When in Brasil, Make Sure to Try Feijoada…Just Make Sure to Do It on Wednesday or Saturday!

Often considered Brasil’s National Dish, feijoada is a hearty dish consisting of black beans, onion, garlic and a variety of meats—most commonly pork—slow cooked into a robust stew, served with farofa and white rice. It’s certainly something to try if you want to live like a Brazilian, but make sure you’re aware of your days.

You see, whether you plan to eat at someone’s house or in a restaurant, feijoada is only available on Wednesdays and Saturdays (with the occasional Sunday offering). That’s right—restaurants actually serve dishes only on particular days with all following the same cultural norms.

I couldn’t imagine such a practice being followed in the US—when we want something, we want it now. Sure, maybe pizza places are a little busier on Friday nights, but nobody’s going to tell me they can’t serve me pizza on a Wednesday, so long as my credit card works.

It has taken some getting used to, but I finally have a grasp on what foods go with what days of the week in Brazil, some of which are listed below. And while that knowledge may have almost no practical use—what is served is what I eat anyway—at least it helps me refrain for getting my heart set on feijoada when it won’t be possible to eat.