You won't find many classy restaurants in the centre of town , though there are a number of good (and cheap) comida por kilo places near the Palacio de Anchieta along the Escadaria Maria Ortiz stairway; the best, with a great selection of both mineiro and local dishes, is D'Barro Restaurante at no. 29. For something a little different, a cheap and simple Lebanese option is the Emporio Arabe at Rua Dionisio Rosendo 56 (Mon-Sat lunch only). Otherwise, even the most humble lanchonete will tend to have one or two local seafood dishes on offer beside the usual salgados and hot dogs.

For better eating, however, the beaches , or rather the districts just inland from them, are the places to head for. Camburi , especially, has a large concentration of restaurants (the green buses to the airport will take you past several). Perhaps the best place to sample an authentic moqueca is at Dona Candida e Bigode at Rua Helena Muller 244, Bairro Jesus de Nazareth (closed Mon & Sun evening; tel 027/325-4483). Located in a poor neighbourhood mainly inhabited by fisherfolk, the restaurant serves wonderfully creative seafood dishes that attract people from all over the city. Similar regional fare, but served in more sophisticated surroundings, is available at many other places: good choices are Partida Alto at Av. Dante Michelini 4367, Praia de Camburi (tel 027/337-4510), and Pirao at Rua Joaquim Lirio 753, Triangulo dos Bermudas, Praia do Canto (closed Mon; tel 027/227-1165). Vitoria also has some good (but expensive) Portuguese restaurants, the best by far being Lareira Portuguesa at Av. Saturnino de Brito 260, Praia do Canto (closed Mon & Sun evening; tel 027/345-0329). There are Japanese restaurants too, taking advantage of the availability of excellent seafood: good, and quite reasonably priced, is Kotobuki at Rua Afonso Claudio 60, Praia do Canto (evenings only, closed Mon; tel 027/225-8721).