If you have never been to Brazil, your only experience of Brazilian Food may have been at one of the upscale Brazilian steakhouses that seem to be popping up all around the world. These all-you-can-eat restaurants are known as Rodizios. They serve a scrumptious salad buffet, side items and a constant flow of meat preparations, at a flat per person charge. There is usually an overwhelming variety of various cuts of meat, lighted seasoned and grilled on large skewers, served to you by uniformed waiters.

While Rodizios are a great place for meat lovers, there are also many other kinds of foods in Brazilian culture that are worth trying.

One of the common foods in Brazil is feijoada, a black bean stew that is topped with bacon bits, croutons or chopped green onions. The stew is very healthy and enjoyed as a soup, side dish or a light meal in itself. You can find feijoada at several of the kilo restaurants. These are unique concept casual restaurants, where your selections from the buffet or cafeteria are weighed on a scale and you pay for the meal based on a pre sit per kilo price. They make dining out affordable and many of the locals choose to eat at kilo restaurants when eating out on a daily basis.

Another popular item that you may be familiar with is baccalau, a salted cod fish that is imported from Portugal and devoured in Brazil. It has a pungent salty flavor, similar to canned tuna, and is used to make casseroles, cakes, fritters and stews.

Brazilian Street Food

Perhaps the most common Brazilian street food is pastel. Similar to an empanada, pastel is stuffed with shrimp, cheese, chicken or baccalau, then either baked or fried. It is served as appetizer, snack and on-the-go. Pes Sujos is basically a stand up restaurant window where people hang out and have drinks and appetizers after a visit to the beach. The idea is your feet are dirty with sand so you need not enter a proper restaurant. Although, pastel is one of their bestselling dishes, many of the Pes Sujos now carry very creative and modernized Brazilian tapas.

Brazil is a large country with an abundance of open lands and rainforests. It enjoys a constant supply of fresh tropical fruits round the year. You can find fruit juice stands practically at every corner in Rio de Janeiro. The most native to the area is acai, but you will also find mango, pineapple, papaya, apple and orange juices. Acai berries are grown in the Amazon rainforests and are excellent source of antioxidants, fiber and iron.

Brazilian Food – Best Paired with Cachaça

You cannot leave Brazil without trying their famous liquor, Cachaça. The popular distilled alcoholic beverage is made from fermented sugarcane juice and has between 38-40% alcohol. Caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil, is made with Cachaça and fresh fruit puree. Bars serve their guests options of exotic flavors such as lychee, kiwi and passion fruit that are blended with Cachaça to create a strong yet refreshing cocktail that awaken all of your senses.

While the cuisine of Brazil differs from north to south, local ingredients such as fresh fruits, vegetables, farm raised beef and black beans are found practically everywhere. There is a strong emphasis on raising sustainable organic crops, the humane treatment of cattle and fresh farm to table ingredients. It is also refreshing to learn that Brazilian cuisine largely remains uninfluenced by other popular ones. Sure, it still has its share of Japanese and Italian restaurants, but the Portuguese traditions have been largely kept intact in Brazil. The food culture in Brazil is one of the richest amongst all of South America and definitely worth personally exploring.