Restaurants and Bars

In November 2006 the Laranja Mecanica Bar opened its doors and since this time it has been a big succes. The Laranja Mecanica bar is run by Dutchman Willem-Jan (Guilerme). It is the biggest and busiest bar in Cumbuco, opens late afternoon and closes somwhere between 3.00 and 5.00 depending on how busy it is.

Restaurant 0031 is located in the centre of the village on the beachfront, the restaurant is on the mezzanine floor above the Laranja Mecanica bar. The restaurant has an international menu.

Restaurant 0031
Restaurant / Disco Cafe Creme

Next to Laranja mecanica and 0031 is Cafe Creme, which is a restaurant during the day and at the end of the week turns in to a discotheque. Next to that is the German run Bacana bar with an ambient feel and mostly house music, in high season they often have a dj. There are two very good restaurants that opened up late 2009, restaurant bar Muda and restaurant bar Castanha, both european owned and run and with an international menu.

 
Bacana Bar
Restaurant Castanha
Another restaurant in the center is churrascaria Gaucho's, where you can get barbecued meat, grilled fish and chicken. Next to Gaucho's is another excellent barbecue restaurant; Sabor da Praia, with a large variety of dishes of high quality.

Sergio's

Sabor de Praia

Gaucho's

On and around the square are several other local food stands and small restaurants of which ACL is the busiest with good meals for good prices. Here one also finds Swedish run The Point with good hamburgers and satelite tv where one can watch live football games. On the other side of the square is another favorite of ours, Sergio's. Good cheap food, if you order a sandwich or burger here make sure you ask for "Pao Arabe" than you do not get a normal bun but nice Arab bread.

ACL

Pizzeria Italia

Jardim do Cumbuco

Only the barracas (beach restaurants) Gita and Lisboa remain open at night. Gita, situated between the main square and hotel Paradise, is a good place to eat fresh fish. Lisboa ocassionally offers live local bands. The other restaurants and bars open in the evening, when it has got dark, around 6 PM. Opposite Gita is an Italian Pizzeria aptly named Italia, which, you guessed it, sells mainly pizzas and is owned by an Italian. Right at the entrance of Cumbuco is a restaurant set in a tropical garden; Jardim do Cumbuco. Here one can eat in the shade of lush trees or one can sit at the restaurant next to the swimmingpool. A bit further towards the center is the Norwegian/Dutch run restaurant The Bistro, also with an international menu.

Barracas

A barraca is the Brazilian word for a beach restaurant. These open early in the morning and are an ideal place to sit on the beach and enjoy some food and drinks in the sunshine. In Cumbuco you do not have to pay rent for beach chairs, you just pick the barraca you like and sit down. To sit down at a barraca and watch the Brazilians on the beach, whilst enjoying the sun, is a perfect way to spend a day here. The food the barracas serve is mostly fresh seafood like red snapper, crab, large shrimp and, in season (after May 1) lobster. You have to take into account that in Brazil all meals at restaurants and barracas are for two people. If you want a meal just for one than you have to ask for half a meal (meia), of course you only pay half then. A platter of shrimp for two costs about 10 Euros, a fresh fish about 15 Euros, depending on the barraca you go to. A beer (0,6 liter) on the beach will cost you 1,50 Euro and a caipirinha (the traditional Brazilian drink) about the same. Waiters are called garçons in Brazil (just like in France) and most of them do not get a salary, but work on commission. This is usually 10 percent of their personal turnover that day and since this is usually not a lot they would appreciate it very much when, if you liked the service you got, you leave them an extra tip. Now follow some pictures of the barracas you will find on the beach of Cumbuco, each has its own character and specialty ; find out which one you like best!

Velas do Cumbuco

Aldea Brasil

Gita

Casulo

Milano

Morais

Lisboa

Pousa da Praia

Tendas do Cumbuco

 

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