Explore Guides
Local food map
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
Hotels in area
Drink
Vegan
Food Flavour DNA
Nutritional Values
140kcal
—Protein
—Carbs
—Fat
—Fibre
50 mlServing
* Per serving · 50 ml. May vary.
Sugar Cane Spirit
How to order / say it
Say it
Cachaça — [kah-SHAH-sah]
Order
I'll have a cachaça, please.
Locally
Eu gostaria de uma cachaça, por favor.
Say locally
A potent distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice.
Why try it?
Cachaça is the heart of Brazil’s national cocktail, caipirinha, holding cultural significance as a Brazilian craft, celebrated in both casual and upscale settings.
How it tastes
Cachaça offers floral and fruity notes with subtle sweetness, depending on aging, ranging from fiery when young to mellow with caramel notes as it matures, offering a rich sipping experience.
Origin & History — first documented: 1530
Cachaça dates back to the 16th century colonial era. Originating when Portuguese settlers distilled sugarcane juice in Brazil, it has since evolved into a spirit that epitomizes Brazilian celebration and craftsmanship.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 🍯 1 liter sugarcane juice
- 500 ml water
- 5 g yeast
Method
- 1 Ferment sugarcane juice with yeast in a closed container for 24 hours.
- 2 Distill the fermented liquid in a copper pot still.
- 3 Age the distilled spirit in wooden barrels, if desired.
More from Sugarcane plantations across Brazil
© Wikimedia Commons
Snack
Meat
Coxinha
koh-SHEE-nyah
Deep-fried dough filled with shredded chicken.
🥩
Side dish
Meat
Farofa de Carnes
fah-roh-fah deh car-ness
A savory side dish of toasted manioc flour mixed with meat.
© Wikimedia Commons
Snack
Vegetarian
Pão de Queijo
Pown-deh-KAY-zhoo
Cheese-filled dough balls made from cassava flour.
🌿
Main course
Vegetarian
Black Bean and Rice
Feijão com Arroz
fay-ZHOWNG kohn ah-HROZ
A classic combination of black beans and rice.
🥩
Soup
Meat
Black Bean Soup
Caldinho de Feijão
keow-DJEE-no deh fay-ZHAO
A comforting and nutritious black bean soup.
🥩
Main course
Meat
Empadão Mineiro
Eh-pah-DOWN Mee-NEH-roh
A large, hearty pie filled with meats, vegetables, and cheese hallmark of Minas Gerais cuisine.
© Wikimedia Commons
Main course
Meat
Breaded Fried Beef
Bife à Milanesa
BEE-fee ah mee-lah-NEH-zah
Breaded and fried beef cutlet, commonly served in Rio.
© Wikimedia Commons
Starter
Fish & Seafood
Codfish Balls
Bolinhos de Bacalhau
boh-LEE-nyoosh djee bah-kah-LAH-oh
Fried balls of salt cod and potato, a popular appetizer.
🐟
Snack
Fish & Seafood
Prawn Turnovers
Pastel de Camarão
pass-TELL deh cah-mah-ROW
A crispy deep-fried pastry filled with a prawn mixture.
Main course
Vegetarian
Arroz de Pequi
Arroz com Pequi
ah-roz deh peh-kee
A fragrant rice dish featuring the unique pequi fruit.