8 Best Restaurants in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Ouro Preto's finest restaurant is in the Solar Nossa Senhora do Rosário hotel. An elegant atmosphere with formal place settings, attentive service, and soft Brazilian music makes this the ideal spot for a quiet, romantic dinner. The chef, whose menu changes frequently, focuses on Italian and French fare with a mineira accent: you might find intriguing, perfectly prepared dishes such as carne seca (beef jerky) risotto with Gorgonzola cheese. The dessert options include doce de leite (caramel), a Minas specialty, as well as international options like petit gâteau (cake). Argentina, France, Italy, and Brazil itself are among the nations whose wines are represented on the excellent list.

What is widely considered Belo Horizonte's best Italian restaurant attracts a well-heeled clientele. Tuxedo-clad waiters serve selections from the extensive wine list as well as steak, seafood, and pasta dishes. Consider the grilled fillet of lamb with saffron risotto in a mushroom-and-garlic sauce; the gnocchi di mare, with spinach and potatoes, topped with a white clam and scallop sauce; or the badejo, a local white fish baked and dressed in a seafood sauce. The restaurant allows its diners into its kitchen to see the preparation of food. With its beautiful wood paneling and an extensive bar, Vecchio Sogno has the feel of a 1940s jazz club.

A popular gathering place for local journalists, artists, and intellectuals, the old-school House of Tales has an unpretentious and varied menu that includes fish, pasta, and typical mineiro dishes. The filet surprise, a large steak coated in bread crumbs with a cheese and ham filling, is a popular choice. In tune with its bohemian clientele, Casa serves well past midnight.

This casual Italian eatery is popular with Brazilians celebrating the end of the workday with appetizers like the champignon Recheado (mushroom stuffed with shrimp and prosciutto), and entrées like tournedo Amici Miei (filet mignon wrapped in bacon and marinated in garlic and olive oil). The pizza is arguably the best in town. The restaurant is often packed both inside and on the large outdoor patio; you may need to wait for the staff to find you a table.

An excellent restaurant just oozing with charm, O Passo serves local meat and pasta dishes in addition to pizza. Large bay windows, subtle colors, and candlelight—as well as jazz and Brazilian popular music (MPB) played live on weekends—create a sophisticated but accessible atmosphere that attracts young couples and families. Among the many tantalizing pizzas worth a try, the calabresa with azeitona (wafer-thin slices of cured pork sausage sprinkled with black olives) and the quatro funghi (with four types of mushrooms) stand out. An extensive list of artisanal beers is also available. Try to book a table outside with a view of the river.

Couples looking for a hearty meal seek out this trattoria in a beautifully decorated house next to the Sanctuary of the Immaculate Conception. The restaurant serves large pasta portions, often flavored with the house's signature and flawless arrabiata sauce; another good choice is the polenta with a sweet-and-spicy pork-sausage ragout. The wine list showcases Italian vintages. Save room for the lush yet light tiramisu.

On the 25th floor of the Othon Palace hotel, this romantic restaurant has spectacular urban vistas. Start off with a cocktail at one of the outdoor candlelighted tables by the pool before coming inside for dinner. Although à la carte options are available, the feijoada on Saturday, a special meal that centers mainly on pork and beans accompanied by rice and collard greens, is the thing to come here for. On Saturday night, there is often live music.

This combined store, coffee shop, and restaurant serves unusual dishes such as jaboticaba ice cream. The gnocchi, Argentine meat, frango de Angola (marinated chicken), and chorizo beef are all worth a try, as is, for dessert, the goiabada frita (fried goiaba fruit jam). Reservations are essential on weekends.