Best restaurants in Maceió: 26 places to eat and enjoy

Wanchakoaward-winning Peruvian cooking in Maceió

Wanchako opened in 1996 and is described as Brazil’s first Peruvian restaurant. In 2025 it moved to a new building a short distance from the beachfront, beside Hotel Intercity. Ceviche is its signature dish, with fish, seafood and meat also on the menu. Chef Simone Bert, who appeared on the Brazilian edition of MasterChef Profissionais, leads the kitchen.

Over the years, Veja magazine has recognized Wanchako in several local restaurant categories, including best restaurant, dining for couples, international cooking, fish, shrimp, chef and seafood.

It is one of the city’s more expensive restaurants and one we often recommend. For us, the meal is worth the higher bill.

It opens in the evening from Monday to Saturday and is closed on Sundays.

• Address: Rua Prefeito Abdon Arroxelas, 147, Ponta Verde
• Price: $$$ (expensive)
• Reservations: strongly recommended; WhatsApp +55 82 98889-9634
• Instagram: @restaurantewanchako

Janga Praiaa popular seafood restaurant on the beachfront

Janga Praia faces the sea and serves grilled fish, shrimp, lobster, pasta and risotto. It works well for groups.

Its location on Ponta Verde’s seafront makes it a useful choice for a meal after a walk along the beach. It is one of Maceió’s most familiar restaurant names.

Janga also has branches at Maceió Shopping and Parque Shopping.

• Address: Avenida Sílvio Carlos Viana, 1731, Ponta Verde
• Price: $$$ (expensive)
• Reservations: recommended; use the Linktree linked from its Instagram profile
• Instagram: @restaurantejanga

Beach PrimeBrazilian barbecue with meats served at the table

Beach Prime is a churrascaria on Ponta Verde’s beachfront. It serves premium cuts in the rodízio format: servers bring a succession of meats to your table. It opens for lunch and dinner, making it a convenient barbecue option close to the beach.

• Address: Avenida Sílvio Carlos Viana, 2167, Ponta Verde
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @churrascariabeachprime

Garuvafor a quieter dinner

Garuva combines international influences with Brazilian ingredients, with fish and seafood appearing throughout its menu. Frequently mentioned dishes include shrimp in Prima Donna sauce, arancino and steak au poivre.

The dining room is polished and modern without feeling formal. Although newer than several restaurants in this guide, Garuva has already become a local favorite.

It opens in the evening and is closed on Mondays.

• Address: Rua Deputado José Lages, 813, Ponta Verde
• Price: $$$ (expensive)
• Reservations: recommended; use the Linktree on its Instagram profile or WhatsApp +55 82 99336-0440
• Instagram: @garuvarestaurante

Massagueirinhacrab served in its shell and fresh fish

Massagueirinha is a good choice for an informal lunch. Its casquinha de siri, seasoned crab meat served in the shell, is our favorite in Brazil. There are also small cups of seafood broth, fish dishes and other seafood. The setting is simple and welcoming, sometimes with live music, and the menu is a good introduction to cooking from Alagoas.

There are three branches in Maceió and another beside Mundaú Lagoon in Marechal Deodoro. Of these, we prefer the cooking at the Ponta Verde branch.

• Ponta Verde branch: Rua Deputado José Lages, 1105, Ponta Verde
• Jatiúca branch: Avenida Doutor Antônio Gomes de Barros, 910, Jatiúca
• Gruta de Lourdes branch: Avenida Fernandes Lima, 3595, Gruta de Lourdes
• Lagoon branch: AL-101, Barra Nova, Marechal Deodoro (on the right just after crossing the Divaldo Suruagy bridge)
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @massagueirinhaoficial

Hatsu Izakayaan established Japanese restaurant in Ponta Verde

An izakaya is a Japanese bar and restaurant serving snacks to share, sushi and hot dishes. Hatsu is in the boulevard area of the Maceió Facilities building. Tables can fill up at busy times, so arriving early or booking is sensible.

Fresh fish and contemporary Japanese cooking have made Hatsu one of our long-standing choices in Maceió. Other Japanese restaurants have opened since, but it remains among those we recommend. In 2017, Vip magazine included it in its list of the best new restaurants.

The hours listed in the original guide are 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., with lunch on Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 3 p.m. Check with the restaurant before setting out.

• Address: Rua General João Saleiro Pitão, 1037, Ponta Verde
• Price: $$$ (expensive)
• Reservations: recommended; WhatsApp +55 82 99968-7611
• Instagram: @hatsuizakaya

Xi’anChinese cooking in Ponta Verde

Xi’an serves Chinese cooking in Ponta Verde. It opens every day for lunch and dinner, with happy hour and delivery also available.

• Address: Rua Professora Higia Vasconcelos, 229, Ponta Verde
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: ask by phone: +55 82 3432-6200
• Instagram: @xianculinariachinesa

diBosco GelatoAndaza’s gelato recommendation

If you are choosing one gelato shop in Maceió, our recommendation is diBosco in Ponta Verde. It makes its own flavors, including Marceneiro, with honey, yogurt and orange. The shop has lactose-free and sugar-free options, a vegan cone, and options intended for babies and pets. It is a short walk from the beachfront, making it an easy final stop after a stroll.

