Typical Food of Alagoas: What to Try in Maceió

Alagoas cooking is born where lagoon, sea and sugarcane meet. The Mundaú and Manguaba lagoons provide shellfish and fish. The sea brings shrimp and coastal fish. Coconut goes into almost everything. And sugar, the backbone of the state’s economy for centuries, shows up in the sweets. Get to know the dishes that best represent Alagoas and learn what to order in Maceió.

Sururu: the symbol of Alagoas

Sururu is a small dark-shelled mussel that lives in the muddy beds of the lagoons, especially Mundaú Lagoon, next to Maceió. It’s harvested by hand and supports many families who live on the lagoon shore.

In December 2014, the Alagoas State Council of Culture approved the registration of sururu as intangible cultural heritage of Alagoas, under the state law on registering intangible assets (Law No. 7,285/2011). In 2024, a Federal Senate news report on the bill that would give Maceió the title of national sururu capital also noted that the mussel “is already intangible heritage of the state”.

How to try it

• Sururu stew (ensopado): the shelled mussel cooked with coconut milk, tomato, onion and cilantro. It usually comes with rice and pirão (a thick fish-broth porridge).
• Sururu de capote: cooked in its own shell, in a seasoned broth. You eat it by opening the shells one by one.
• Sururu caldinho: a broth version, served as a snack.

The lakeside areas, such as Massagueira and Pontal da Barra, are the places most associated with the dish.

Maçunim

Maçunim (also spelled massunim) is another shellfish, smaller and paler than sururu, similar to a clam. It’s served stewed with coconut milk or in broths. It often appears on menus by the lagoon and along the waterfront.

Tapioca

Tapioca, made from cassava starch, is a constant at fairs, kiosks and breakfast tables in Maceió. It can be sweet, with coconut and condensed milk, or savory, with queijo coalho (grilling cheese), carne de sol (salted sun-dried beef) or seafood. It’s a quick meal before or after the beach.

Fish and shrimp

The coast and the lagoons guarantee fresh fish and shrimp in many versions:

• fried or grilled fish, served whole or in steaks;
• moquecas and stews with coconut milk;
• shrimp with garlic and oil, breaded or in sauces;
• fish and shrimp caldinhos (small broths), common at beach shacks.

Lagoon fish and sea fish taste different. Ask what the catch of the day is.

Queijo coalho and carne de sol

A legacy of the Northeastern interior, grilled queijo coalho appears on the beaches, sold hot from the coals. Carne de sol, served with cassava or green beans, is a regular at regional restaurants.

Sweets: sugar on the table

The sugar tradition of Alagoas is reflected in its sweets.

Cocada

Made with coconut and sugar, in white, caramelized or fruit versions. It’s sold at fairs, craft shops and in lakeside villages such as Massagueira.

Chiclete de banana

A banana sweet cooked with sugar until it becomes firm and elastic, hence the name (“banana chewing gum”). It’s usually sold in pieces or jars. It makes a good souvenir.

Other sweets

Regional fruit preserves in syrup or paste, such as guava and cashew, and cassava and corn cakes, common at the June festivals.

Drinks

• Coconut water, sold all along the waterfront.
• Regional fruit juices, such as cashew, mangaba, cajá and soursop.
• Sugarcane juice, linked to the sugarcane tradition.

Quick table: what to order

Food and culture

Alagoas cuisine is tied to life on the lagoons and to popular festivals. Sururu appears in songs, poems and the work of the shellfish gatherers. To understand this context, read Alagoas popular culture and the history of Maceió.

To know which area to look in for each dish, see where to eat in Maceió.