The typical caiçara cuisine from Paraty is a mixture of indigenous, Portuguese and some African delicacies, confirming the tripod of cultures on which Brazil rests.

 

The term “caiçara” derives from Tupi, given to the enclosures used to fish. The indigenous cuisine brought dishes such as Azul Marinho, fish wrapped in a banana leaf and roasted over the fire that are still prepared by the inhabitants of Ilha do Araújo. The legacy of the use of manioc and the production of flour, a base of delicacies offered during the prayers, was also left by the indigenous people, as well as drinks and teas made from native herbs and the alua, a refreshment made with the pineapple peel.

​

African cuisine included corn flour couscous, ginger, coconut and peanuts. In addition to sweets such as Cocada, Pé de Moleque and Bolo de Fubá, there are also shrimp broth and palm hearts pasties.

 

Other outstanding dishes are quilombola fish, pumpkin soup with shrimp seven beards, caiçara chicken served with fried green bananas and shrimp with taioba.

​

Most restaurants are concentrated in the Historic Center and its surroundings, whose varied menu offers everything from traditional caiçara food, to the contemporary reinterpretation of these typical dishes and international cuisine.

​

The second hub, in Trindade, stands out for artisanal fishing, with 25 restaurants offering typical caiçara cuisine.

​

Aspects such as living in an agroforestry site and the pleasure of contemporary cuisine at a table of renowned chefs make Paraty an ideal territory to promote new gastronomic experiences and with great potential to become a new pole of creativity in Brazilian cuisine.