Where to Eat in Passa Quatro, Minas Gerais

We love going to Passa Quatro to run and explore, and we usually stay at Casa de Pedra and eat around town — so we wanted to put together our recommendations on where to eat in Passa Quatro, Minas Gerais.

What we’ve found to be quick, easy, and tasty are the empadas, especially when we arrive on a Friday exhausted from the trip, but there are also plenty of options with good Minas Gerais home cooking.

Traíra e Companhia

• Self-service restaurant.
• Brazilian and South American food.

We had lunch here on our way back from Capim Amarelo — Traíra e Companhia is self-service, but with every type of food, and it was tasty!

Unfortunately, according to Google, the restaurant has permanently closed.

Location: Rua José Inácio Siqueira, 889.

Taipas Branca

• Hard to access, since it’s down a dirt road.
• Self-service restaurant, similar to Traíra e Companhia.
• Wood-fired stove.
• Brazilian and South American food.
• A huge variety of Minas Gerais desserts, with an impressive, generous spread.

We ran into the same team again here for lunch. The spot isn’t easy to reach, but it’s really welcoming, with a beautiful view.

Unfortunately, the last time we went, we learned it had closed, since the owners are elderly and shut down because of the pandemic.

Location: Rodovia MG-158, road toward Itaguaré, in the rural district.

Cambuca Bistrô

The newest restaurant on the town’s main street, Cambuca Bistrô is a spot to visit when you have time to enjoy your meal — we happened to catch its opening night, and even though service was a bit slow, the staff were excellent and genuinely attentive, checking in to make sure we were doing well, which we loved.

There are starters like bruschettas, potato chips, Caesar salad, and soups — since it was a cold day, we ordered a mandioquinha (Peruvian carrot) soup, which was really tasty. For our main course, we had filet mignon parmigiana, which we enjoyed, and for dessert, the cake of the day, prestígio, which was well filled.

They also offer vegan options: vegetable spaghetti (zucchini), a trio vegetable spaghetti (carrot, zucchini, and peach palm), and a veggie sandwich.

Location: Rua Tenente Viotti, 121.

Empadas La Motta

• Brazilian restaurant.
• Empadas, pizza, and small tarts.

Genuinely a great spot for quick, tasty food — we’d recommend both the savory and sweet empadas, both really flavorful, available to go or to eat on site. The menu also has pizza, but for me, the empada is unbeatable.

Location: Rua Tenente Viotti, 64.

Cervejaria Napoleão

• Brazilian and South American restaurant.

A great spot to sit and watch the street life of Passa Quatro, since it’s well located right in front of the main church, where everyone passes by. We only stopped in for a beer, so we can’t speak to the food.

Location: Rua Doutor Ismael de Souza, 50.

Empório Kaporanga

• Café, Brazilian and South American food.

Great space and service, with a cozy porch — a good spot not just for award-winning coffee, but also to buy products they make themselves, like jams, olive oil, beer, and cheese, or to have a full meal.

Lunch is tasty, and there’s a discounted dessert of the day paired with your meal. Reserving a table is a good idea, since the pandemic has limited the number of tables available.

Location: Avenida Anna da Motta Paes, 51.

Casa da Fazenda

A really charming restaurant on the main street, with a beautiful setting — the only catch is you’ll need some patience while your order gets prepared, but it’s well worth visiting, since the food is tasty.

The restaurant sits on the main street, so it’s very easy to find.

Location: Rua Tenente Viotti, 412, downtown.

Casa das Cajus e Cava Livro

A wonderful spot to grab a coffee or hot chocolate in the mountain cold, with the bonus of being able to buy or sit and read a book — even better given how chilly it gets in this mountainous region.

They also carry vegan sweets and savory snacks, and the space itself is really pleasant.

Location: Rua Tenente Viotti, Galeria Adherbal F Lima, 525, downtown.

Leopoldina Café - Lanches - Bar

A really simple restaurant, with very affordable prices, that delivered exactly what it promised the weekend we visited. Not just the feijoada, but the chicken with rice too, were both fine, and the atmosphere was pleasant, right on the sidewalk, watching people stroll along the main street. It also has indoor seating.

A place with a really great value for the price.

Location: Rua Tenente Viotti, downtown.

Guaranita Cibal

A guaraná soda from Passa Quatro, made with mineral water sourced from the region, with a genuinely tasty flavor — Andrey loves it, and we’d recommend it, since we love trying the different foods and drinks unique to the towns we visit.

Read more about our trip in Passa Quatro.