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$$ | Centro |
Facing the patio at the cool, whitewashed Paço Imperial (The Imperial Palace) and close to the Palacio Tirandentes in the Praça XV square, this charming little bistro is a good option for a light lunch, coffee, or snack for Centro sightseers. European influences abound, and the vegetarian-friendly menu includes salads, quiches, and grilled fish; make sure to leave room for the tempting desserts.
Praça Quinze de Novembro 48, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 23595-180, Brazil
Known For
- Intimate views of the Imperial Palace
- Cozy atmosphere
- Warm apple strudel
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner., Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | Ipanema |
Rio fairly bursts with pizza places, but this upmarket chain's Ipanema branch emerges at the top of the list. Wood-fired, thin-crust pizzas are made with imported Italian flour, and the toppings—from wild mushrooms and handmade buffalo mozzarella to wafer-thin Parma ham and fresh tuna—are of the highest quality; there are branches in Jardim Botânico, Barra da Tijuca, Copacabana, and the beach resort of Búzios.
Rua Vinicius de Moraes 134, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22420–021, Brazil
Known For
- Wood-fired oven
- Prime people-watching location
- Gluten-free pizzas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | Ipanema |
Restaurants traditionally serve feijoada, Brazil's savory national dish, on Saturday, but here the huge pots of the substantial stew simmer every day; it's a great option for groups or when you are particularly hungry. The menu also features options such as baked chicken, shrimp in coconut milk, grilled trout, and filet mignon, and the caipirinhas are made not only with lime but also with tangerine, passion fruit, pineapple, strawberry, or kiwi.
Rua Prudente de Morais 10, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22420–040, Brazil
Known For
- The set-menu, complete with black-bean soup, dessert, and a caipirinha
- A quintessential Brazilian dining experience
- Romeo and Juliet dessert (guava compote with fresh cheese)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$$ | Leblon |
One of an increasing number of organic eateries in Rio, Celeiro is a combination café and health-food store that's popular with models and other body-conscious locals. The restaurant operates on a pay-by-weight system, and the expensive buffet features a staggering 50 types of salad, as well as oven-baked pies, whole-wheat pastries, fish and chicken dishes, and low-calorie desserts.
Rua Dias Ferreira 199, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22431–050, Brazil
Known For
- Delicious homemade breads
- Pay-by-weight buffet system with 50 types of salads
- Café and health-food store in one
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner, Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | Leblon |
Opened in 2017, the latest restaurant from leading Franco-Brazilian chef Claude TroisGros is reliably packed every night of the week with well-to-do locals feasting on gourmet Brazilian dishes in a fun, buzzy atmosphere. Dishes are served tapas-style and come crafted from an open-plan kitchen set smack in the center of the restaurant, so you can watch the chefs at work while you sip the house bubbly.
Rua Conde de Bernadotte 26, Loja Q & R, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22430-200, Brazil
Known For
- Raw scallop ravioli
- Foie gras duck egg
- Vibrant 'see-and-be-seen' atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$$ | Copacabana |
The most lavish of Copacabana Palace's three restaurants is this homage to Northern-Italian cooking, set overlooking the enormous swimming pool and replete in soft lighting, velvet chairs, and impeccable staff. A contender for the most formal restaurant in Rio, it's a serious special treat to feast on fabulous fresh pasta and sip a Cipriani (champagne muddled with fresh peach juice).
Av. Atlântica 1702, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22021–001, Brazil
Known For
- Homemade gnocchi with lobster
- Impeccable fine-dining contrasted by bikini bathers by the pool
- Live pianist
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Leblon |
The city's most celebrated chef—Claude Troisgros—has changed the face of the all-you-can-eat churrascaria with this chic bistro. Unlike at traditional rodizios, where waiters deliver cut after cut of meat, here they dash from table to table with steaming plates of roasted palm hearts, stuffed tomatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, and other meat-free sides to accompany meaty mains like the substantial prime rib or the more accessibly priced house burger.
Rua Dias Ferreira 636, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22431–050, Brazil
Known For
- Charming French-style interiors
- The banana 'farofa' breadcrumbs
- Never-ending flow of vegetable plates
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$$$$ | Leme |
A world away from the touristy restaurants that line Copacabana's beachfront, this refined Italian restaurant is easily overlooked but well worth seeking out. The menu celebrates Italy's diverse regional cuisines, including wonderful homemade pastas, quality meats, and delicious desserts. The knowledgeable staff can advise you about appropriate wine pairings—helpful, as the list is extensive.
Rua Antônio Vieira 18, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22010–100, Brazil
Known For
- Fish-stuffed ravioli with saffron and shrimp sauce
- Delicious desserts like tiramisu
- Elegant interiors
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Ipanema |
This up-market churrascaria is famed for the quality of its grilled meats, which are served in a sleek wooden dining room on a quiet tree-lined street in Ipanema. All the grilled dishes come with fried palm hearts, seasoned rice, and a choice of fried, baked, or sautéed potatoes.
Rua Barão da Torre 600, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22411–002, Brazil
Known For
- The T-bone
- The picanha (a brazilian cut of beef with little fat)
- Attentive service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | Ipanema |
Owned by the Italian Fasano chain, this award-strewn and beautifully appointed restaurant is frequently cited as the best Italian in Rio, although quality like this comes at a cost. The high-ceilinged, wooden-floor building exhibits the clean, contemporary design that is the Fasano hallmark and the menu contains wonderful pastas and risottos, as well as excellent fish and meat dishes; a second Rio branch operates in Barra da Tijuca.
