Recife Restaurants and Dining

(Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil)

Recife has a good selection of places to eat, with many restaurants and eateries rivalling the very best on offer in Rio de Janeiro. Those dining out in Recife will soon discover that the more refined restaurants work hard to create the right atmosphere for their diners, often being housed in historical buildings or boasting views of the coastline.

Dining establishments in Recife frequently take advantage of the plentiful sources of local seafood, and menus regularly feature giant land crabs (guaiamums), lobsters, grilled fish and shrimps. Popular local dishes served throughout Pernambuco include 'moqueca' (a seafood stew with garlic and tomatoes) and 'camarao ao molho de coco' (shrimp cooked in a coconut sauce).

What to Eat

As with most of North-Eastern Brazil, the cuisine of Pernambuco is strongly influenced by its Portuguese roots and past descendants, although many African flavours also creep into local food. Popular dishes include 'baiao de dois' (spicy rice, cheese and beans), 'carne de sol' (salted beef) and 'macaxeira com charque' (a type of cassava / manioc, with beef).

Also worth looking out for is 'carne de sol' (sun-dried beef),'dobradinha' (bean stew), 'feijao com arroz' (a mixture of rice and beans), 'feijoada Pernambucana' (a variation of a traditonal Brazilian stew, made with brown beans instead of using black beans), 'galinha de cabidela' (chicken with a rich blood sauce) and 'rabada' (an ox-tail stew made with manioc flour).

Where to Eat

Recife city centre is packed with cheap self-service restaurants, with enviable settings on the Praca Joaquim Nabuco and the Patio de Sao Pedro. The lively Boa Viagem district is also known for its almost endless dining opportunities, with inexpensive 'pratos executivos' (executive plates) being enhanced by beach views and a gentle ocean breeze.

Running parallel with the Avenida Boa Viagem and set back slightly from the Recife seafront, the Avenida Conselheiro Aguiar contains several bustling restaurants, with al fresco dining and plenty of seafood dishes. Nearby, the Rua do Atlantica is another good spot for an evening meal.