(Updated March 2019)
Belo Horizonte is an inland Brazilian city in the state of Minas Gerais, not well-known for tourism. Nevertheless, after going to Rio de Janeiro, it’s refreshing to visit a place with lower prices and less congestion. Plus, you have the opportunity to see the local Brazilian way of living. Also, check out the number one wellness attraction in Belo H., The Central Market.
Minas Gerais (MG) is known for some of the best food in Brazil. This includes dishes like Feijoa Tropeiro – a local staple food consisting of Brazilian beans mixed with Mandioca flour, a few pieces of pig skin (“torresmo”), kale (“couve”) and egg. Another popular local dish is Frango com Quiabo (Translation: Chicken with Okra) – an unusual vegetable put to good use. And of course, there’s the refreshing drink: Caldo de Cana.
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Fresh Sugarcane Juice
The most prominent health-centric drink in Belo Horizonte is fresh sugarcane juice (Portuguese: Caldo de Cana). Although white sugar is normally made from Sugarcane, it’s very different from the fresh unpasteurized juice. Often lemon juice is added for extra flavor, turning the sugarcane juice into a natural lemonade. The canes are entered into a juice press machine so that the liquid gets squeezed out. Most of the snack cafeterias in Belo Horizonte (BH) have a sugarcane juicer.
Health Benefits of Sugarcane Juice
- Rich in minerals: The mineral content includes e.g. calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, and zinc which helps to strengthen teeth against tooth decay.
- It’s an alkaline juice. This is beneficial for fighting cancer since cancer prefers an acidic environment.
- Useful in skin exfoliation since it contains alpha hydroxy acids (AHA’s), which can act as an anti-oxidant for the skin.
- Suitable for diabetics, since it contains a low Glycemic index.
- Contains plenty of anti-oxidants.
- It can boost your energy levels in a more natural and wholesome way.
In conclusion, sugarcane juice is almost everything that sugar is not.
Belo Horizonte Restaurants
Centro Neighbourhood
Edificio Maletta
In the central neighborhood (“Centro”) of Belo Horizonte, you’ll find decent food at reasonable prices. Edificio Maletta is the most well-known landmark and building in Centro (apart from the central market). Although the ground floor doesn’t have anything interesting, on the first floor there are a few vegan/vegetarian as well as pay per kilo restaurants (e.g. right next to the 1st-floor balcony). The prices are low, but the quality isn’t that high either. It’s still worth checking out.
However, my preferred quick-service restaurant in this area is on Edificio Maletta’s outside (turn left when exiting the building). The name is Cocana Lanches. This is a sit-down health bar with whole grain empanadas and tasty salads. Take a sheet of paper to tick off the ingredients you want in your salad. Enjoy a detox green juice as well. The manager doesn’t speak English, but some of his kitchen staff does.
Pomar
Pomar is another great health-food option which I discovered recently in Centro. Yet, it also has branches in other neighborhoods like Savassi. The price, 40 Reals per Kilo, is the best in Belo Horizonte compared to the quality you get. I ordered a salad bowl. You choose your ingredients from the counter-display, while the shop assistant prepares your bowl. There are more than enough fresh options, vegetarian, different meats, and typical salad ingredients like lettuce, rocket, carrot or broccoli. Next, I ordered a green juice to complement my meal. Overall, a very good affordable upmarket choice for lunch.
Cozinha da Roca
The best place to sample authentic local Minas Gerais food (“Comida Mineira”) in central Belo Horizonte is at Cozinha da Roca. You pay by the weight of your plate (6 Reals per 100gram). The location is very close to the Central Market.
The first time I went, my plate ended up being 42 Reals – not cheap but quality food and healthy. The steak was a little red, and not as well-done as I would prefer. Yet it was still tender, tasty and palatable. The second time, I asked for the steak “well-done” (or as they say in Portuguese: “Bem feito”). Unfortunately, the meat turned out leathery and less edible this time around. Since neither the chef nor waiter speaks English, communication problems are bound to happen – who knows what cut of meat this was (Cost of plate, second visit: 32 Reals).
Typical of restaurants in Centro, Cozinha da Roca is only open for lunch: 11 am to 3h30pm. It stood out from a few of the other shady options in this neighborhood and gets a 4 out of 5 rating on Tripadvisor. There is wifi available. Enjoy a free shot of coffee or mint tea along with your meal.
Savassi neighborhood
Savassi is the best and most upmarket central neighborhood to stay in.
Patio Savassi
There’s a medium-sized mall, Patio Savassi, with a great (but sometimes pricey) food court. For example, at the pay-per-kilo restaurants on the bottom floor, prices average 70 Reals per Kilogram of food. Still, it’s worth checking out if you’re in the area and haven’t yet tried the food from the Minais Gerais state. The best option in this mall is Dona Conceiçao Restaurant with its high-quality tender-cooked meat. Otherwise, vegetarians and salad lovers won’t easily be disappointed at Marietta’s Salad bar. There’s a 10% discount if you pay in cash, instead of card. Tick off your desired ingredients, and expect a good meal.
Pracai
Pracai is a good juice bar right next to the mall. Here you can buy a large green juice or Acai smoothie for 5 Reals (best value in Belo Horizonte). What makes this extra nice, is you can basically pick your own ingredients 100%.
Pinguim Restaurant
This is the best buffet option in Savassi since you can refill your plate as many times as you want. The price is R$29 during the week, but almost twice this amount during weekends. Thus come during the week, preferably Monday to Thursday, since Fridays were very busy. The buffet closes at 2h30pm in the afternoon.
