Val de Cans/Júlio Cezar Ribeiro International Airport

Belém is one of Brazil's great food cities, and even a quick layover at Val de Cans gives you a genuine taste of the Amazon pantry. The main terminal's food court sits landside near the check-in hall and airside past security, and both areas have improved considerably in recent years. You'll find branches of recognizable Brazilian chains alongside smaller regional counters that actually make the stop worthwhile — particularly if your flight home is your last chance to eat something truly Amazonian.

The standout is açaí, served thick and unsweetened in the Paraense style — nothing like the sweetened bowls you'll find in the south of Brazil or abroad. Look for counters selling it alongside tapioca crêpes stuffed with queijo coalho or local shrimp. Tacacá, the iconic shrimp-and-jambu broth that tingles your lips and tongue thanks to the electric jambu herb, is occasionally available at dedicated regional stalls, though availability varies by time of day. If you spot it, order it — it's one of the most singular food experiences the Amazon has to offer.

For a fuller sit-down option before your flight, a handful of casual restaurants near the departure gates serve peixe grelhado — grilled freshwater fish like tambaqui or pirarucu — with rice, farofa, and vinagrete. It's unfussy and honest, the kind of meal that actually sticks with you. Coffee drinkers should seek out locally roasted Amazonian blends at the café kiosks; the region produces some of Brazil's most underrated beans, and a small cup before boarding is a quietly perfect send-off.