The Atlas · Nº 25 ·Brazil

Most Popular Brazilian Food

Brazilian food is built around fire and abundance: prime beef turned on churrasco skewers, warm pão de queijo pulled from the oven, a crisp coxinha from the snack bar. The deepest cooking is Bahia's, where West African roots bring coconut, palm oil, and shrimp to the table, and dessert leans tropical and sweet.

99 dishes ranked·18 in the global top 1,000 ·6,476 diner ratings·Best rank Nº 28

Plate I — The Origins

Fig. 1 Where 99 ranked brazilian dishes were born. Dish origin

Drag to pan · Double-click or +/− to zoom · Select a marker for its entry

The Signature Dishes

The twelve highest-ranked Brazilian dishes, by global position.

Picanha, brazilian beef cut from Brazil
Plate IIBrazilian Beef Cut · Brazil

1 Nº 28 worldwide

Picanha

Brazilian Beef Cut · Sirloin Cap · Rump Cap

Brazil's most prized cut of beef, the rump cap, a triangle of sirloin capped with a thick layer of fat. Skewered, salted, and grilled over coals at a churrasco until the fat crisps and the inside stays pink, then sliced thin against the grain, it is the star of the Brazilian barbecue.

★ 4.6|89% positive |281 ratings

Alcatra, brazilian beef cut from Brazil
Plate IIIBrazilian Beef Cut · Brazil

2 Nº 47 worldwide

Alcatra

Brazilian Beef Cut · Top Sirloin

A large, lean cut from the top sirloin, prized for its clean, hearty beef flavor. It is a churrasco regular, threaded onto a long skewer and grilled over wood, sliced off in rounds as the outside chars, a leaner counterpart to the richer picanha.

★ 4.5|96% positive |60 ratings

Pão de queijo, bread from Brazil

3Pão de queijoNº 82

Bread · Also Chipá

Small, chewy cheese breads made from cassava starch and cheese, crisp outside and stretchy within, with a history reaching back to Brazil's enslaved cooks who first worked the cassava root. Warm from the oven, they are a breakfast staple across Minas Gerais and now the whole country.

★ 4.4|329 ratings

Churrasco, barbecue from Brazil

4ChurrascoNº 93

Barbecue · Also Rodízio

The Brazilian barbecue itself, a feast of beef, pork, lamb, and chicken threaded onto long swords and grilled over wood or coals. At a churrascaria the skewers come around one after another, the meat carved straight onto your plate until you signal you have had enough.

★ 4.4|530 ratings

Pavê, dessert from Brazil

5PavêNº 124

Dessert

A no-bake layered dessert, ladyfinger biscuits soaked and stacked with a rich cream of eggs and condensed milk, close kin to tiramisu. It is a fixture of Brazilian holiday tables, made ahead and chilled, and every family insists its own version is the right one.

★ 4.4|94 ratings

Mousse de maracujá, dessert from Brazil

6Mousse de maracujáNº 137

Dessert

Passion fruit mousse, whipped from fresh maracujá pulp and condensed milk into something light, tangy, and pale gold. Simple enough for a weeknight yet good enough that Brazilians only half-joke about it being the national dessert, usually finished with a spoon of the seeds.

★ 4.4|109 ratings

Fraldinha, brazilian beef cut from Brazil

7FraldinhaNº 166

Brazilian Beef Cut

A long, flat cut from the belly and flank, full of flavor and a favorite for churrasco. Grilled whole over the fire and sliced thin, it has a loose grain that drinks up a salt crust and a char, cheaper than picanha but a regular on the Brazilian grill.

★ 4.3|70 ratings

Coxinha, snack from Brazil

8CoxinhaNº 178

Snack

Brazil's favorite savory snack, a teardrop-shaped croquette of shredded chicken and cream cheese wrapped in soft dough, breaded, and deep-fried. The name means little thigh, for the drumstick shape, and it is sold hot from every lanchonete and bakery counter.

★ 4.3|314 ratings

Pastel, savory pastry from Brazil

9PastelNº 183

Savory Pastry · Also Pastéis

A thin, crackly pastry envelope stuffed with cheese, meat, or hearts of palm, then deep-fried until it blisters and puffs. Pastel is street and market food above all, fried to order at weekend feiras and washed down with a glass of sugarcane juice.

★ 4.3|187 ratings

Vatapá, stew from Brazil

10VatapáNº 217

Stew

A rich Afro-Brazilian purée from Bahia, bread and ground peanuts or cashews cooked down with coconut milk, dendê palm oil, and shrimp into something thick and savory. It is spooned over rice or stuffed into acarajé, a taste of the country's West African roots.

★ 4.3|40 ratings

Escondidinho, casserole from Brazil

11EscondidinhoNº 218

Casserole

A Brazilian shepherd's pie, its name meaning little hidden one: a layer of seasoned beef, chicken, or dried carne seca tucked beneath a smooth blanket of mashed cassava or potato, baked until the top turns golden. Comfort food, hidden filling and all.