Pinguim offers tasty traditional Brazilian soup as part of the buffet (e.g. Mandioca- or Black Bean Soup). With regards to other options, especially the pork is very succulent and slow-cooked. When I noticed they don’t have Couve (Shredded Kale), the manager made me a quick side-plate free of charge. The steak wasn’t the best – it was more like sirloin with some fat at the rinds (still decent for this price). But the fish was nice, and the pork makes it all worthwhile. There are a few more Brazilian options like fried banana, Feijoa bean stew, and Feijoa Tropeiro.
This buffet is however not a great option for vegetarians or vegans (which is typical of Brazilian buffet restaurants). They also sell Pinguim souvenirs at the counter, along with good local beers.
Other Options
In Savassi, also check out O Vegano restaurant. They have an interesting small menu, giving local Brazilian foods and pastries a vegan twist, along with a few healthy drinks. In the same street, there are a few other healthier restaurants as well, along with artisanal local products.
Also in Savassi, you’ll find another smaller Market. The “Mercado Distrital do Cruzeiro“. But compared to the central market in Centro, it’s barely worth checking out at all. Stick to the central market. It’s the only market you have to visit in Belo Horizonte.
For late night vegan food close to the bars of Savassi, check out Vegans 2go (Av. Vargas). Their menu includes vegan versions of typical Brazilian recipes such as Tapioca pancakes, Salgados, as well as vegan hamburgers made with either soy, chickpeas, lentils, mushrooms, or bean patties. You can also choose the type of bread you prefer e.g. wholewheat. I ordered a Tapioca pancake with lettuce, cherry tomato, avocado, and mushrooms. The taste was dry, uninspiring and bland. Thus I requested some sauce from the waiter. Yet, open until 11h30pm, their options remain better than the other late night junk-foods of Savassi.
Sugarcane Juice during the Nighttime
When you are out on a Friday night in Savassi, even though the strong sugarcane alcoholic drink “Cachaça” is the popular choice, instead choose a freshly pressed 500ml sugarcane juice for a healthy energy boost.
The Central Market (Mercado Central Belo Horizonte)
When you exit the Edificio Maletta Building in Centro, simply turn left and keep on walking for 5 to 10 minutes. You’ll end up right in front of the Central Market, across the road on your right-hand side.
Unlike the overpriced market of Sao Paulo, the Belo Horizonte central market is an interesting, authentic Brazilian market, with good prices. You’ll find tons of different Brazilian herbs, one for every ailment. And of course sugarcane juice, Acai, Salgados (salty snacks), the Chimarrao tea from Porto Alegre, as well as Terere. There are also natural and organic body-care products, natural cooking oils, nuts, cheese and other locally produced foods from the state of Minas Gerais (including a few exotic fruits). For the health-centric tourist, it’s the number one attraction in Belo Horizonte. You could easily spend two to three hours here.
While in Belo Horizonte, I started to appreciate Stevia leaves more, which I purchased at the market. It’s a good alternative to add to your tea instead of sugar. It’s also Keto Diet friendly, and not harmful like Aspartame. It adheres to the low-carb requirement of Ketogenic diets. Vendors also sell liquid stevia extracts, but the leaves are the most natural form which you can buy.
Furthermore, another interesting herb I stumbled upon is Kava Kava (originating in the Pacific Islands e.g. Fiji). It’s a natural “sedative” or “anti-stress” herbal supplement similar to the Kanna (Sceletium) of Africa. Unfortunately, Kava Kava is illegal in a lot of countries, even though it seems to be harmless enough in a small capsule form.
Belo Horizonte Fitness
There are plenty of gyms in Belo Horizonte. For example, Smartfit in Centro, which is cheaper than their branches in Rio de Janeiro. It costs around 20 Real for a once-off workout. On the other hand, in the more upmarket neighborhoods like Lourdes and Savassi, Smartfit charges 25 Reals. Bodytech also has branches in Belo Horizonte, as they do in most other Brazil cities, but for tourists, their day-passes are usually way over-priced. My favorite gym was Smartfit Savassi in Rua Fernandes Tourinho 195 – since there are a large variety of new machines.
My Savassi Airbnb (click here for $40 off your first stay) had a small fitness center. After your workout, go for a jog in this upmarket neighborhood. For example, on the sidewalk along Av. Brasil in the direction of Liberty Square (Praca da Liberdade). There is a small jogging track around the square. Do around ten laps and it’ll give you a great 30 minutes+ cardio workout. Other local fitness options include Yoga and CrossFit.
Other Info
For transport within the city, use taxi apps like 99 Taxi. Outside the city: Belo Horizonte is 8 hours away by bus from Rio de Janeiro, also around 8 hours to Sao Paulo, and 10 to 11 hours away from Vitoria.
For accommodation, my choice would be staying in Savassi neighborhood at a hotel like eSuites Savassi Toscanini. There’s a free fitness center included, as well as spa facilities at the hotel if you’re willing to pay extra. Its 10 minutes walking distance to Patio Savassi Shopping center (with a good supermarket), and close to the nightlife. Plus its only 10 minutes by taxi to the Central Market.
Health Travel Junkie Challenge
Go to the Mercado Central, and drink some fresh sugarcane juice
Belo Horizonte Health Travel Junkie Scale
Fitness activities – 8.5
Food – 8.5
(B.H. has amongst the best food in Brazil).
Cost of traveling – 8
Other Wellness-related activities – 8
(e.g. visiting the Central Market)
Overall rating: 82%
Have you visited Belo Horizonte in Brazil? Post your tips, questions, or comments below!