Dona Lucinha

Farmers in the Minas Gerais province (known for its gold mines) developed two distinct but related cuisines, one using beans, rice, sugarcane, corn and fresh vegetables, and another focusing on portable staples like dried meats and manioc. The carefully labeled clay-pot buffet at this bare-bones restaurant represents both genres, displaying Minas Gerais specialties like vibrant salads, tiny multicolored peppers and dishes such as chicken with okra, beans with pork (pig ears, tails, feet) and oxtail with watercress.

We loved: Tutu à mineira (smashed beans with pork loin); feijao tropeiro (red beans with manioc flour).

Insider tip: The restaurant’s homemade cachaça is sold by the bottle to take home.