★ 4.3|79 ratings

Tutu de feijão, side dish from Brazil

12Tutu de feijãoNº 264

Side Dish

From Minas Gerais, a thick purée of black beans bound with cassava flour into a savory, spoonable side, usually studded with bacon or sausage. Hearty mining-country food, it is ladled alongside rice, greens, and pork as part of a proper Minas plate.

★ 4.3|39 ratings

The Departments

Every Brazilian dish in our ranking, grouped the way you'd order them.

The Complete Ledger

All 99 Brazilian dishes in the world ranking. Every entry, leaf by leaf.

99 entries
  1. 28 Picanha Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil ★ 4.6
  2. 47 Alcatra Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil ★ 4.5
  3. 82 Pão de queijo Bread Minas Gerais ★ 4.4
  4. 93 Churrasco Barbecue Rio Grande do Sul ★ 4.4
  5. 124 Pavê Dessert Brazil ★ 4.4
  6. 137 Mousse de maracujá Dessert Brazil ★ 4.4
  7. 166 Fraldinha Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil ★ 4.3
  8. 178 Coxinha Snack São Paulo ★ 4.3
  9. 183 Pastel Savory Pastry Brazil ★ 4.3
  10. 217 Vatapá Stew Bahia ★ 4.3
  11. 218 Escondidinho Casserole Brazil ★ 4.3
  12. 264 Tutu de feijão Side Dish Minas Gerais ★ 4.3
  13. 294 Moqueca Stew Brazil ★ 4.3
  14. 308 Bombocado Dessert Brazil ★ 4.2
  15. 365 Bobó de camarão Stew Bahia ★ 4.2
  16. 396 Moqueca Baiana Stew Bahia ★ 4.2
  17. 642 Pudim de leite condensado Custard Brazil ★ 4.1
  18. 744 Feijão tropeiro Meat Dish Minas Gerais ★ 4.1
  19. 1,016 Feijoada (Brazil) Stew Brazil ★ 4.0
  20. 1,025 Brigadeiro Chocolate Dessert Brazil ★ 4.0
  21. 1,074 Carne de onça Appetizer Curitiba ★ 4.0
  22. 1,141 Carne de sol Meat Dish Northeast Region ★ 4.0
  23. 1,196 Casquinhas de siri Appetizer Brazil ★ 4.0
  24. 1,526 Bolo de rolo Dessert Pernambuco ★ 3.9
  25. 1,552 Moqueca capixaba Stew Espírito Santo ★ 3.9
  26. 1,559 Maminha Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil ★ 3.9
  27. 1,676 B Baixaria Breakfast Acre ★ 3.9
  28. 1,845 Acarajé Street Food Bahia ★ 3.9
  29. 1,846 Beijinho Dessert Brazil ★ 3.9
  30. 1,850 Bauru Sandwich São Paulo ★ 3.9
  31. 1,996 Curau Pudding Brazil ★ 3.9
  32. 2,005 Arroz carreteiro Rice Dish South Region ★ 3.9
  33. 2,174 Tambaqui na brasa Freshwater Fish Dish Brazil ★ 3.8
  34. 2,366 Pato no tucupi Stew Belém ★ 3.8
  35. 2,389 Tacacá Soup Belém ★ 3.8
  36. 2,418 Baba-de-moça Custard Brazil ★ 3.8
  37. 2,447 Baião-de-dois Rice Dish Ceará ★ 3.8
  38. 2,544 Cartola Cheese Dessert Pernambuco ★ 3.8
  39. 2,666 Torta capixaba Savory Pie Espírito Santo ★ 3.8
  40. 2,913 Quindim Custard Bahia ★ 3.8
  41. 2,989 Caldo de piranha Fish Soup Pantanal ★ 3.8
  42. 3,460 Farofa Side Dish Brazil ★ 3.8
  43. 3,498 Bolo de brigadeiro Chocolate Cake Brazil ★ 3.8
  44. 3,612 Beirute Sandwich São Paulo ★ 3.7
  45. 3,657 Tucupi Sauce Amazonas ★ 3.7
  46. 3,808 Costela Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil ★ 3.7
  47. 3,809 Lagarto Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil ★ 3.7
  48. 3,917 Witch's Cake (Bolo de bruxa) Cake Brazil ★ 3.7
  49. 4,047 Sopa Leão Veloso Seafood Soup Rio de Janeiro ★ 3.7
  50. 4,249 Romeu e Julieta Cheese Dessert Brazil ★ 3.7
  51. 4,251 Vaca atolada Stew Minas Gerais ★ 3.7
  52. 4,265 Rabanada Deep-fried Dessert Brazil ★ 3.7
  53. 4,271 Cuscuz nordestino Side Dish Northeast Region ★ 3.7
  54. 4,434 Filé Oswaldo Aranha Beef Dish Rio de Janeiro ★ 3.7
  55. 4,603 Pirão Porridge Brazil ★ 3.7
  56. 4,729 Arrumadinho Appetizer Pernambuco ★ 3.7
  57. 4,882 Créme de papaya Dessert Brazil ★ 3.7
  58. 4,965 Ostra ao bafo Oyster Dish Brazil ★ 3.7
  59. 5,040 Maniçoba Stew Pará ★ 3.7
  60. 5,108 Cachorro quente Hot Dog Brazil ★ 3.6
  61. 5,757 Açaí na tigela Dessert Brazil ★ 3.6
  62. 5,804 Cajuzinho Dessert Brazil ★ 3.6
  63. 6,171 Galinhada Stew Goiás ★ 3.6
  64. 6,230 Cupim Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil ★ 3.5
  65. 6,433 B Bijajica Cake Santa Catarina
  66. 6,555 Caruru Stew Bahia ★ 3.5
  67. 6,586 Abará Snack Bahia ★ 3.5
  68. 6,867 Barreado Stew Paraná ★ 3.5
  69. 7,290 Salada de maionese Salad Rio Grande do Sul ★ 3.4
  70. 7,497 Biscoito de polvilho Cookie Minas Gerais ★ 3.4
  71. 7,578 Casadinhos Cookie Brazil ★ 3.3
  72. 7,769 Pamonha Wrap Brazil ★ 3.3
  73. 7,846 Anthill Cake (Bolo formigueiro) Chocolate Cake Brazil ★ 3.3
  74. 8,139 Quibebe Vegetable Soup Northeast Region ★ 3.2
  75. 8,192 Tareco Cookie Pernambuco ★ 3.2
  76. 8,325 Sanduiche de mortadella Sandwich São Paulo ★ 3.1
  77. 8,328 A Arroz com pequi Rice Dish Minas Gerais ★ 3.1
  78. 8,384 Canjica Dessert Brazil ★ 3.1
  79. 8,410 Sequilhos Cookie Brazil ★ 3.0
  80. 8,453 X-Tudo Burger Brazil ★ 3.0
  81. 8,482 Sagu Dessert South Region ★ 3.0
  82. 8,504 Pé-de-moleque Dessert Brazil ★ 3.0
  83. 8,618 Cow's foot soup (Mocotó) Stew Brazil ★ 2.8
  84. 8,642 Maria-mole Dessert São Paulo ★ 2.8
  85. 8,643 Salpicão de Frango Salad Brazil ★ 2.8
  86. 8,694 Cuscuz Paulista Casserole Brazil ★ 2.6
  87. 9,906 F Fraldão Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil
  88. 9,907 Pescoço Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil
  89. 9,908 F Filé de costela Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil
  90. 9,909 Acém Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil
  91. 9,910 Peito Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil
  92. 9,911 Coxão mole Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil
  93. 9,912 Capa de filé Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil
  94. 9,913 Patinho Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil
  95. 9,914 C Coxão duro Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil
  96. 9,915 Contrafilé Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil
  97. 9,916 Paleta Brazilian Beef Cut Brazil
  98. 10,313 A Acaçá Side Dish Bahia
  99. 10,542 Cabeça de galo Soup Pernambuco
Leaf 1 of 3

