Brazilian foods you have to try (and how to talk about them)

Updated October 18, 2026

Ask a Brazilian about food and you may not get a word in for the next twenty minutes. Brazilian cuisine is rich and very regional, and it's one of the easiest ways to start a conversation.

Everyday favorites

• Pão de queijo: chewy cheese bread from Minas Gerais, made with tapioca flour. Dangerously addictive.
• Arroz e feijão: rice and beans, the base of almost every Brazilian lunch.
• Coxinha: a teardrop-shaped fried snack filled with shredded chicken.
• Pastel: a thin, crispy fried pastry with savory fillings, often eaten at street markets.
• Tapioca: a crepe-like wrap made from cassava starch, with sweet or savory fillings.

Big dishes

• Feijoada: a black bean stew with pork, served with rice, collard greens, orange slices and farofa (toasted cassava flour). A Saturday tradition.
• Churrasco: Brazilian barbecue. The star is picanha (top sirloin cap), grilled with coarse salt.
• Moqueca: a fish or seafood stew from Bahia and Espírito Santo, with coconut milk and palm oil (dendê) in the Bahian version.
• Acarajé: a black-eyed pea fritter from Bahia, filled with shrimp and spicy sauces.

Sweets and drinks

• Brigadeiro: chocolate fudge balls made with condensed milk. Every birthday party has them.
• Açaí: in Brazil it's often eaten as a thick frozen bowl, topped with granola, banana or condensed milk.
• Guaraná: a soda made from an Amazonian fruit, a national favorite.
• Caipirinha: the national cocktail, with cachaça, lime, sugar and ice.

Conversation tip

Ask “What's the best food from your state?” Every region is proud of its dishes, and you'll get great recommendations. And be ready to describe Thanksgiving dinner and Texas brisket in return! See also Brazilian holidays and cultural differences.