The nicest dishes to check out in Salvador, Brazil

The national Brazilian drink can never be avoided when talking about the gastronomical scene of any big city or its social life. Cachaça is a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice and used in a variety of combinations – with food, other components for cocktails such as caipirinha is often paired with the dish feijoada, and many more uses are available if you put your mind to it. Cachaça is a great way to start both our list and the meal you want to pick when visiting a restaurant.

O Cravinho specializes in great drinks, so it's safe to start drinking there.

Here's one of the African influences mentioned earlier. Acarajé is a type of fritter made from cowpeas or beans, its recipe originated in Africa but was actually developed to the dish we know today over time in colones. This is the staple food in Salvador and serves as both a religious offering to the gods in the Candomblé religion and as street food. Brazilian acarajé is made from cooked and mashed cowpeas that are seasoned with salt and chopped onions moulded into the shape of a large scone and deep-fried.

Restaurante Yemanjá is pretty self-explanatory, a decent option for acarajé.

Another very traditional offering on our list is as simple and gritty as it is popular among Brazilian eaters. In its basics, Carne-del-sol is absolutely uninventive at first glance – it's heavily salted beef, which is exposed to the sun for one or two days to cure. Carne-de-sol is sometimes fried and served as a hamburger, or baked in the oven with cream or, more traditionally, prepared on its own and served with other dishes as part of a complex meal. It goes well with a drink but requires a savvy eater to fully enjoy its strong points.

Restaurante Casa de Tereza is a good place to try some good beef.

Something less hardcore than dried beef is probably required right now, and galinhada can provide just the right alternative. It is a stew of rice with chicken along with several herbs and spices added in accordance with a particular recipe your chef can come up with. Although it can be found in numerous restaurants and eateries, it is also widely prepared at home, and almost every family has a recipe. This makes galinhada a ubiquitous and diverse dish worth checking out.

Restaurante Boca de Galinha is one of the restaurants you may want to check out.

We've been talking about drinks and meat, but fish and all kinds of seafood are no less influential in the food scene of Salvador. Brazilian cuisine has wonderfully creamy things like vatapá, a combination of bread, shrimp, coconut milk, finely ground peanuts and palm oil mashed into a paste. It is commonly eaten with acarajé, and shrimp can be replaced with ground tuna, chicken or cod among other options. Vatapá is a great alternative to the spicy meaty majority of local food.

Paraíso Tropical offers decent vatapá.

Another seafood offering should even things out in terms of the food balance of this list. Bobó de camarão is a chowder-like mix of shrimp. It is prepared and sometimes served in a purée of manioc or cassava meal with coconut milk, herbs, ginger, and other ingredients depending on the recipe and the experience of the chef. This dish is also African in origin and derives from the West African dish "Ipetê". It has become one of the household recipes of the region over the years.

Cuco Bistro is a great restaurant to try and find a decent variant of the dish.

Yet another seafood item on the list is a stew that's Africa-influenced even in the name that actually comes from the Kimbundu language. Moqueca is a stew made from shrimps or fish as a base with tomatoes, onions, garlic, lime and coriander. The full meal set is the fish stew, plantains, porridge made from cassava flour, and white rice, each one in its own clay pan. Such a complete combination is perfect for a serious meal, and many Brazilian chefs love to experiment with it.

Ki-Mukeka serves all kinds of decent stew.

The next dish on our list is of Portuguese origin, which is only fitting in a place that combined colonial influences to build up its own diverse palette. The word "sarapatel" literally means "confusion", referring to the mish-mash of ingredients such as pork and offal which includes heart, liver, tongue and even pork blood. Modern recipes normally do without blood, but in some restaurants, you can find the chefs that prefer the classics. The most interesting thing is trying, after all.

Vini Figueira Gastronomia is good for some sarapatel.

A proven option for finishing your meal is also one of the most popular foods in Salvador. Most will probably remember brigadeiro, the dessert of condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter, and chocolate sprinkles covering the outside layer. Brigadeiros are often made at home, which adds a level of challenge to chefs in restaurants trying to best family recipes. So, making brigadeiros especially good is almost an obligation for a restaurant worth its salt in terms of food.

Tortarelli is an obvious choice for desserts.

Finally, there's a small and moderately exotic thing that's popular in Salvador as a finisher or a side drink when eating out. Plain coconut water has long been a popular drink in tropical countries, where it is available fresh, canned, or bottled. Brazil has easier access to such fruits than most, and drinking coconut water is probably as common here as it is to drink tea in Britain. Naturally, everything is good when you know the right measure, and before consuming coconut juice, something light to eat would be preferable.

Caranguejo do Farol is where you can get some fresh coconut water.

Salvador is a centre of civilization, culture, and social life. We hope you enjoy exploring different sides of the city, as well as its magnificent local food.