Right in front of the Teatro Amazonas, Tacacá da Gisela (Largo São Sebastião, Centro, tel. 92/8803-4901, 4–10 p.m. daily) has become a tourist attraction in its own right. The thick broth featuring tucupi, jambu leaves and shrimp prepared by tacaqueira Rosa Maria is considered the best in town. Chairs set up on the sidewalk make this a relaxing place to hang out, especially on Wednesday afternoons when local musicians get together to jam.

Casa da Pamonha (Rua Barroso 375, Centro tel. 92/3233-1028, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Mon.–Sat.) is a simple little place where locals stop by throughout the day for baked goods and coffee as well as the beloved caboclinho sandwiches. During lunch, there is a nicely priced vegetarian per kilo self-service buffet.

For a simple dinner, join locals who head to Casa da Sopa (Av. Constelação 22, Conjunto Morada do Sol, Aleixo, tel. 92/3648-8667, www.casadasopamanaus.com, 7 p.m.–midnight Tues.–Sun., R$10), where you can eat soup to your heart’s content for a fixed price. The casa makes over 80 varieties of steaming broth, ranging from chicken noodle to Amazonian inventions such as pirarucu with banana and heart of palm. On any given night, there are 14 varieties to choose from. Modeled after an indigenous dwelling, the restaurant is outfitted with local woods and palm fibers, imbuing it with a mellow vibe.

Nothing staves off Manaus’s heat better than an ice cream. With nine locations to choose from, Glacial (Av. Getúlio Vargas 188, Centro Comercial Amazônia, Centro, tel. 92/3233-7940, www.glacial.com.br, 10 a.m.–11:30 p.m. daily) serves up some of the best in town by mixing Italian gelato-making techniques with Amazonian ingredients such as Brazil nuts, tucumã, taperabá, and pupunha.