Sweet Temptations

Sweet Temptations

Rio has a fine selection of irresistible dessert parlors perfect for a day-time outing or a post-dinner stop.

The Bakers (Rua Visconde de Pirajá 330, Ipanema. 21/3201-5050. www.thebakers.com.br) is a great choice for delicious cookies and cakes, including a cheesecake make with Brazilian fruits.

The mouthwatering cakes and pies at Chaika (Rua Visconde de Pirajá 321, Ipanema. 021/2287-8776. www.chaika.com.br) come in flavors as simple as chocolate and as exotic as coconut with pineapple. They are complemented by a great selection of homemade ice creams.

Just two blocks from the beach, quaint hangout Colher de Pau (Rua Farme de Amoedo 39, Ipanema. 021/2523-3018) serves delicious desserts, including a famous coconut pie.

Inside a beautiful, historic ballroom, dessert and teahouse Confeitaria Colombo (Rua Gonçalves Dias 32, Centro. 021/2232-2300. www.confeitariacolombo.com.br) is a perfect place to rest during your tour of Centro. Here you can get the cookie or pastry of your choice, including delicious French profiteroles, as well as traditional Brazilian desserts made with local fruits.

Buffet-style restaurant Da Silva (Rua Barão da Torre 600, Ipanema. 021/2521-1289) specializes in typical Portuguese desserts.

[/r] The dozens of dessert selections at Doce Delicia (Rua Anibal de Mendonça 55, Ipanema. 021/2259-0239) ranges from international favorites like a traditional chocolate cake to local specialities, such as a delicious guava paste.

Still operated by the same Austrian family that opened it in the 1970s, Kurt (Rua General Urquiza 117, Leblon. 021/2294-0599. www.confeitariakurt.com.br) specializes in traditional European desserts like Austrian Sacher torte, German strudel, and Black Forest cake, with a few Brazil-inspired choices, like passion-fruit mousse cake.

For ice cream, you can't do better than Mil Frutas (Rua Garcia d'Avila, Ipanema. 021/2521-1384.) You could go for plain old chocolate, by why not chocolate with maracujá (passion fruit) instead? The canela com gengibre (cinnamon with ginger) is highly recommended, as are some of the more exotic fruit flavors unique to Brazil, like acerola and açaí.