7 Best Restaurants in Porto Alegre, The South

You may be surprised at the quality and authenticity of the Northern Italian cuisine at this small restaurant in Porto Alegre. Among many excellent choices are garganelli (a variety of pasta from Emilia-Romagna) with salmon in wine sauce and fettuccine nere (fettuccine with a black tinge of squid ink) with caviar sauce. A house novelty is the Italian-gaúcho risotto, made with sun-dried meat, tomatoes, and squash. The decor is sober, with candlelit tables and cream drapes covering most of the walls.

Porto Alegre's best-known restaurant has been in business at the same spot, steps from city hall at the Mercado Público, since 1889. The walls are covered with Portuguese tiles, antiques, and period photographs exalting those early days. The restaurant is a popular happy-hour spot for politicians and businesspeople. The menu varies daily from beef to fish dishes. One of the highlights is the large Brazilian grey mullet stuffed with shrimp (served Friday and Saturday).

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.

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.