Espírito Santo and Bahia have two different versions of moqueca, a delightful tomato-based seafood stew prepared in a special type of clay pot.

Amazon cuisine draws from the food of the indigenous inhabitants, including various exotic fish and vegetables. There is also a stupendous variety of tropical fruits.

Ceará's food in the coastline has a great sort of seafood, is known to have the country's best crab. It's so popular that literally every weekend thousands of people go to Praia do Futuro in Fortaleza to eat fried fish and crabs (usually followed by cold beer).

Brazilian cuisine also has a lot of imports:

Pizza is quite popular in Brazil. In Sāo Paulo, travellers will find the highest rate of pizza parlours per inhabitant in the country. The variety of flavours is extremely vast, with some restaurants offering more than 50 types of pizza. It is worth noting the difference between the European "mozzarella" and the Brazilian "mussarela". They differ in flavor, appearance and origin but buffalo mozzarella ("mussarela de búfala") is also often available. The Brazilian "mussarela", which tops most pizzas, is yellow in color and has a stronger taste. In some restaurants, particularly in the South, pizza has no tomato sauce. Other dishes of Italian origin, such as macarrão (macaroni), lasanha and others are also very popular.

Middle-eastern and Arab (actually Lebanese) food is widely available. Most options offer high quality and a big variety. Some types of middle-eastern food, such as quibe and esfiha have been adapted and are available at snack stands and fast food joints nation-wide.

São Paulo's Japanese restaurants serve up lots of tempura, sushi and sashimi. The variety is good and mostly the prices are very attractive when compared to Europe, USA and Japan. Most Japanese restaurants also offer the rodizio or buffet deal, with the same quality as if you ordered from the menu. Sometimes, however, it can be quite a departure from the real thing. The same can be said of Chinese food, again with some variations from the traditional. Cheese-filled spring rolls, anyone?

Restaurants

Eating out is a great bargain and a pleasure in Brazil. Service varies in quality but is usually inexpensive. Even in expensive Rio and in touristy areas where prices are marked-up, you can have an excellent meal at a good restaurant with drinks for US$10.

Note that the locals tip 10% of the bill. This value is usually included in the bill, but is under no circumstances mandatory and it is a consumer's legal right to ignore it if they choose to do so. Use this as an opportunity to make somebody's day for extra special gratuity. If you are going to stay for some time, choose a good reastaurant for everyday eating, make friends with a waiter (usually by giving him an extra tip) and you will enjoy excellent service. It is not uncommon, however, for restaurants to retain part or all of those 10% and not give them to the waiters. A way to get around this is to pay the bill excluding the tip, and tipping the waiter directly (and discreetly) in cash.