Canto do Alumiá is a family-run restaurant in Praia Grande that has built a loyal following for its honest, home-style Maranhão cooking. The menu is short and changes daily, based on what's available at the market: crab in coconut milk, fried fish with farofa, and whatever greens and stews the owner's grandmother used to make. Ask what's fresh and order that.
The place is small — maybe a dozen tables in a tiled room — and lunchtimes fill up quickly with local workers who know they'll get the best crab in the neighbourhood for a price that doesn't hurt. Don't come looking for a refined dining experience. Come for real food cooked with conviction.