What to Eat in Brasília: Cerrado Flavours, Pequi, Baru Nuts & Candango Classics

When tens of thousands of builders (candangos) and civil servants arrived from Minas Gerais, Goiás, the Northeast, Rio de Janeiro, and Rio Grande do Sul to construct Brasília in the late 1950s, they brought every regional kitchen of Brazil to the central plateau. Over six decades, those traditions merged with the wild fruits and nuts of the surrounding Cerrado savanna to create a distinctive capital gastronomy.

1. Native Flavours of the Cerrado: Pequi, Castanha de Baru, and Buriti

The surrounding Cerrado is the most biodiverse tropical savanna on earth, and Brasília's chefs and markets showcase its unique native fruits and seeds:

• Arroz ou Galinhada com Pequi: The signature comfort dish of the Central-West plateau pairs free-range chicken and rice with bright yellow pequi (Caryocar brasiliense), an intensely aromatic, buttery savanna fruit. Important local rule: never bite hard into a whole pequi seed, as its inner core is covered in tiny needle-like spines; instead, gently scrape the soft yellow outer flesh with your front teeth.
• Castanha de Baru: Harvested from the wild baruzeiro tree, roasted baru nuts taste like a cross between a roasted peanut and a rich almond, appearing in artisanal ice creams, pestos, and praline sweets across Asa Sul and Norte.
• Empadão Goiano and Pamonha: Borrowed from neighbouring Goiás state, deep-dish golden pies (empadão) stuffed with chicken, pork loin, linguiça, cheese, olives, and guariroba (slightly bitter native palm heart), alongside sweet or savoury steamed fresh-corn pamonhas wrapped in corn husks, are beloved afternoon staples.

2. Historic 1960s Candango Institutions and CLS Bistros

Along the tree-lined commercial streets (Comércio Local Sul) of Asa Sul, several restaurants founded during the city's pioneer decade still serve the dishes preferred by Niemeyer, Lúcio Costa, and early parliamentarians:

• Beirute (CLS 109 Sul, founded 1966): Brasília's most famous bohemian gathering spot, known for its toasted kibbeh, middle-eastern platters, and classic Filé à Parmigiana.
• Pastel com Caldo de Cana at Viçosa / Dom Bosco & Feira da Torre: Stopping at the historic 1960s Pastelaria Dom Bosco (in 306 Sul or 107 Norte) or the weekend stalls under the TV Tower for a piping-hot crispy cheese-or-meat pastel paired with freshly pressed iced sugarcane juice (caldo de cana) is a local rite of passage.

3. Lakeside Freshwater Fish at Pontão do Lago Sul

At the waterfront restaurants of Pontão do Lago Sul and along the shores of Lago Paranoá, menus highlight charcoal-grilled Amazonian and Araguaia river fish, especially meaty tambaqui ribs, pintado na brasa, and tucunaré.