turismo ·
All-you-can-eat and pay-by-weight lunch in Foz do Iguaçu: where to eat well for less
Marco Três newsroom · edited by Annie Grellmann
How Brazil's 'por quilo' system works and which downtown spots are worth the stop, with addresses and hours
For a good, cheap lunch in Foz do Iguaçu, head to a 'por quilo' restaurant: you fill your plate at the buffet, it goes on a scale, and you pay by weight. The classics sit downtown around Rua Tarobá and Av. Juscelino Kubitschek, with prices in the range of R$ 60 per kilo.
Quick answer: Pay-by-weight restaurants in Foz do Iguaçu charge approximately R$ 60 per kilo, with the best-known spots like Boka Loka, Marias e Maria, Hokila, and Miss Laura located downtown around Rua Tarobá, Avenida Brasil, and Avenida Juscelino Kubitschek. You serve yourself from the buffet, pay per gram after the plate's weight is subtracted, and can return for additional portions. For all-you-can-eat, try Cantina 4 Sorelle, which offers Italian cuisine Monday to Saturday, 11:30 am to 2:30 pm.
The most practical lunch in Foz do Iguaçu between sightseeing stops is the 'por quilo' (pay-by-weight) restaurant, a Brazilian staple most visitors have never met: you pay for what your plate weighs, not per person. The best-known spots sit downtown, around Rua Tarobá, Av. Brasil and Av. Juscelino Kubitschek, with lunch in the range of R$ 60 per kilo according to the travel-cost site Quanto Custa Viajar.
How pay-by-weight works
Take an empty plate, serve yourself from the buffet (salads, hot dishes, sides, often barbecue carved on the spot) and put the plate on the scale before you sit down. You pay per gram; the plate's own weight is already subtracted. Drinks and dessert are charged separately. Serve yourself small portions and go back as often as you like: each round is weighed on its own.
Pay-by-weight downtown
Boka Loka is the best-known name in the category, voted the city's top pay-by-weight spot in the 2019 PTG award by TOPVIEW magazine. The main house is at Av. Juscelino Kubitschek 1656, with an express branch at Rua Tarobá 814, right downtown. Its signature dish is the house-style chicken.
Marias e Maria, at Av. Brasil 505, is a traditional bakery-café that runs a pay-by-weight lunch buffet, with the pastry counter next door for dessert.
Hokila, at Av. Juscelino Kubitschek 545, does Chinese food by weight: yakisoba and stir-fried chicken straight from the counter.
Miss Laura, at Rua Tarobá 719, runs a fully gluten-free and lactose-free buffet, rare in the region.
All-you-can-eat and pasta
Cantina 4 Sorelle, at Rua Almirante Barroso 1336, serves lunch Monday to Saturday, 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, both ways: all-you-can-eat or by weight, with Italian cooking.
Minas Gerais home cooking
Barracão, at Av. Anhembi 1010, has served a Minas-style buffet for over 30 years, with roasted ribs and feijoada on Saturdays. Lunch runs 11:30 am to 4 pm, longer than average.
Ponto Mineiro JL, on level L3 of Cataratas JL Shopping on Av. Juscelino Kubitschek, covers lunch if you are already at the mall.
To spend less
The buffet at the Super Muffato supermarket, Av. Juscelino Kubitschek 1565, is known for low prices. No restaurant atmosphere, but the line moves fast.
Tip
Downtown lunch peaks from noon to 1:30 pm; arrive before 12 and you get a freshly stocked buffet and no line at the scale. Prices change — check on site.
Frequently asked questions
- How does pay-by-weight food work in Brazil?
- You serve yourself from the buffet, put your plate on a scale and pay by weight, per gram. The plate's weight is subtracted automatically; drinks and dessert are charged separately. In Foz the reference is around R$ 60 per kilo.
- Where can I find pay-by-weight restaurants in Foz do Iguaçu?
- Downtown: Boka Loka Express (Rua Tarobá 814), Miss Laura (Rua Tarobá 719), Marias e Maria (Av. Brasil 505) and Hokila (Av. Juscelino Kubitschek 545). Barracão, at Av. Anhembi 1010, serves a Minas-style buffet.
- Is there an all-you-can-eat buffet in Foz do Iguaçu?
- Cantina 4 Sorelle, at Rua Almirante Barroso 1336, serves lunch Monday to Saturday, 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, either all-you-can-eat or by weight, with Italian cooking.
- How much does a por quilo lunch cost?
- The city reference is in the range of R$ 60 per kilo, according to the travel-cost site Quanto Custa Viajar. A normal plate weighs well under a kilo. Prices change — check on site, always in Brazilian reais (R$).
- Are there gluten-free options?
- Yes. Miss Laura, at Rua Tarobá 719, runs a pay-by-weight buffet that is fully gluten-free and lactose-free, including desserts.
- What time should I go for lunch?
- Before noon: the buffet is freshly stocked and there is no line at the scale. Peak time is noon to 1:30 pm, and most places serve until 2:30 or 3 pm; Barracão goes until 4 pm.
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