The flavors change, and there are often new ones to try. We especially like the handmade cone and the signature diBosco flavor, a yogurt gelato with amarena cherries.

It is one of our favorite gelato shops in Brazil.

• Address: Rua Doutor Hélio Oliveira, 826, Ponta Verde
• Price: $ (budget-friendly)
• Reservations: not needed; order at the counter
• Instagram: @diboscogelato

Akuabaa taste of Bahia

Chef Jonatas Moreira and his mother, Vera Lúcia, run Akuaba, a restaurant serving Afro-Bahian cooking. Dishes include acarajé, a fried black-eyed pea fritter, moqueca, a fish or seafood stew, and bobó de camarão, shrimp in a creamy cassava sauce. It is an established local restaurant now in its second generation, with a relaxed dining room and a loyal Maceió clientele. The beans are particularly good, and Akuaba is our choice when we want acarajé in the Bahian style.

It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m.

• Address: Rua Ferroviário Manoel Gonçalves Filho, 6, Jatiúca
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @akuababr

Maria Antonietapasta made in house

The three founding brothers named Maria Antonieta after their mother and built the menu around Italian family recipes. Chef and sommelier Breno Gama oversees handmade pasta, risotto, meat and seafood. A pianist plays classics in the dining room in the evening. With its formal setting and one of the city’s better wine cellars, it is a restaurant we suggest for celebrations and romantic dinners.

In addition to the Jatiúca restaurant on the avenue still often called Amélia Rosa, there is a newer branch at Parque Shopping.

• Address: Avenida Doutor Antônio Gomes de Barros, 150, Jatiúca
• Price: $$$ (expensive)
• Reservations: accepted; WhatsApp +55 82 98703-6731 or the link on its Instagram profile
• Instagram: @mariaantonieta.maceio

Divina Gulanearly 40 years of Minas Gerais cooking in Maceió

André Generoso and Cláudia Mortimer opened Divina Gula in 1987. It has appeared in Guia Quatro Rodas since 1990. The menu draws on the cooking of Minas Gerais, a state in southeastern Brazil: feijoada with house-made sausage, tutu (a thick bean dish), cassava and grilled meats. There is an air-conditioned dining room and a garden terrace.

Locals come for lunch and for late-afternoon happy hour. Alongside the food, there is a good selection of cocktails and beer.

The long-established branch is in Jatiúca, with a newer one at Praia do Francês.

• Address: Avenida Engenheiro Paulo Brandão Nogueira, 85, Jatiúca
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @divinagulabr

BasilicoItalian cooking by an Italian chef

Basilico’s chef and owner is Italian, and its menu stays close to classic Italian recipes. Starters, pasta, risotto and fish are prepared with some modern touches.

• Address: Rua Deputado Luiz Gonzaga Coutinho, 186, Jatiúca
• Price: $$$ (expensive)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @basilicoristoranteitaliano

Mahr Parrilla do Mara menu devoted to fish and seafood

Mahr opened in October 2024 and serves only fish and seafood, either raw or cooked over coals, including aged fish from Alagoas. It is a newer restaurant that has already attracted local attention. The kitchen develops its own dishes, and the building and interior take their cues from the coast.

• Address: Rua Industrial Breno Lins Cansanção, 49, Jatiúca
• Price: $$$ (expensive)
• Reservations: recommended; WhatsApp +55 82 98224-1100
• Instagram: @mahrgastronomia

Nayasushi in Jatiúca

Naya serves sushi combinations, starters and desserts, alongside Italian sodas and cocktails. It is two streets from Parque da Mulher. It opens in the evening from Tuesday to Sunday, with lunch on some days, and also offers delivery.

• Address: Avenida Pretestato Ferreira Machado, 1055, Jatiúca
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: ask through WhatsApp: +55 82 99944-4411
• Instagram: @nayaculinariaoriental

Massarellaa family Italian restaurant since 1986

Massarella opened in Pajuçara in 1986 and has occupied its current Jatiúca address since 1993. It is an Italian restaurant with the feel of a family dining room and a loyal local clientele. We especially like its house-made bread. Pizza, homemade pasta and a choice of sauces make it a good setting for a family Sunday lunch.

• Address: Rua Comerciário José Pontes de Magalhães, 271, Jatiúca
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @massarellamaceio

Armazém Guimarãesa three-time winner of Veja’s local pizza award

Armazém Guimarães has been voted Maceió’s best pizzeria three times in Veja Maceió’s Comer & Beber awards. It also serves pasta and opens from 5 p.m.

It is one of the city’s best-established pizzerias, suitable for meeting friends, family dinners and birthday meals.

There is also a branch at Parque Shopping.

