Flavors of the destination
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
21 places in Historic Towns of Minas Gerais (Estrada Real).
A restaurant opened in 1972 in a mansion in the Lajes neighborhood and moved in 1984 to Rua Direita, where it serves Minas Gerais cuisine and international dishes à la carte. It suits those who want classic recipes such as chicken with okra and tropeiro (beans with cassava flour, pork and eggs) in the historic center.
A restaurant founded in 1958 by Orlando Trópia on Rua São José, in a mansion with original decor that includes an old phone booth and furniture from a century-old pharmacy. Now run by the family, it serves Minas Gerais cuisine à la carte.
A pizzeria and restaurant in an 18th-century mansion on Rua São José, with eight dining areas and a terrace facing the Casa dos Contos and the Ponte dos Contos. It serves wood-fired pizzas and international cuisine to those who want dinner in the historic center.
A restaurant in a historic mansion on Rua Barão de Camargos that combines food and art, with reinterpreted traditional Minas Gerais cooking, pizzas and a wine list. It suits those looking for a more elaborate dinner in the first capital of Minas.
A restaurant in a 19th-century mansion on Rua Dom Viçoso, with a Minas Gerais food buffet at lunch and homemade desserts such as cheese ice cream with guava paste. It suits those who want a regional lunch in the historic center.
A restaurant on Praça Gomes Freire serving Minas Gerais food kept warm on a wood-burning stove, buffet style. It suits those who want dishes such as tutu de feijão (mashed beans with cassava flour) on the town's main square.
A restaurant in a colonial building on Rua Dr. Paulo Mendes, next to the Santuário do Bom Jesus de Matosinhos, with a buffet of Minas Gerais food kept warm on a wood-burning stove. It suits those who want lunch between visits to the Stations and the prophets.
A restaurant and steakhouse on Rua Marechal Deodoro, downtown, with a pay-by-weight buffet of Minas Gerais dishes and grilled meats. It suits those who want a hearty weekday meal in town.
A restaurant and snack bar on the BR-040, within the municipality of Congonhas, with a Minas Gerais food buffet at lunch. It suits those arriving by highway who want to stop for a meal before heading up to the historic center.
A restaurant in an almost 300-year-old mansion on Rua Direita, restored according to Iphan (Brazil's national heritage institute) guidelines and open since around 2000. It serves traditional Minas Gerais cooking with ora-pro-nóbis (a native leafy green), cheeses and pork, and is known for its fried guava paste with cheese.
Chef Beth Beltrão's restaurant on Rua do Moinho, dedicated to traditional Minas Gerais cooking with ingredients from the garden. It suits those who want dishes such as tutu (mashed beans) with pork ribs and pork loin in a family atmosphere.
A restaurant set in two 18th-century houses on Rua Direita, with French-based cooking that uses Minas Gerais ingredients and a list of more than 150 wines. It suits those looking for a more elaborate dinner in the historic center.
A tavern, bar and bakery in the Solar da Baronesa, on Rua Getúlio Vargas, overlooking the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo. It serves draft beer, artisanal sausages and live music, such as choro (traditional Brazilian instrumental music) sessions, to those who want to eat in the historic center.
A restaurant in a preserved 18th-century mansion on Rua Padre José Maria Xavier, serving a buffet. It suits those who want home-style Minas Gerais food in the historic center.
A traditional steakhouse on Praça Severiano de Resende, with filet mignon skewers and the house potato salad among its best-known dishes. It suits families who want a sit-down lunch downtown.
A restaurant, cachaça distillery and general store on Rua José Vaz Pedrosa, in Pompéu, Sabará's dining hub, with Minas Gerais cuisine. It took part in the 2026 Winter Food Circuit with a pork dish with ora-pro-nóbis (a native leafy green) and is a good fit for families on a weekend outing.
A draft-beer bar, pizzeria and steakhouse on Avenida Prefeito Serafim Motta Barros, in downtown Sabará, with a buffet and rodízio (all-you-can-eat table service). It has a kids' area, which makes it a practical option for families.
A regional cuisine restaurant on Rua José Vaz Pedrosa, in Pompéu, Sabará's dining hub. It took part in the 2026 Winter Food Circuit with a dish made with bananas from Ravena and is a common stop for visitors to the district.
A restaurant on the second floor of a townhouse on Praça Barão de Guaicuí, with views of the square and the mountains, serving a pay-by-weight buffet. It suits those who want Minas Gerais food and varied dishes in the historic center.
Chef Rachel Palhares' restaurant on Rua Joaquim Gomes da Costa, behind the Mercado Velho, decorated with everyday Brazilian objects from before the 1980s. It serves contemporary Brazilian cuisine to those looking for a chef-driven dinner.
The restaurant of the Pousada do Garimpo, on Avenida da Saudade, with prospector-themed Minas Gerais cuisine and generous portions. It suits those who want a regional meal near the historic center of Diamantina.
