No trip to Belo Horizonte would be complete without a proper immersion in the local comida mineira the much-loved rustic cuisine of Minas Gerais. For that, the farmhouse restaurant Xapuri is hard to beat. Slide on to a bench at one of the long wooden tables under thatched, open-sided buildings, and keep an eye out for the sparky chef-proprietor, 75-year-old Dona Nelsa. She was one of a group of local chefs invited to Madrid Fusión last year, when the high-end food festival paid special homage to the Minas culinary heritage. While not the cheapest option in town, Xapuri's portions offer value for money: fried pork ribs with rice, feijão tropeiro (a bean, egg and sausage hash) and kale (R$89, around £24) or the shredded dried beef, baked and served inside a pumpkin (£30) easily feed two, three or even four. A plate smattered with sweet dollops from the dessert buffet (£2 per 100gm) and a cachaça chaser will finish things off nicely. Hammocks are on hand should a few minutes of shut-eye be in order.
Rua Mandacaru 260, Pampulha + 55 31 3496 6198, restaurantexapuri.com.br
Minas Gerais has one of the best regional cuisines in Brazil hearty slow food served in big portions. In Belo Horizonte, the state capital, you'll find traditional restaurants and great bar food