• Address: Avenida Doutor Antônio Gomes de Barros, 188, Jatiúca
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @armazemguimaraes

Bodega do SertãoNortheastern Brazilian food from a buffet

Bodega do Sertão is a convenient way to try carne de sol, lightly salted and dried beef, and other Northeastern Brazilian dishes without ordering à la carte. There are more than 60 buffet choices. It is a self-service por quilo restaurant: you choose your food, the plate is weighed, and you pay according to its weight. Weekend lunch can mean a queue.

The restaurant is popular with visitors. It moved from Jatiúca to an address close to Pajuçara’s beachfront. The regional food and the building, which mixes traditional and contemporary references to Northeast Brazil, make it more than a practical lunch stop.

• Address: Rua Jangadeiros Alagoanos, 1185, Pajuçara
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @bodegadosertao_

Vero Pasta & Vinohandmade pasta and a wine list

Vero serves Italian cooking with handmade pasta, carefully prepared risotto and a selected wine list. A second branch is in Ponta Verde at Rua Machado Lemos, 238, and a third is at Parque Shopping.

• Address: Rua Doutor Lessa de Azevedo, 580, Pajuçara
• Price: $$$ (expensive)
• Reservations: recommended; phone +55 82 3436-1033
• Instagram: @vero.restaurante

Grazie Pizza Napoletanaaward-winning Neapolitan pizza in Maceió

When Grazie opened in 2020, it was presented as Maceió’s first authentic Neapolitan pizzeria. Its dough undergoes a long fermentation and has the raised rim associated with Naples. Grazie placed 17th in the 50 Top Pizza Latin America 2026 ranking, its third consecutive year on the list. See the official 2026 ranking.

Chef Nicole Acioly leads the kitchen, and the restaurant belongs to the same group as Vero.

Imported ingredients, attentive service and a location close to the beach make it one of our pizza recommendations for an evening in Pajuçara.

• Address: Rua Doutor Lessa de Azevedo, 55, shops 12 and 13, Pajuçara
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @pizzariagrazie

Toá RooftopMaceió’s first rooftop restaurant

Toá opened in September 2025 on the top floor of the New Time building. The 360-degree view reaches from Pajuçara’s natural pools to the port in Jaraguá. Chef Vitor Generoso trained at Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon and makes fire a central part of his cooking, reworking ingredients such as shrimp, carne de sol and cassava. The restaurant is a partnership between Divina Gula and the Maikai group. Arrive before sunset if the view is part of your plan. The drinks list includes the bar’s own cocktails.

• Address: New Time building, Avenida Doutor Antônio Gouveia, 23, Pajuçara
• Price: $$$ (expensive)
• Reservations: accepted through the app; walk-in tables are available from 5 p.m.
• Instagram: @toarooftop

Anamáa restaurant facing the sea

After 14 years in Ponta Verde, Anamá moved to the ground floor of the New Time building, facing the sea. It serves breakfast, a self-service lunch, à la carte dinner and happy hour, with live music from Wednesday to Sunday. That range makes it a flexible choice after the beach. Its lunchtime buffet is our favorite in the city.

• Address: New Time building, Avenida Doutor Antônio Gouveia, Pajuçara
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @anamamaceio

Dragãothe city’s oldest Chinese restaurant

Dragão opened in 1976 and is described as Maceió’s first restaurant specializing in traditional Chinese food. It has been in Pajuçara from the start and opens for lunch and dinner.

• Address: Avenida Doutor Antônio Gouveia, 21, Pajuçara
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @restauranteodragao

Del Popollothe castle-style pizzeria in Serraria

Del Popollo is one of Maceió’s long-established pizzerias, with more than 30 years of history. The building resembles a castle and has a romantic setting. It serves light-crust pizza baked in a wood-fired oven and Italian pasta, is known for its lasagna, and has vegetarian and vegan options.

• Address: Rua Cândido Gomes de Melo, 100, Serraria
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @delpopollo

Sal e BrasaBrazilian barbecue with an extensive buffet

Sal e Brasa serves rodízio barbecue, with more than 25 meat cuts brought to the table, plus a buffet with Japanese food, seafood, cheese and antipasti. A playground and children’s menu make it a common choice for families.

• Address: Rua Professora Ernani de Figueiredo Magalhães, 41, Cruz das Almas
• Price: $$ (mid-range)
• Reservations: generally not needed
• Instagram: @salebrasa.maceio

SantOréganopizza and pasta in Riacho Doce

SantOrégano is a pizza and pasta restaurant in Riacho Doce, on Maceió’s northern coast. Gnocchi is one of the dishes it is known for.

• Address: Rodovia AL-101 Norte, 56, Riacho Doce
• Price: $$ (mid-range) · estimate
• Reservations: ask by phone: +55 82 3355-1222

Lua CheiaFrench cooking in Garça Torta

Lua Cheia serves French cooking in Garça Torta, with vegan options and desserts such as banoffee pie and salted caramel pie. It opens Wednesday to Sunday.

• Address: Rua São Pedro, 250, Garça Torta
• Price: $$$ (expensive) · estimate
• Reservations: ask by phone: +55 82 3355-1186
• Instagram: @restaurante_lua_cheia