Rio Culinary Adventure

Our Local Expert Says:

A popular place with surfers taking advantage of the great waves at Arproador. The beach is lit and relatively safe at night, allowing 'surfistas' to carry on well past sunset.

Description:

With a great location right on the beach at popular surf spot Arpoador, this small hotel offers fantastic value for money. Arpoador lies between the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, so beach bunnies will be spoilt for choice. The road in front of the hotel is completely closed to traffic, and guests eating at the hotel restaurant can enjoy their meals and drinks right on the sands.

Our Local Expert Says:

You have a choice of eating in or take away ('para viagem'), and there's a great health food store tagged onto the side of this restaurant.

Description:

New Natural is a fantastic health food buffet. It's largely veggie-friendly, with a lot of soy dishes, although chicken and fish do make an appearance. The nourishing and delicious soups, pastries and hot dishes are popular with Ipanema's health-conscious beachgoers, as well as with travelers staying at 'Hostel Alley', the strip of backpacker accommodation next door to the restaurant.

Our Local Expert Says:

Don't be startled by locals jumping on and off the tram as it clatters along - an unwritten rule holds that the ride is free for anyone who travels standing on the platforms on the side of the tram.

Description:

The Santa Teresa bonde (streetcar) is the last reminder of what was once Rio's principle form of public transport. But far from being just a historical artifact, the rattling yellow tram is great fun to ride, as it clatters over the iconic Arcos da Lapa and up the winding cobbled streets of Santa Teresa. Locals jump on and off the bonde as it rattles by – there is no charge for those who choose to stand on the running board instead of taking a seat. There are two lines – one to Paulo Mattos, and one to Dois Irmaoes. Both pass tram stops at Largo do Curvelo, where there is regular live samba on Sundays, and Largo do Guimaraes, which is the central point for the neighborhood's many excellent bars, restaurants and shops. Jump off at either point and you will be well-placed for exploring this bucolic neighborhood.

Our Local Expert Says:

By day, Santa Teresa is a great place to pick up some arty knick-knacks and enjoy a bite to eat in one of the many traditional restaurants. By night, the neighborhood becomes a hip hangout for bohemian types of all ages, as the bars, cafes and restaurants become packed with students, musicians and artists.

Description:

Once home to Rio's wealthiest inhabitants, the charming hillside neighborhood of Santa Teresa began to fall into disrepair during the 1960s and 70s, when the emergence of favelas nearby drove the rich towards the city's beaches. Artists and musicians moved into the abandoned mansions, and today Santa Teresa is known as Rio's most bohemian neighborhood. Vintage clothes stores, artists workshops and wonderfully laid-back bars and restaurants make the neighborhood well worth a visit, and the iconic yellow tram that clatters its way along the twisting streets is a joy to ride. Despite its close proximity to the city centre, Santa Teresa has preserved a charming small-town atmosphere, and there is a real community atmosphere to the place. Santa Teresa is well-policed and its reputation as a dangerous area to visit is largely undeserved , however, do take the usual precautions, and take taxis between here and Santa Teresa at night.

Description:

If youre looking for the best weekend nightlife action there's only one place to head - Lapa. And for those on a budget, the good news is that you don't even need to pay to enter a club in order to party until dawn. From Thursday to Saturday (Fridays are busiest), the area around the Lapa arches fills up with partiers, live music, and countless vendors selling food and drink - be sure to try some of the mouthwatering cocktails made with vodka and mango or strawberry. The crowd is mainly young and dress is very relaxed. Live music can crop up anywhere but is most often found on the square next to the famous arches - take care here and in other crowded paces as the area is rife with pickpockets.

Our Local Expert Says:

Arrive early or book in advance to grab a table on the outside terrace and enjoy terrific views over Santa Teresa

Description:

The antique street car that rattles through Rio's Santa Teresa district passes right in front of this bar/restaurant serving terrific pan-Brazilian dishes. Much use is made of ingredients native to the country - most notably Amazonia. If piranha soup sounds a little too adventurous, try the mixed entree which combines tasty nibbles such as fresh palm heart and acai (Amazonian berry) chutney. Alongside excellent fish, seafood and meat dishes are some good vegetarian options - try the mixed root vegetables topped with abobora (similar to pumpkin) and melted cheese. Chef Natacha Fink has picked up a string of awards for her work here, and it's not hard to see why. The wine list is also decent, and the caipirinhas made with passionfruit are delicious.

Description:

A lively place featuring live samba music and dancing, open late at weekends, call for listings and opening times.

