Belo Horizonte Eating: 40 Best Local Restaurants & Cafes in Belo Horizonte

Central Market

By Alessandro

The Central Market of Belo Horizonte is undoubtedly one of the best municipal markets in the world – except for the animal shops section, my opinion. Founded in september 7th 1929, this traditional indoor market is one of the best representation of the State of Minas Gerais culture.

by Alessandro

Pajubar

Eating 4 0

By Alessandro

Eccentric in downtown

Pajubar

4

This offbeat bar is located in downtown, in an unexpected spot (bars like this are usually found in cool neighborhoods), where, during the day, common citizens pass frantically on their way to work or shopping. In the evening, when the fuss is gone, trendy people invade the place and parade through the bar showing their alternative style.

by Alessandro

Café com Letras

Eating 3 1

By Alessandro

Coffee, food, drinks and culture

Café com Letras

3

The Café com Letras is probably the most renowned cafe in Belo Horizonte. Since its foundation, in 1996, this cozy place has been changing the cultural scene in the city, encouraging the integration of knowledge, beliefs, art, customs and tendencies. It is a redoubt of bookworms, art devotees and intellectuals in general.

by Alessandro

Hippie Fair

Eating 4 1

By Alessandro

A sea of crafts

Hippie Fair

4

Belo Horizonte has no beach, but its citizens are proud to have the biggest craft market in Latin America, a true sea of crafts. On Sunday mornings, the vehicles traffic on part of the Afonso Pena Avenue is interrupted, giving place to almost 2.200 craft stalls, attending around 80.000 visitors.

by Alessandro

João Caetano

Eating 3 1

By Gabriela

Special coffee beans and snacks

João Caetano

3

Located in the city center it is the perfect place to sit down and read a book, to meet a friend or simply to have coffee with a treat during lunch break. It is more than 20 years old and looks very cozy. They serve a great variety of coffee drinks, special juices and cakes, and you can always find all sorts of people there.

by Gabriela

Savassi

Eating 7 3

By Bernardo

Best neighborhood to experience BH

Savassi

7

An area filled with bars, restaurantes and small shops. Locals usually find everything they need in Savassi and they usually come here very often. It's visited 9-5 and after hours by locals and tourists that visit the city.

by Bernardo

Cantina do Lucas

Eating 3 1

By Alessandro

Where intellectuals eat

Cantina do Lucas

3

Founded in 1962, this cozy restaurant gathered, for years, important aspects of the artistic and cultural life of Belo Horizonte, influencing people in terms of humanistic and political experiences. The food? Delicious, with a reasonable price.

by Alessandro

La Crepe

Eating 2 0

By Gabriela

Cozy crepe restaurant

La Crepe

2

This restaurant is located in the bohemian neighborhood Santa Tereza where there are lots of bars, bistros and restaurants. It is the ideal place to eat something that for sure will taste good since it mixes two great cuisines: ours and French. Their crepes are usually big enough for two and its weird lighting makes the place look cozy and cute.

by Gabriela

Sapucaí Street

Eating 3 2

By Alessandro

Nightlife with a skyline

Sapucaí Street

3

A few years ago, the Sapucaí Street was just a place with a beautiful view of the downtown skyline. Today, it houses a vibrant nightlife, celebrated with gastronomy, culture and art. Its bars and restaurants, some of them praised by critics, make this street the place not to miss in Belo Horizonte.

by Alessandro

Santa Tereza Market

Eating 3 1

By Anna

Thursday’s Night Fever like a local

Santa Tereza Market

3

This little market used to be giant in the 70’s, when my mom was still a teen. Now it’s just the place where the 70’s kids spend their thursdays nights eating traditional food and spending time. It’s the best place to find an acarajé, tradicional brazilian meal, in the middle of the week.

by Anna

Santeria

Eating 1 0

By Alessandro

Drinking and eating rituals

Santeria

1

Ain't no santeria! Despite of what the name suggests, the only rituals in this bar are drinking, eating and having a blast. And if in there happens some sort of religious cult, that's not important. What matters is that this peculiar place is where up-to-date customers have nice cocktails, nibble on inventive appetizers and meet trendy people.

by Alessandro

Mercearia 130

Eating 1 0

By Alessandro

Supposed to be a grocery store

Mercearia 130

1

This is one of the places where locals eat and drink informally, but without giving up sophistication. The drinks are quite good, the appetizers are awesome and the prices are reasonable. From pork crackling, through bruschetta and ceviche to fillet and salmon, the Mercearia 130 is a must go in BH!

by Alessandro

Minas Gerais Museum (Museu Mineiro)

Eating 1 0

By Alessandro

Most visited museum in town

Minas Gerais Museum (Museu Mineiro)

1

The Minas Gerais Museum (Museu Mineiro, in portuguese) is one of the most representative museums in the state. It showcases a collection constituted in distinct periods of the formation of Minas Gerais, preserving, researching and disseminating the records of the local culture.

by Alessandro

Rei do Pastel

Eating 1 0

By Alessandro

Ugly, but loved

Rei do Pastel

1

The penniless youngsters adore it! At the Rei do Pastel (King of Pastry) they can refresh themselves with icy and cheap beers, indulge their stomachs with inexpensive savory snacks (pastel… yum!) and have a blast on the sidewalk until 5:40 in the morning. BTW, wealthy people love it too!

by Alessandro

Jorge Americano

Eating 1 0

By Alessandro

Tradition in ready made dishes

Jorge Americano

1

Although we natives politely eat and value every food, we don't have formal rituals for the main meals. Usually, we eat a single dish, and the "prato feito" (ready made dish) – or PF – is one of the best versions of this simple meal. At Jorge Americano, customers find nice and varied PFs prepared according to local recipes.

by Alessandro