6 Best Restaurants in Salvador and the Bahia Coast, Brazil
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The laid-back lifestyle of Bahians is reflected in their food. While breakfast in Brazil is traditionally a minor meal, even the simplest of inns will often provide a buffet spread fit for a king—including tropical fruits, eggs, and endless cakes and pancakes crafted from Tapioca. Lunches are usually casual and not strictly defined by the clock, as the hottest part of the day is not the best for large meals. Dinner is the main meal, and starts late, usually around 9. Bahian cuisine is unique and delicious, and a definite reason to visit. The ever-present oleo de dendê (palm oil) is one ingredient that sets it apart from other Brazilian cuisines.
La Taperia
Paraíso Tropical
Ask locals and longtime expats alike what not to miss in Salvador and the response you get will be unanimous: Paraíso Tropical. In a tropical garden in the suburb of Cabula, a 20-minute taxi ride from the Historic Center, this relaxed, gourmet spot treats patrons to Bahian classics with a twist. Chef Beto reinvents heavy dishes like moqueca and bobo using natural dendê fruit rather than oil, combined with rare tropical fruits sourced from more than 6,000 square meters of native Mata Atlântica forest. Everything is cooked in agua de coco instead of water to increase the nutritional value of the dishes. Go with friends and go hungry, for while the siri catado (Bahia soft-shell crab), salada duca (mango, baby coconut, and cashew salad), and Beto's special moqueca stand out, you'll want to try everything.
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Restaurante da Sylvinha
This colorful cottage with some of the most innovative food in Bahia, set right on Praia do Espelho, draws Trancoso's jet set, who get here via a bumpy 40-minute drive on dirt roads. Sylvinha serves a generous set menu that blends Brazilian and Asian flavors (think ginger-infused fish and tropical fruit chutneys) to diners who gather around a few big tables on the terrace of her house. Daybeds are set under the coconut palms for post-lunch snoozing. Reservations are essential at this lunch-only spot.