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The food here is nothing if not eclectic. Expect to find sushi bars, Italian restaurants, and German biergartens sitting alongside restaurants selling typical Brazilian cuisine. Coastal towns serve a large selection of fresh seafood, and most have a local specialty that's worth trying. Beachfront restaurants, especially the ubiquitous baracas (kiosks), can be a pleasant surprise and most will bring food and drink right up to your chosen spot on the sands.
Paraty and Búzios have excellent restaurants serving international cuisine. During high season they fill up beginning at 10 pm and may not close until after sunrise. Restaurants in Petrópolis and Teresópolis serve European cuisine and comida mineira, the hearty, meaty fare from Minas Gerais. Generally, dinner starts at seven and restaurants close around midnight.
To be on the safe side, don't buy seafood from venders strolling along the beach. Be especially careful about the oysters in Búzios and Cabo Frio, which may not be as fresh as the vendor claims.
Often cited as one of the best restaurants in Búzios, French-inspired Cigalon is an elegant establishment with a veranda overlooking the beach. Though the waiters are bow-tied and the tables covered with crisp linens and lighted by flickering candles, the place still has an unpretentious feel.
Overlooking beautiful Praia Brava, relaxed but sophisticated Rocka is one of Búzios's gastronomic highlights as it focuses on superbly fresh, locally sourced seafood that's combined with seasonal fruit, vegetables, and herbs to wonderful effect. A favorite with surfers, come well before lunch so you can spend the day lounging on sun beds or arrive just before sunset when locals stop by for cocktails.
A pancake house might seem an unlikely meeting point for partiers, but this Belgian-owned crêperie is indeed the hangout of choice for many hip young things in Búzios. Locals and tourists alike flock to the street-side tables after dark to soak up the scene and listen to live DJ sets while tucking into their choice of over 50 savory and sweet fillings. By day it's a quieter affair and popular with families.
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