Restaurants in Foz do Iguassu

Foz do Iguassu cuisine is very diverse; their traditional dishes include barbecued beef, Ensaimada, Carbonada, Locro, regional empanadas (a type of meat pie or pastry), tamales and Sopa Paraguaya.

Misiones is home to the traditional Pancitos de Cuajada (junket rolls), tropical fruits and locally grown tea called "mate". In fact "mate" can be tasted wherever you go, especially on the countless estancias (ranches) which offer tourist services.

This Foz do Iguassu Restaurant Guide provides ample information regarding Foz do Iguassu food and cuisine and suggests some great restaurants in Foz do Iguassu to try out. Our Brazil Food and Cuisine Guide will give you all the information you need regarding general cuisine and be sure not to miss out on the shopping around Foz do Iguassu.

Some of the Argentinean dishes are also similar to those of its neighbouring countries, such as Mandioca, Feijao Preto, Chipa (mini cheese rolls) and Dulce de Mamon, which is a sweet preserve.

Food & Cuisine in Foz do Iguassu

On the Argentinean side of the falls there is a good hotel which serves an excellent buffet. From here you can see the mist rising from the waterfalls and also spot many kinds of birds flying past, including toucans.

On the Brazilian side, at the end of the walking trail which leads to the Porto Canoas Station, a buffet is laid out. The food is good and the location is dreamlike since it gives a view of the river, the mist and the noise from the waterfall, while not actually seeing the falls! The buffet costs R49.50 but you can also grab a bite for R10 by eating at one of the outlets right opposite the buffet restaurant, which offer combo meals and burgers.

Even though this is such a big tourist spot, there are not many good restaurants. An exception is the Hotel International on the Argentinean side. The hotel has a large restaurant that is clean, and the service here is excellent. This restaurant offers good food and is famous for its juicy and tasty steaks, which are cooked on a 'parrilla'. For the sweet dish, try the 'dulce de leche'.

Eating out around Foz do Iguassu, travellers will find most common dishes are carne asada and different types of fish.

Carne Asada or roast meat is usually a type of ox meat (zebu) and is served in the Brazilian style as roast meat on a pit (churrasco al espadin).

Different fish like dorado, surubim, pacu, shad, pati, catfish and others are grilled, baked or coated with bread and then cooked.

Cuisine with Paraguayan influence

The Locro Norteno is typically prepared in Misiones and Formosa, and is made with meat, maize, pumpkin and cassava. Other traditional dishes include the mbeyu (fried cake) with Guarani tapioca, which is eaten with milk, salt and cheese. Chipa or mini cheese rolls made with eggs and the "Paraguayan soup", which unlike its name is actually bread made from white maize flour, cheese, onion and spices.

English is widely spoken at these places, which is good for non Spanish travellers wanting to enjoy a meal at one of the Foz do Iguassu restaurants.

Drinks

In the peak of summer, hiking around Iguassu Falls can be unbearably hot, but the spectacular sight of the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat) with its endless wall of water plunging down, and the foam and spray can make you forget your discomfort.

Luckily, a pleasant surprise is in store for hikers. An attractive buffet of cold sandwiches, fruits and a pitcher filled with the Brazilian Caipirinha topped with ice and lemon slices awaits you just around the corner! The Caipirinha is the most refreshing drink imaginable on earth!

Although you are hiking in Argentina, you can see across the border into Brazil and therefore the appearance of a Brazilian drink on this side is explicable.

The base of Caipirinha is made from cachaca (pronounced cachasa) which is distilled from fermented sugar cane juice. It tastes like sour rum but without the deeper molasses flavour of rum.

Mexico also produces alcohol made from sugarcane. You should try tasting both the Brazilian Ypioca Crystal Cachaca and the one from Hermosillo, Sonora called Victoria Alcohol de Cana once you are home.

The Brazilian Ypioca is aged for a year in oak casks and has a subtle buttery taste, as if it is turning into rum. The Mexican drink tastes stronger and is fierier like a true aguardiente (fire-water). The Mexican drink also has more alcohol content - 49.5% as compared to 39% in the case of Ypioca.

To make a cool, tall glass of this refreshing drink, the method used in Iguazu is to squash lime quarters with sugar in a glass and then pour cachaca and ice on top. I tried making this drink with both normal green limes and the smaller Mexican yellow limes. The taste in either case is the same, but the deep green colour of the normal limes is particularly eye-catching. The sugar makes this drink very sweet. If you want a more subtle flavour, just add morecachaca and ice.

Recipe for Iguassu Falls Caipirinha

1 lime, washed and cut into quarters
1 tbsp sugar
2 oz cachaca
Ice cubes

Take a large glass and put the limes in it. Add the sugar and mash into the limes with a muddler or the handle of a big wooden spoon, in order to extract all the juices and enhance the flavour. Pour in the cachaca and then top with ice cubes. Stir all the ingredients to blend thoroughly and then wait for the ice to melt slightly before drinking!

This recipe makes one glass of Caipirinha.

In Puerto Iguazu, you can visit the 'La Barranca' and the 'Three Frontiers Landmark' or 'Marco das tres Fronteira', which are nice places to visit. The people are friendly and there is live music on weekends. You will find some great Foz do Iguassu nightlife in the city centre.