Orlando Bezerra de Menezes Airport

Juazeiro do Norte's little airport punches above its weight when it comes to feeding hungry travelers, largely because the city itself is so proud of its Cariri culinary identity. The single terminal keeps things compact, but you'll find a handful of snack counters and a modest food court area near the departure gates where regional flavors take center stage. Don't be surprised to find locals lingering over coffee long after their boarding calls — the pace here is decidedly northeastern.

The standout choice airside is the caldo de mocotó, a rich, gelatinous beef-trotter broth that Cariri cooks have perfected over generations, often available from the hot-food counter in the mornings. Pair it with a tapioca stuffed with coalho cheese and you've got a breakfast that will carry you through a full travel day. Baião de dois — rice and feijão verde cooked together with dried meat and butter — appears on the lunch menu at the main counter and is worth every fork-twisting minute of the layover.

For something lighter, grab a rapadura candy or a pacote of biscoito de nata from the small retail shelf near the check-in area; both make ideal edible souvenirs if your carry-on has room. Fresh caldo de cana, sugarcane juice pressed to order, occasionally appears from a portable machine and is as refreshing as it sounds after the dry Ceará heat outside. The coffee, brewed strong and sweetened the way the sertão likes it, is poured generously and costs almost nothing — a small but memorable kindness before you lift off.