The Best Restaurant in The Northeast, Brazil

Background Illustration for Restaurants

The Northeast has little of the hustle and bustle you'll find in the southern cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Residents enjoy a relaxed lifestyle, so in restaurants you'll find that casual attire is the norm. The many batidas (tropical fruit cocktails) are the highlights of the local cuisine, but many restaurants serve foods from other parts of Brazil. You'll also have many other options, including Italian, Dutch, and French restaurants set up by expats who never left. Dinner begins around 8 pm. Most hotels include breakfast in the cost of your room. Restaurants not in hotels are usually not open for breakfast.

Leite

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For a memorable lunch, look no further than Leite. Since 1882, this Recife institution has served expertly prepared Portuguese classics in a refined setting, where white-coated waiters serve delectable dishes such as bacalão com nata (cod in buttermilk) amid live piano music. Even though its downtown location requires something of a detour, it's well worth the effort.