Manaus is a delight for fish lovers. Although the region’s river boasts more than 2,000 species, four in particular are likely to make an appearance on your plate. The meat of the gigantic pirarucu is used to make everything from crunchy bolinhos and soups to stews such as pirarucu de casaca, in which it is dressed in a “coat” (casaco) of potatoes, olives, onions, tomatoes and boiled eggs.

Tambaqui is delicious when roasted in its skin over hot charcoal. Tucunaré is a popular ingredient in caldeiradas, thick chowders that are seasoned with tucupi and jambu leaves. And of course, you’ve heard of piranha, which (when defanged) makes a delicious soup that is considered to be an aphrodisiac.

Also irresistible are the endless variety of Amazonian fruits. Botanists have uncovered 200 types (and are still counting). Indians believe the forest’s fruits are divine gifts. You’ll find it easy to concur when you savor fruits such as maracujá-de-mato (a type of wild passion fruit), biribá, sapucaia, bajurá, piquiá, as well as the more popular cupuaçu, bacuri, and açai, all of which are used to make fresh juices, ice creams, and myriad desserts.

Although not quite as big as the ones Carmen Miranda wore on her head, giant pacova bananas grow to lengths of 50 centimeters (20 inches). In the center of town, you’ll find barracas where you can purchase fried pacova chips or pacova cubes that are drizzled in condensed milk.

Also don’t skip town without biting into a sanduíche caboclinho, a vegetarian offering made with a baguette and slices of a yellow Amazonian fruit known as tucumã. Since the fruit is pretty strong, you might want to dilute it by ordering a x-caboclinho, in which the tucumã is attenuated with melted coalho cheese (“x”).