Description:

Relax with a frothy coffee or tangy fruit cocktail and soak up the opulence at this antique coffee house and restaurant.


The sprawling building is full of historic charm, and was the favored meeting point of carioca high society during Brazil's Belle Epoque.


There's formal dining in the upstairs restaurant, light meals and snacks below and, front of house, a stand-up snack bar selling tasty sweet and savory pastries and expressos to office workers on the go.

Description:

It occupies a lofty location on the top floor of the Sofitel Rio hotel, but Le Pre Catalan is far more than just a hotel restaurant. French chef Roland Villard has won countless awards for his finely-crafted dishes, and Le Pre Catalan is widely considered to be among the best restaurants in Rio. Villard keeps things interesting by changing the menu fortnightly, and those who really want to indulge might want to try the taster menu, which costs around R$200, or choose one of the fixed-price set menus which range in price from R$170 for three courses to R$220 for a staggering 10 courses.

Description:

There's more to Rio's cocktail scene than the ubiquitous caipirinha, and nowhere is this better demonstrated than at Drinkeria Maldita, where a staggering 98 different type of mixed drinks are available. Among the stars of the drinks menu are the aptly-named Diablo, which combines tequila with lemon and pepper, and the Caipisake – a caipirinha made with sake instead of cachaca. Try the cocktail degustation menu – four different cocktails mixed to perfection by the expert bartenders. The food menu, meanwhile, offers very good sandwiches, salads and burgers, including soya options for vegetarians.

Description:

Any bar named after the controversial American writer Charles Bukowski is bound to be a little different from the norm, and this kooky Botafogo hangout is no run of the mill bar. In a converted colonial building, it is not unusual to be served a shisha pipe by a dwarf, and the DJs spin some interesting tracks too. Expect the unexpected.

Our Local Expert Says:

A popular place with surfers taking advantage of the great waves at Arproador. The beach is lit and relatively safe at night, allowing 'surfistas' to carry on well past sunset.

Description:

With a great location right on the beach at popular surf spot Arpoador, this small hotel offers fantastic value for money. Arpoador lies between the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, so beach bunnies will be spoilt for choice. The road in front of the hotel is completely closed to traffic, and guests eating at the hotel restaurant can enjoy their meals and drinks right on the sands.

Description:

Shopaholics simply can't afford to miss this – the famous market held every Sunday in Ipanema. This is a large square just a couple of streets back from the beach, opposite the Zona Sul supermarket. Otherwise known as Feira de Arte de Ipanema, the fair is not just for hippies – the sprawling market sells everything from gorgeous handmade jewelry and pretty dresses, to paintings, figurines, and numerous arty knick knacks. You can also pick up the more obvious tourist stuff here – replica football shirts, baseball caps etc, and watch out for 'Pelé' – the guy in a Brazil football kit who manages to keep the ball up, on his head, feet, chest etc, for hours at a time, all the while blowing a referee's whistle! You'll need to set aside a good couple of hours to see everything, there are so many stalls to browse around and so many tempting wares on offer.

Our Local Expert Says:

Opt for French-inspired dishes here, this place is widely considered to offer the best French bistro food in Rio.

Description:

Flavia Queresma, the exuberant head chef at Careme Bistro, is something of a television celebrity in Brazil. But while her on-screen persona has won her legions of fans, it's the quality of food that makes her restaurant such a hit. Housed in a small colonial building on a quiet Botafogo street, Careme enjoys a relaxed, dimly-lit bistro ambience and the mood is refreshingly unpretentious. The restaurant is located in a small, old house on one of the quietest streets in Botafogo. For a real gourmet experience, opt for the taster menu - starters, mains and desserts served in miniature portions.

Description:

Don't be put off by the name, which means "big pig" in Portuguese, this legendary churrascaria caters to a well-heeled crowd. The decor is sophisticated, the ambience is relaxed, and the food is of the very highest quality. Waiters brandishing spits bring cuts of meat to your table until you can eat no more, while a buffet invites you to try excellent salads, sushi, pasta dishes, cheeses, breads, olives and countless other treats.

Our Local Expert Says:

A popular place with surfers taking advantage of the great waves at Arproador. The beach is lit and relatively safe at night, allowing 'surfistas' to carry on well past sunset.

Description:

With a great location right on the beach at popular surf spot Arpoador, this small hotel offers fantastic value for money. Arpoador lies between the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, so beach bunnies will be spoilt for choice. The road in front of the hotel is completely closed to traffic, and guests eating at the hotel restaurant can enjoy their meals and drinks right on the sands.