Country Charm Restaurant New Lenox

In Minas Gerais, where good food can be found anywhere, one type of establishment that is famous for providing people with a burst of flavor are the roadside shacks, or “beira de estrada”, found along the highways that cross the State.

When driving through these roads that connect one city to another, any potential stop is a candidate worth the try. Of course, another good indication if you are looking to be more precise when choosing where to stop is to look for a place with a concentration of trucks in the parking lot. The whole State`s highway network is full of trucks, usually transporting iron ore and other minerals/raw material from the extractive activities that dominate the region since the Brazilian Gold Rush. These drivers talk among themselves when it comes to good food on the way, making a busy parking lot one of the most reliable indicators of where one should stop for a quick meal.

One of the staple dishes of this food culture is a bread and sausage sandwich, often topped with melted cheese. And one of my very favorites can be found at @charmcountry, in an unassuming stop on highway BR 383, just a few kilometers away from the equally famous Café com Prosa.

Here, Charm Country doubles down on the cheese in their version of the sandwich, using pão de queijo as the bread of choice. The sausages are made in house and smoked over the wood fire before ever touching the sizzling griddle that also chars the half-cured cheese.

The place also offers a variety of toppings, including a raw onion salad and different homemade jams (with a special mention to the pineapple and jabuticaba ones).

The sandwich here is fantastic, as is the warming hospitality typical of MG and its people. The nice views of the countryside top things off, making Charm Country the perfect representative of this beautiful roadside culture to make this list.

(Versão em Português nos comentários) Less