Salvador de Bahía, Brazil is a place where the very air hums with the promise of unexpected flavors, where a seemingly innocuous dish might contain a secret ingredient known only to the most seasoned of palates, and where a simple stroll could lead one into a restaurant of such bewildering charm that one might forget, for a moment, the pressing matters of one’s own existence. Thus, we embark on a journey through the gastronomic peculiarities of Salvador, a journey exploring restaurants that is certainly not without its share of curious surprises.
Best Restaurants in Salvador
Salvador is an exceptional food city so be sure to at least try moqueca and acarajé. It would be a pity, though not entirely unexpected, if you were to depart Salvador without having sampled food from Restaurante Origem and Antique Bistrô.
Salvador Local Specialties
Here are the traditional foods you should look forward to, seek out, and try when you visit Salvador.
- Moqueca is a Brazilian fish or shrimp stew with coconut milk, tomatoes, and peppers. It is often served with rice. It is food. You eat it. You become happy.
- Acarajé is a street food that’s essentially a fried ball of mashed beans. Black-eyed peas, mashed and shaped, then plunged into hot palm oil, resulting in a golden-brown fritter. One might then find it split open, and filled with vatapá (a creamy shrimp and bread concoction), caruru (a concoction of okra, dried shrimp, onions, toasted nuts, and palm oil), and perhaps a peppery sauce.
- Abará is a small, steamed package. Imagine, if you will, mashed black-eyed peas, mixed with palm oil and onions, then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. It is, in essence, a steamed tamale-like dumpling. It is also commonly served with vatapá and caruru.
- Passarinha de Frito involves the spleen of a cow or ox, which when fried, becomes crisp. It is often served as a snack or appetizer, perhaps with a squeeze of lime.
Restaurants with the Best Food in Salvador
- Restaurante Origem – If you find yourself in the seaside neighborhood of Pituba, with a hankering for a culinary adventure, you may encounter a tasting menu that could only be described as a tour of regional flavors. But be warned, dear reader, the chefs spearheading this endeavor create dishes that are not for the faint of heart.
- Restaurante Escola Senac Pelourinho – A cooking school prepares an impressive buffet tipico of traditional regional Bahian dishes, including a variety of seafood, moqueca (fish stew), and traditional desserts. This Bahian buffet is located on the top floor. The street-level buffet a quilo offers a quicker lunch option.
- Café e Cana Botequim – A quaint and colorful establishment that serves local delicacies like cod fritters and falafel Baiano (white bean-based falafel accompanied by okra-infused baba ganoush). The drink menu features unique concoctions such as the Salina das Margaridas (libation that harmoniously blends cachaça, aridan beans, puxuri, orange, and lemon), and vegan options like Baião de doido (a vegan interpretation of Baião de dois) are also available. This charmingly casual cafe provides a welcome escape from life’s uncertainties.
- Cadê Q’Chama? – If you find yourself famished and in the vicinity of Cadê Q’Chama, you may find yourself tempted by their regional dishes. The vatapá may strike your fancy. Perhaps the moqueca or caldo de sururu will catch your eye. Should you find yourself indecisive, you may sample their four-course tasting menu, which changes weekly.
- Antique Bistrô – This fashionable restaurant is nestled within a historic mansion. If you wander inside and take a seat on the terrace, you can select from a variety of caipirinhas – perhaps ginger or peach – and admire the view while pondering your order. Or imagine the cooks at work, preparing dishes such as grilled shrimp with jurubeba, or a seafood medley grilled in butter.
- Di Janela – Gastronomia, Restô, Bar – If you find yourself strolling the cobbled streets near Pelourinho, and are overcome with a ravenous hunger, you may be fortunate enough to happen upon Di Janela. Should you manage to procure a table – the sidewalk seating is particularly desirable, though always in high demand – you would be well advised to sample the arancini Baiano, delectable rice fritters, or perhaps the octopus rice.
- Resturante Zanzibar – A curious hybrid of African and Afro-Brazilian home cooking, presented with a surprisingly elegant touch, awaits the hungry diner.
- Carvão – Salvador – If you find yourself famished, and your stomach is growling like a disgruntled sea monster, then set your course for Carvão. This establishment is a temple to the art of grilling. You might find yourself tempted by the smoked prime rib, its aroma a siren song of smoky sweetness, or perhaps the octopus and squid rice with Spanish chorizo will tickle your fancy.
- Silva Cozinha – If you find yourself famished, consider dining at Silva Cozinha. The menu has creative preparations of meat and seafood, including a popular grilled octopus with focaccia, pasta, and different types of brothy rice. If it isn’t too sunny, you may be able to snag a table outdoors with a view of the ocean.
- Pereira Restaurante – Pereira, a stylish restaurant and wine bar, is located up a staircase from the seaside road that curves around the tip of Barra. Should you find yourself there, you may enjoy a glass of excellent chope (draft beer) while getting a sun burn and/or taking in the beautiful sunset views over the ocean.
- Cafelier – An establishment of old-world charm, featuring views of the sea that some might describe as scenic. The food is traditional and the coffee and cocktails are excellent. It is a place where one could, conceivably, spend an afternoon, or perhaps an evening, observing the world, and partaking in the local fare.
- Cuco Bistrô – A restaurant where one might find themselves partaking a delightful array of rather tasty dishes that reflect the flavors of Bahia. Or one might find themselves partaking in a selection of cachacas and cocktails and dancing to live bossa nova.
- Acarajé da Neide – Is this the best acarajé in Salvador?
- Acarajé com Dendê – This is supposed to be one of the best spots for acarajé! Be warned though, dear reader, “hot” in Bahia means truly hot, so tread cautiously with your spice levels.
Sweets and Drinks
- O cravinho – Within the walls of this curious bar, one finds a most peculiar beverage, also called cravinho, a concoction of cachaça infused with cloves and cinnamon, among other, perhaps less mentionable, ingredients. Visitors may observe various individuals partaking in a dose or two of the local libation, and perhaps even purchase a bottle of the beverage, for later study.
- Sorveteria da Ribeira – In Salvador, ice cream is not simply a treat, but a way of life. Locals and tourists alike have been known to make their way down to Cidade Baixa, with the express purpose of getting a cone. At this particular establishment, the flavors extend beyond the conventional, including burnt coconut, corn, banana, and tamarind, and even incorporate Brazilian fruits such as umbu, cupuaçu, and soursop.
- A Cubana Sorvetes – One of the oldest ice cream shops in Salvador, a place where one might seek temporary respite from the sweltering Brazilian heat, though, as with all things, such relief is often fleeting. This establishment, seemingly ordinary, offers a bewildering array of flavors, some familiar, others less so.
Markets
- Feira de São Joaquim – A sprawling collection of stalls, each brimming with an astonishing array of goods. There are fruits and peppers of vibrant hues, spices that perfume the air with exciting scents, and all manner of objects, the purpose of which some might struggle to identify.
Curious to learn how all of this delicious food is made? Try this highly rated cooking class.
Saúde!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this Salvador de Bahía food and restaurants guide. Here’s a link to save this list to Google Maps for later. You’ll find additional restaurants on the map that may be of interest if you happen to be spending an extended sojourn in Salvador or if you’re staying in an entirely different part of town. If you want more, here’s everything I’ve written about Brazil.
You’ll want to click here! This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Salvador.
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