BRAZIL – Belo Horizonte restaurant guide: my favorite hotspots

Recently I did a 5-day Minas Gerais trip before a business conference in Sao Paulo. I had dinner at the following five Belo Horizonte restaurants. Although you can wake me any time for churrascaria I think this is a perfect mix of different kind of food. What’s your favorite food? I hope you enjoy these restaurants as I did. If you want to know what to do in Belo Horizonte and the area around it including Diamantina, Ouro Preto and Congonhas read my 5-day Minas Gerais itinerary. It’s a lovely area of Brazil.

Belo Horizonte restaurant: Fogo de Chao

Fogo de Chao (R. Sergipe, 1208 – Savassi) is one of the better churrascarias in Belo Horizonte. A churrascaria is a typical Brazilian steakhouse that originated in south Brazil. Starters are served from a large buffet which includes veggies, cold cuts, cheeses and more. Meat is served at the table in a special way as waiters cut a small slice of the meat which is grilled above charcoal. The meat is sprinkled with salt and some herbs giving it a delicious taste. My favorites are picanha and the bottom sirloin. My advice? Don’t take a starter but go for the unlimited meat; I easily eat 600-900 grams on an evening. I do skip breakfast next morning and I try to limit such restaurants to 1 or maximum 2 per week. Fogo de Chao is a chain found in various cities in Brazil and I highly recommend them.

Belo Horizonte restaurant: Porcão Steakhouse

Porcão Steakhouse (Av Raja Gabáglia, 2671, bairro) is another place in Belo Horizonte to go to for churrascaria. The quality matches that of Fogo de Chao but it’s a bit cheaper. The location however is a bit out of the center but the views from the restaurant over Belo Horizonte are amazing. The principle at Porcão Steakhouse is the same: a large fresh buffet and unlimited meat at the table. I limit myself to 2 of those dinners a week when I’m in Brazil as I just eat too much otherwise! Porcão Steakhouse is a place I recommend; do make a reservation!

Belo Horizonte restaurant: Au Bon Vivant

Au Bon Vivant (Rua Pium-Í, 229 – Cruzeiro) is a restaurant a business partner recommended me to go. I agree with him it’s good. Au Bon Vivant serves France inspired dishes using high quality local produce. They know what’s good and with a French chef it can’t go wrong. I forgot what I had as appetizer, but it was delicious. Steak tartar I recommend for a starter and I was recommended the parmesan crusted steak by the staff for my main course. I ordered it medium rare and it was amazingly juicy, and the crusty cheese gave the meat a great twist. They, of course, serve great French wines which I paired by the glass with the dishes. Au Bon Vivant is a place I highly recommend if you want fine food in Belo Horizonte.

Belo Horizonte restaurant: Duke ‘N’ Duke – Savassi

I love fine dining, but a good burger occasionally is something I like too. If I go for a burger I want the best in town and in Belo Horizonte you find these at Duke ‘N’ Duke – Savassi (R. Alagoas, 1470 – Savassi). They also serve their own craft beer so that was a big plus. I can highly recommend their specialty pasteis with blue cheese as a starter. The double cheese burger medium rare is juicy and delicious. If you want a burger in Belo Horizonte I recommend going to Duke ‘N’ Duke – Savassi. Do make a reservation!

Belo Horizonte restaurant: Udon

Japanese cuisine is amongst my favorites, so I often look for a good Japanese restaurant when I travel. Of course the best ones I visited when I did my 2 week road trip in Japan. Udon (R. Gonçalves Dias, 1965 – Lourdes) in Belo Horizonte is the place to go to and that’s why I included it in my Belo Horizonte restaurant list. I arrived just before opening time as I’m used to have dinner early in Europe. I was the only guest. It did fill up quick and when I left it was packed. Their miso soup is delicious, highly recommend. I was alone, so I just ordered a mix sashimi and one of the better looking (read: more expensive) mix sushi plates. The taste was good and the ingredients all fresh. I recommend Udon if you want to have a Japanese dinner in Belo Horizonte.

I hope you will enjoy these restaurants as I did. To be honest, I could eat churrascaria every day but that simply isn’t healthy and that’s why I choose different Belo Horizonte restaurants. The mix of French, Japanese, a burger and two Brazilian steakhouses I think is perfect. I visited all when I stayed in Belo Horizonte when I did my 5-day Minas Gerais itinerary. Let me know if you visit one of these Belo Horizonte restaurants and if you agree with me. For now: bon appetite!

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Did you visit Belo Horizonte too or do you have questions? Please leave a comment at the bottom of the page. Love to hear from you!