4 Best Restaurants in Cuiaba, Brasilia and the West

If you've had your fill of fish, try this churrascaria for as many beef dishes as you can handle. The restaurant uses the all-you-can-eat rodízio system. Two of the most popular cuts are picanha (rump) and costela (ribs). Another recommended dish is paleta de cordeiro (lamb's rib).

A Cuiabá institution since 1974, this open-air eatery is always packed and is the best place in town to go for ice-cold beer and local specialties. This is the place to sample escaldado cuiabano, a local chicken soup.

This is an unpretentious place to try local fish; don't miss the delicious piraputanga, a local fish prepared in a stew or fried. Other options are the pintado (a large freshwater fish) and pacu (a small piranha-like fish). All orders include a side serving of pirão (a thick fish gravy with cassava flour) and banana frita (fried bananas).

In the same building as the Museu do Rio, this ever-popular self-service eatery offers regional cuisine and Brazilian staples such as rice and beans. Try the mojica de pintado, a stew made from a local freshwater fish.