The South Restaurants

Churrasco (slow-grilled and -roasted meat), one of the most famous foods of Brazil, originated in Rio Grande do Sul. But the cuisine is eclectic here in cowboy country, and rice and beans sit on southern tables beside Italian and German dishes, thanks to the South's many European immigrants. Look for barreado, a dish from coastal Paraná made by stewing beef, bacon, potatoes, and spices for hours in a clay pot made airtight with moistened manioc flour. Café colonial is the elaborate 5 pm tea—with breads, pies, and German kuchen—popular among the Germans in the South.

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  • 1. Valle Rústico

    $$$$ | Vale dos Vinhedos

    No restaurant is ever perfect, but Valle Rústico comes pretty close. The chef-owner Rodrigo Bellora—a Slow Food disciple—plucks organic ingredients from the garden and sources local produce to assemble simple but stunning dishes. The Italian-style, four-course set-menu (with three options per course) is a great value (R$78) and can be paired with local wines for an extra R$50. Unpretentious is the watchword here, from the dirt-road entrance to the dining room down in the basement of an old colonial house, where whitewashed walls and exposed wood beams lend a rustic, farmstead touch.

    Linha Marcilio Dias s/n, 15 da Graciema, Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul, 95720-000, Brazil
    054-3459–1162

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner Sun.
  • 2. Al Nur

    $$ | Boa Vista

    The prix-fixe combo at this small but busy restaurant includes such Lebanese staples as kibbe, esfiha (small minced meat pies), tabouleh, hummus, baba ganoush, fried eggplant, pita bread, rice with lentils, spinach, and falafel. These and other options can also be ordered à la carte. Large windows and a colorful decor add to the allure.

    Av. Protásio Alves 616, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90410-004, Brazil
    051-3330–8609

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
  • 3. Casa Di Paolo

    $$$ | Centro

    Be ready for a hearty feast: this highly regarded restaurant serves a prix-fixe Italian menu with galeto al primo canto (crispy grilled chicken) and a large selection of pasta dishes. Accompaniments include cappelletti soup, polenta, and radicci (a green-leaf salad).

    Km 221.7, RS 470, Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul, 95700-000, Brazil
    054-3463–8505

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Credit cards accepted
  • 4. Casa di Pietro

    $$ | Centro

    This Italian cantina–style restaurant has an excellent prix-fixe salad-and-soup buffet at dinner. Surefire soup choices include the cappelletti—best topped with grated Parmesan cheese—and the Serrano (a local vegetable soup). If this light fare doesn't suit you, opt for the grilled beef directly from the grill.

    Rua Pedro Benetti 5, Gramado, Rio Grande do Sul, 95760-000, Brazil
    054-3286–4077

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues., Credit cards accepted
  • 5. Casa do Barreado

    $$$ | Ponta do Cajú

    This small, family-run, buffet-style restaurant specializes in the traditional dish most associated with Paraná State: the barreado (meat stew simmered in a sealed clay pot). Because barreado takes 24 hours to cook, you must order it a day in advance. The prix-fixe menu includes galinha na púcara (chicken cooked in wine, tomato, and bacon sauce), several salads, and cachaças(Brazilian liquor distilled from sugarcane). Although the restaurant is officially open only on weekends, you can call ahead to arrange a dinner during the week.

    Rua José Antônio Cruz 78, Paranaguá, Paraná, 83206-452, Brazil
    041-3423–1830

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner. Closed weekdays, Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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  • 6. Galpão Costaneira

    $ | Centro

    This churrascaria in a picturesque wooden bungalow is your best bet for experiencing the ubiquitous southern Brazilian espeto-corrido (a continuous service of grilled meats). They also serve a fixed-price buffet with less advertised gaúcho dishes such as arroz de carreteiro (rice with dried beef), farofa (sautéed cassava flour), and cooked cassava. Traditional-music performances take place on Friday and Saturday.

    Rua Dona Úrsula 1069, Cambará do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, 95480-000, Brazil
    054-3251–1005

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon., No credit cards
  • 7. Galpão Crioulo

    $$$$ | Centro

    One of Porto Alegre's largest churrascarias, Galpão Crioulo serves traditional espeto-corrido—a prix-fixe, never-ending rotation of tender roasted and grilled meats brought to the table, accompanied by a salad buffet. If a full espeto-corrido sounds too much, ask for the miniespeto (a small sampler skewer of all meats). Another option is the comidas campeiras (countryside food) buffet, with plenty of dishes featuring rice, beans, and squash. You can also try chimarrão (a maté tea) at a tasting booth where the staff demonstrates the traditional way to drink it. Gaúcho musical performances take place in the evening.

    Rua Otávio Francisco Caruso da Rocha, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 91110-440, Brazil
    051-3226–8194

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
  • 8. Madalosso

    $$ | Santa Felicidade

    One of the best-known establishments for Italian cuisine in Curitiba, Madalosso is also possibly the largest restaurant in Brazil: the hangarlike building seats 4,600 diners. The prix-fixe menu includes a huge selection of pastas and sauces, chicken dishes, and salads. The gnocchi and lasagna are particularly noteworthy. The restaurant keeps a large wine cellar, with many renowned Brazilian and international wines, as well as a house wine, made for the restaurant in the vineyards of Rio Grande do Sul.

    Av. Manoel Ribas 5875, Curitiba, Paraná, 82020-000, Brazil
    041-3372–2121

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Credit cards accepted
  • 9. NB Steak

    $$$$ | Floresta

    An upmarket version of a traditional all-you-can-eat (rodízio) churrascaria, NB Steak has replaced the ubiquitous churrascaria salad buffet with a menu of made-to-order salads, and a sequence of delicious side dishes (crispy polenta chips, grilled palm heart, and tempura vegetables to name a few) to accompany the succulent cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and chicken that circulating waiters slice straight onto your plate. To drink, the wine list is vast and, for the most part, pricey.

    R. Ramiro Barcelos 389, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90035-004, Brazil
    051-3225–2205
  • 10. Restaurante Manu

    $$$$ | Batel

    A top-end option in Curitiba, Restaurant Manu is an intimate spot with a dozen tables, and a constantly evolving menu that emphasizes local ingredients with creative flair. Submit to one of chef Manu’s tasting menus—3 courses (R$118), 7 courses (R$158), or 11 courses (R$190)—for a show-and-tell of bite-sized dishes and surprising combinations: think seared fish with bacon, caramel, and sour melon. For a behind-the-scenes view, book the table by the kitchen window, just inches away from where the dishes are plated up. Expect to pay top dollar for wine.

    Alameda Dom Pedro II 317, Curitiba, Paraná, 80420-060, Brazil
    041-3044-4395

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch. Closed Sun. and Mon

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