Rua Anibal de Mendonca 157, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22410–050, Brazil
Known For
- Plentiful vegetarian options in a meat-heavy menu
- The tiramisu, a perfect blend of creamy, espresso-laced mascarpone
- Elegant surroundings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$ | Ipanema |
A prime Ipanema location paired with great service and elegant design make this trendy sushi spot a good option for a great meal surrounded by well-dressed locals. Long lines are common, so go early or sip sake in the street while you wait---just don’t miss the daily specials or the trio of nigiri (thin slices of raw fish over vinegar rice).
Rua Aníbal de Mendonça 132, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22410-050, Brazil
Known For
- Innovative combinations of sushi and sashimi
- Extensive sake menu
- Nigiri (thin slices of raw fish over vinegar rice)
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$$$$ | Botafogo |
The winning combination of great service, a vibrant atmosphere, and reliably delicious finedining ensures this light-filled converted town house is almost always packed. A great option for both lunch and dinner, flavors in the tapas-style dishes are sophisticated yet fresh, with highlights including the lamb tacos and the scallops with leek.
Rua Conde de Irajá 109, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22271-020, Brazil
Known For
- Brazilian wine list focused on independent vineyards
- Signature caipirinhas
- Stylish design
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$$ | Jardim Botânico |
Located a stone’s throw from Rio’s Botanical Gardens, this cozy bakery is a great pit stop for lazy brunches, light lunches, or afternoon snacks pre- or post-stroll through the gardens. French owners are behind the buttery croissants, homemade breads, fresh juices, delicious cakes, organic coffee, and sophisticated sandwiches.
Rua Pacheco Leão 320, Loja D,, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22460-030, Brazil
Known For
- Desserts like tapioca cake with dulce de leche caramel
- 'La Pascualina' spinach quiche
- Hibiscus iced tea
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$$$$ | Ipanema |
A block from Ipanema Beach, Margutta has a reputation for outstanding Mediterranean-style seafood, such as shrimp panfried in olive oil, white wine, and garlic; and lobster baked with butter and saffron rice. There's a handful of vegetarian options including mixed-vegetable risotto with truffle oil.
Av. Henrique Dumont 62, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22410–060, Brazil
Known For
- Oven-baked whole fish
- Seafood risotto
- Strong wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., Credit cards accepted
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$$$ | Botafogo |
Blink and you could miss this hip Botafogo eatery housed in a tiny white colonial building and furnished entirely with pieces from the 1950s to the 1970s. The French–Brazilian owners have created a relaxed, casual dining space where they prepare hearty portions of tasty comfort food and award-winning cocktails that draw a bohemian crowd.
Rua General Góes Monteiro 34, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22290–080, Brazil
Known For
- Vegetarian specials such as the lentil ragu with mushrooms and spiced okra
- Kitsch design
- Rum-based basil julep
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Credit cards accepted, Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Leblon |
While rising star Felipe Bronze has long been known for his avant-garde Brazilian tasting menus, his approach has found a welcomed simplicity since he moved fine-dining restaurant Oro from its Jardim Botanico location to Leblon in 2016. The menu, which changes every 45 days at this light-filled open-floor-plan restaurant, features a series of small, elaborately prepared dishes, including a tiny burger made of duck confit and foie-gras powder and served with guava "ketchup."
Av. Gen. San Martin 889, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22441-015, Brazil
Known For
- 48-hour braised ox rib
- Four- and nine-course tasting menus
- Palm heart toasted with bottarga caviar
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Tues.--Fri., Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Grumari |
Set overlooking the vast Guaratiba flatlands and enveloped in dense forest, the seafood-focused menu at this casual restaurant is best known for its moqueca stew and spectacular sunsets. The colorful flora and glorious vistas give the feeling of being far out of town (you'll need a car to get here), but it's a great place to stop between visits to Grumari beach and Sitio Roberto Burle Marx.
Estrada do Grumari 2710, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 23020–340, Brazil
Known For
- Nearly flawless passionfruit caipirinhas
- Sunset views
- Deep-fried shrimp pastries
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | Leme |
Traditional Spanish seafood casseroles are a strong suit at this small restaurant on a shady street, which has been attracting locals for more than 70 years; the waiters, clad in white suits, add to the nostalgic 70's atmosphere. A line snakes around the block at peak hours, but it's worth the wait to find a table: the food, served in generous portions big enough to share, is terrific.
Rua Gustavo Sampaio 610, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22010–010, Brazil
Known For
- Seafood paella
- Friendly, attentive service
- Traditional atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, Reservations not accepted
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$$ | Centro |
A smaller, more laid-back neighbor to the long-established samba party at Rio Scenarium, Santo Scenarium shares its parent club’s passion for grandiose interiors, and the split-level space here is packed with ornate pillars, carved cherubs, and borderline-kitsch religious artifacts. While there’s live music on the upper floor by night (a cover of around R$20 applies), at lunchtime the kitchen serves tasty Brazilian classics; a prime spot at the heart of Rio’s oldest street in the party district of Lapa makes it a top stop for history and architecture buffs as well as for music-loving night owls.
Rua do Lavradio 36, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 20230–070, Brazil
Known For
- Fun, kitsch decor
- Live jazz and bossa nova
- Vibrant local scene
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner. Closed weekends.
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$$$ | Leblon |
Bringing the concept of Italian stuzzichini (tapas-style small plates of food for sharing), Stuzzi has evolved into a star of Leblon's Rua Dias Ferreira foodie strip. It's the perfect late-night spot for a light dinner or snacks while sipping from the array of expertly shaken cocktails.
Rua Dias Ferreira 48, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22431–050, Brazil
Known For
- Impressive cocktail menu including perfetto limone (a cocktail made with bourbon, limoncello, lemon, passion fruit, and chili pepper)
- Homemade focaccia
- Late-night menu including rice balls and polenta grissini (breadsticks)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No Lunch.
