and national specialities include: Feijoada (rich stew of black beans, and various parts of the pig served up on white rice with chopped kale and orange); Moqueca (a seafood stew made with coconut milk and palm oil); Vatapá (prawns cooked with fish oil, coconut milk, manioc paste and rice); Acarajé (a kind of bean fritter cooked in oil and sometimes served with dried shrimps, onions, okra, and peppers); and Churrasco (mixed grilled meat served with manioc flour).

Some bars have waiters and table service and there are no licensing hours or restrictions on drinking. The drinking age is 18 and tipping of 10% is common if it is not included in the tab. National drinks include a draft beer known as chopp; the local spirit based drink is cachaça, a strong drink derived from sugar cane popular with locals. It is often mixed with sugar, limes and ice, crushed up and served, this is known as a caipirinha, a refreshing and highly intoxicating cocktail, and the Brazilian national drink. Some excellent wines come out of southern Brazil and can be found throughout the country. Fresh fruit juice is also commonly found, known as sucos it is available at juice bars. Guaraná is a popular fizzy drink made with energy-giving extract from an Amazonian plant whihc is high in naturally occurring caffeine.