What to Eat in Belo Horizonte: A Mineiro Food Guide
If you’re wondering what to eat in Belo Horizonte, start with comida mineira — pão de queijo, feijão tropeiro, frango com quiabo and tutu de feijão — then dive into the city’s legendary boteco (bar) scene, which many Brazilians consider the best in the country. The capital of Minas Gerais is a food destination in its own right, famous for hearty countryside cooking, artisanal Canastra cheese and cachaça.
Here’s what to order and where to find it.

What to eat in Belo Horizonte
- Pão de queijo — the warm cheese bread that Minas Gerais is famous for.
- Feijão tropeiro — beans with cassava flour, sausage, egg and collard greens.
- Frango com quiabo — chicken with okra, a Mineiro Sunday classic, often with angu (polenta).
- Tutu de feijão — creamy mashed beans thickened with cassava flour.
- Queijo Canastra & doce de leite — artisanal cheese and milk caramel from the region.
- Cachaça — Minas is Brazil’s heartland for artisanal cachaça.
Where to eat: markets and botecos
The Mercado Central is the city’s food heart — cheese, cachaça, sausages and the famous fígado com jiló counters. For the boteco experience, the Savassi and Santa Tereza neighborhoods are packed with bars serving petiscos (bar snacks) and cold beer. Belo Horizonte even hosts Comida di Buteco, a celebrated bar-food festival.
Taste Belo Horizonte with a local
A guided experience is the quickest way into the city’s Mineiro cooking and boteco culture. Explore Cook in Fiesta’s Belo Horizonte experiences to taste local dishes with a host who knows the city.
Frequently asked questions
What food is Belo Horizonte known for?
Belo Horizonte is known for comida mineira — pão de queijo, feijão tropeiro, frango com quiabo and tutu de feijão — plus artisanal Canastra cheese, doce de leite and cachaça. It’s also famous for its boteco (bar) scene and bar snacks.
What is comida mineira?
Comida mineira is the hearty, countryside cuisine of Minas Gerais, built on beans, pork, cassava flour, corn and cheese. Signature dishes include feijão tropeiro, frango com quiabo and pão de queijo.
Where should I eat in Belo Horizonte?
Start at the Mercado Central for cheese, cachaça and traditional counters, then explore the botecos of Savassi and Santa Tereza for petiscos and cold beer. Belo Horizonte is considered one of Brazil’s best cities for bar food.
Is Belo Horizonte good for food?
Yes. Belo Horizonte is a serious food destination, known nationwide for Mineiro cuisine and arguably Brazil’s best boteco culture, celebrated each year at the Comida di Buteco festival.
