Itajaí lives on fish. The trawlers that dock at the port supply a steady stream of grouper, snapper, prawns, lobster, octopus, and the local sea bass (robalo). Seafood-focused restaurants along the riverfront and at Praia das Cabeçudas serve simple grilled fish, moqueca-style fish stews with coconut milk and dendê oil, and the Santa Catarina speciality sequência de camarão — eight or nine courses of prawns cooked every imaginable way.
Azorean Portuguese influence shows up in the salt cod (bacalhau) dishes that turn up on most menus. Prices are well below those of Florianópolis or Balneário Camboriú for fish of equal quality.