The Northeast - The Rough Guide to Brazil

Travel Reference

In-Depth Information

tarts, crunchy biscotti and fluffy mousse. Mon-Sat

9am-9pm, Sun 10am-9pm.

Churrascaria Gheller Av Monsenhor Tabosa 825

T 85 3219 3599. No-nonsense steakhouse where the

buffet is just R$19.90 on weekdays (with salads, sushi,

pasta and vegetables), though the rodizio is so-so. Drinks

and desserts are extra. Daily 11am-11.30pm.

Marquinhos Restaurante Av Beira Mar 4566 T 85

3219 1461, W marquinhosdelicias.com.br. Located at

the eastern end of the seafront, this joint mainly serves

quality seafood and is well known for its fine skewered

lobster; it's not cheap but the service is good and the

restaurant open and airy. Daily 11am-midnight.

Neide do Camarão Av da Abolição 4772 T 85 3248

2680. You buy your shrimp at the door (R$29/kg), choose

how you want it prepared, hand it to the waiter, then eat it,

preferably washed down with ice-cold beer. Local,

authentic and awesome. Daily 5-11pm.

★

Ponto do Guaraná Av Beira Mar 3127-A, at Rua Júlio

Ibiapina T 85 3086 5650. Guaraná addicts should head

here - there's plenty of flavours to choose from, including

lemon, acerola and açaí (drinks R$5-7). Sandwiches are also

available (from R$8). Daily 6am-10pm.

PRAIA DO FUTURO

Croco Beach Av Zezé Diogo 3125 T 85 3521 9600,

W crocobeach.com.br. Futuro's most popular beach

restaurant, serving huge sharing platters of seafood and a

buffet for R$49.90/kg, as well as sushi (from R$22) and

plenty of meat dishes (most mains for two R$25-75). Also

lays on live local bands and MPB Tues and Thurs (R$20

cover) and DJs/live music at weekends (R$5 cover). Mon,

Wed & Fri 8am-6pm, Tues 8am-midnight, Thurs

8am-3am, Sat & Sun 8am-9pm.

NIGHTLIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT

Fortaleza is justly famous for its forró . Nowhere is it so popular, and there is no better way to see what cearenses do when

they want to enjoy themselves than to spend a night in a dancetaria here. One of the busiest nightlife areas is the streets

behind the Ponte dos Ingleses.

4

Buoni Amici's Rua Dragão do Mar 80, Praia de Iracema

T 85 3219 5454. Great bar and pizzeria next to the Dragão

do Mar complex, with live samba every Sat from 9pm. Cover

R$15. Sun-Thurs 4pm-midnight, Fri & Sat 4pm-3am.

Café Pagliuca Rua Barbosa de Freitas 1035 T 85 3324

1903, W www.cafepagliuca.com.br. An arty, rustic

bohemian vibe makes this one of the mellowest spots in

town for a quiet drink and, from Tues-Sat (9.30pm-

midnight), some live jazz, bossa and MPB. There's Chilean

red from R$32 a bottle and the food includes a range of

authentic Italian risotto (try the house recipe, R$27).

R$8.80 cover. Tues-Fri 6pm-1am, Sat noon-midnight.

Mercado dos Pinhões Praça Visconde 41 T 85 3266

9866. Perhaps the best place to get a sense of how locals

take their forró and chorinho seriously, this old 1890s

mercado is an arts and craft market by day (Mon-Fri 9am-

noon & 2-5pm), but morphs into an authentic forró dance

hall Fri to Sun evenings. Thurs-Sun 5pm-midnight.

Mucuripe Club Travessa Maranguape 108 T 85 3254

3020. Veteran superclub hosting some of the country's

biggest DJs, singers and bands in several themed areas

including a film-set-like, colonial-style street, a huge

“arena” for live shows and a hi-tech clubbing area, with a

music policy covering everything from rock, funk and

electronica to samba, axé and forró . No flip-flops or shorts.

Cover varies according to event (usually R$30-60). Fri &

Sat 10pm-5am.

Órbita Bar Rua Dragão do Mar 207 T 85 3453 1421,

W orbitabar.com.br. A Fortaleza institution, with live

Brazilian and international indie/alternative, blues,

electronica and even - for those who like their twang - a

night (Wed) dedicated to the delights of surf-rock. Check

out their radio station, W orbitaradio.com.br. Cover

R$20-30. Thurs-Sun 9pm-4am.

Pirata Bar Rua dos Tabajaras 325, Praia de Iracema

T 85 4011 6161, W pirata.com.br. The most famous

place in Fortaleza, in Brazil and doubtless the world to get

your fix of forró . By cannily cornering the club-less wilds of

segunda-feira , this unashamed tourist trap has generated

more than its fair share of publicity - the New York Times

famously called it “the craziest place on earth on a Monday

night” and a Brazilian mag rated it as one of the 1001

places to see in the country before you die. Get ready to

dance till you drop. Cover R$40. Mon 8pm-5am.