Restaurante Belém is a long-standing favourite in Pirenópolis for traditional Goiano cooking, served buffet-style at lunch in the Brazilian self-service tradition. The spread includes arroz com pequi (rice with the distinctive yellow cerrado fruit), frango ao molho pardo (chicken in a dark giblet sauce), feijão tropeiro (beans with cassava flour and bacon), and fresh salads. The flavours are earthy and satisfying — this is farm country cooking, and Belém does it well.
The restaurant is in a colonial building near the centre, with tables on a shaded veranda. Weekend lunches can be busy; weekday visits are calmer. Prices are very reasonable by any standard, and the variety on the buffet changes daily according to what's in season.