Florianopolis Restaurants and Dining

(Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil)

As a modern coastal city, Florianopolis contains plenty of choice when it comes to restaurants and eateries. Dining out is often an important part of any holiday in Florianopolis, and many holiday makers choose to spend their day on the beach soaking up the sun, and their evening sampling the local Brazilian food.

Since Florianopolis is located next to the Atlantic Ocean, it will come as no big surprise that many restaurants and similar dining establishments choose to specialise in seafood. And with its Portuguese origins and descendants, the cuisine is distinctly Mediterranean in style and flavour.

Where to Eat

The seafood restaurants of Florianopolis don't come any better than those sited alongside the Lagoa da Conceicao, where stunning lake views accompany the meal. As the sun begins the set, the Lagoa becomes the centre of the city's nightlife.

Good lake views can be enjoyed from dining venues located on the lakeside Rua das Rendeiras and the adjoining Rodovia Jornalista Manoel de Menezes, while the Mercado Municipal market in the city centre comes with lots of cheap eats and a pleasant misting system to cool diners down on the hottest of days.

What to Eat

Many specialities of Santa Catarina are served at restaurants in Florianopolis, which tend to make the very most of the abundance of fresh seafood. Popular local dishes include:

• Bacalhau - dried and salted codfish.
• Bolinho de Camarao - deep-fried shrimp and codfish balls.
• Oysters - a mainstay in Florianopolis, which leads the national oyster industry. Oysters are at their best in the Ribeirao da Ilha, on the south-westerly side of the island.
• Pastel de Camarao - fried pastry packed with shrimp.
• Receita de Anchova Grelhada - anchovies cooked with herbs and olive oil.
• Sequencia de Camarao - a selection of seafood appetisers with shrimp, crab, white fish, and possibly clams and squid, flavoured with garlic.
• Tainha Grelhada - grilled fish served with rice, black beans, farofa (manioc flour) and salad.