Gazetteer

A Regional Tour of Brazilian Food

Where Brazil's ranked dishes were born, and what to order there.

Questions, Answered

Brazilian food, frequently asked. Answered from the data.

What is the most popular Brazilian food?
Beef and barbecue lead. Our best-ranked Brazilian dish is Picanha, the prized rump-cap steak, at #28 of 10,833 worldwide, while Churrasco, the wood-fired barbecue it stars in, draws the most ratings. Right behind come the chewy cheese bread Pão de queijo and the fried-chicken snack Coxinha.
What food is Brazil known for?
Grilled beef, above all. Brazil is churrasco country, its ranking dominated by prime cuts like Picanha, Alcatra, and Fraldinha turned over a wood fire. Beyond the grill sit chewy Pão de queijo, the fried-chicken snack Coxinha, and a sweet tooth for no-bake desserts like Pavê.
What is Brazil's national dish?
Feijoada, the black bean and pork stew, is the dish most Brazilians would name, eaten slow on weekends with rice, greens, and orange. Our data leans another way, topped by Picanha and the Churrasco barbecue, but feijoada remains the national plate in spirit if not in our rankings.
What is the most famous Brazilian dessert?
Two no-bake sweets lead. Mousse de maracujá, a tangy passion-fruit mousse set with condensed milk, is so loved that Brazilians half-seriously call it the national dessert. Pavê, a layered icebox cake of biscuits and cream, is the one that shows up at every holiday table. All 28 Brazilian desserts & sweets →
What should I eat in Bahia?
Bahia is Brazil's Afro-Brazilian heartland, and its food shows it. Start with Moqueca Baiana, a coconut-and-dendê seafood stew, and Bobó de camarão, shrimp in a creamy cassava sauce. Vatapá, a rich purée of bread, nuts, and palm oil, ties the region's West African roots to the plate. All 18 Brazilian soups & stews →
What Brazilian dishes do locals love that tourists miss?
Regional treasures beyond the churrasco. In Bahia, Bobó de camarão simmers shrimp in a purée of cassava and coconut milk. Minas Gerais bakes Bombocado, a coconut-and-cheese custard, and Curitiba serves Carne de onça, seasoned raw beef spread on toast despite a name that means jaguar meat.