We spent three months in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which gave us plenty of time to find some of the best places to eat in Rio. Whether you’re looking for budget eats (like a great iconic sandwich), splurgy experiences from some of the country’s most creative chefs, or restaurants serving traditional dishes, ingredients, and flavors, we’ve got you covered in this post about where to eat in Rio.

Where to eat in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The restaurant and food scene in Rio is evolving fast, so come hungry! Our next post will reveal where to drink in Rio. But first, here are 27 places to eat in Rio, whether you’re looking for a memorable splurge, a chance to try traditional food, or mid-range and budget-friendly options that deliver great value for money.

Where to eat in Rio: Worthy splurges

Each year, more and more high-end restaurants open in Rio. Here are some top chef-driven restaurants to head to when it’s time for a splurge in Rio.

Oteque

Oteque, in the Botafogo neighborhood, was one of the first restaurants that we ate at in Rio, and it set the bar pretty high. At Oteque, chef Alberto Landgraf crafts 8-course tasting menus, with or without wine pairings, that lean heavily on fish and seafood–though the restaurant does have its own wagyu beef aging case. As usual, we highly recommend splurging for the wine pairing, especially at Oteque. The selections that were poured during our dinner there were extraordinary and truly enhanced dishes like red mullet in a silky parsley and foie gras cream topped with bright trout roe and sliced radish for a peppery crunch (pictured above, bottom left). At Oteque, which has a Michelin star and is ranked  #37 on the 2025 list of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants and #81 on the 2025 list of the World’s Best Restaurants, portions are moderate (so no over-stuffed feeling), the room and place settings are elegant, and the service is precise. As a bonus, this restaurant also has an excellent playlist, as noted in our Best Food of 2025 post.

OCYÁ Ilha

Gerônimo Athuel is a lifelong fisherman turned chef and conservationist who’s committed to using all parts of the fish. He also maintains close relations with artisanal fisherpeople, and finds ways to make less popular fish delicious–in part by pushing the boundaries of fish aging at his two OCYÁ locations in Rio. Both restaurants are excellent. However, we urge you to choose OCYÁ Ilha. Located on Ilha Primeira in the Barra da Tijuca area of Rio, the restaurant can only be reached via a short and scenic water taxi ride. The waterfront restaurant, which opened in 2022, offers a leafy and relaxing atmosphere in lovely surroundings. However, your attention will soon be on the food coming out of the kitchen and off a large patio grill. We found the appetizers to be most interesting, including a tiradito of thick, gorgeous slices of tender fish (most dishes at OCYÁ don’t name the fish type since selections change daily) in a shallow pool of sauce that was so silky and flavorful that we wanted to drink it. And the appetizer of two fish collars, both with a generous portion of meat, came topped with micro-diced chives and peppers over crispy skin to create a smoky, crunchy, and tender winner as well. Part of the pleasure of a meal at OCYÁ, which is recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide to Rio and earned a 50 Best Discovery nod, is knowing that chef Athuels’ thoughtful practices are doing good well beyond the plate.

Gero

Before there was the Fasano Hotel empire, there was Gero restaurant. Created decades ago by Gero Fasano, the restaurant became an iconic hot spot favored by those who want good food and a good scene. In 2022, Gero opened in the Fasano Rio de Janeiro Hotel, but you don’t have to be a hotel guest to grab a table on the patio facing Ipanema Beach or inside the dining room infused with dimly lit gravitas. Waiters in white jackets hustle. People of all ages mingle at the bar (definitely order a rabo de galo cocktail here). And classic Italian dishes don’t disappoint. Perfectly cooked seafood risotto is bursting with whole scallops and calamari. Ravioli stuffed with tender veal comes in an umami-packed mushroom sauce. Carpaccio melts in your mouth as capers and pine nuts add depth and texture. Even the bread course sings with housemade focaccia, ciabatta, baguette, and the best breadsticks we’ve ever had. This is what a hotel restaurant should be.

Chez Claude

Over the years, we’ve developed a keen gut instinct about restaurants, and we’re generally able to read which ones are going to impress and which ones aren’t. But, honestly, we were on the fence about Chez Claude. This iconic restaurant from iconic chef Claude Troisgros had stuffy and staid written all over it thanks to a reputation for French technique prepared by a chef from a culinary dynasty who’s been in the kitchen for decades. On the other hand, Chez Claude earned a 50 Best Discovery nod and is recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide to Rio. So, we decided to give it a try. Deboned quail was glossy and tender and stuffed with rich farofa (toasted and seasoned cassava flour) in a sweet and sour grape sauce on a bed of chopped kale. Claude’s famous Eggs and Caviar dish featured a custardy egg topped with a healthy dose of caviar and a side of farofa (pictured above, top right). And the bruschetta topped with tartare and paper-thin slices of raw scallop with truffle oil and cracked pepper was gorgeous and so delicious (pictured above, top left). Obviously, we were wrong to doubt Chez Claude, as we happily admit in our Best Food of 2025 post.

Toto

Turns out, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, at least not when you’re part of the Troigros dynasty. The son of Claude Troisgros (of Chez Claude, above) is a culinary empire builder in his own right. And while we do not love all of chef Thomas Troisgros’s projects (we really, really wish we’d never eaten at one of the outlets in his worse-than-mediocre TT Burger chain), we loved our lunch at Toto. Located in Ipanema, Toto has a bistro look and feel with black and white tiles on the floor, a central bar area with stools, sidewalk seating, and a semi-open kitchen. Your meal spools out to a soundtrack of Amy Winehouse, Coldplay, Nancy Sinatra, and Soft Cell. Service is attentive but not rushed, and an English-language menu is available. Prices are on the high end compared to comparable restaurants. Like most bistros, the menu at Toto, which is recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide to Rio and received a 50 Best Discovery distinction, offers something for everyone–from seafood to roast beef to pasta to vegetarian dishes. Standouts from our lunch at Toto included pan-seared, boneless, flaky fish of the day with crispy skin in a perfectly emulsified mandarin meunière sauce, along with roasted hearts of palm and salty large capers. And we ate every last bite of our wedge of light Basque pie with salted caramel sauce.

Sud O Pássaro Verde

A charming house in the Jardim Botanico area of Rio is the perfect setting for Sud O Pássaro Verde, which chef Roberta Sudbrack opened after closing her much lauded fine dining restaurant. With Sud, which is recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide to Rio and was a 50 Best Discovery, she’s presenting a simpler, looser approach to cuisine, and there’s much to love. There’s no wine list (options change on a dime). Waiters wear green shorts. Almost every delicious dish is cooked in a large clay oven, and hot cast-iron pans come straight to your table. Portions are ample. The crusty, chewy homemade bread is made with a starter that the chef has been using for more than 20 years. Waks-ins are welcome. For those reasons, and more, Sud made our Best Food of 2025 list.

Sult

For a younger and more modern riff on Italian food, head to Sult. Located in the energetic Botafogo neighborhood, Sult offers a stripped-down space, a playlist heavy on funk and R&B, and some wicked good food. Sweet raw sliced scallops came in a bright leche de tigre made with pomegranate, topped with cured scallops and grated miso for a hit of umami (pictured above, top middle). We saw at least a dozen orders of Sult’s famous (and enormous) lasagne land on tables, but we decided to go with chef Julia Lottus’ off-menu dish of the week: dense and toothsome finger-rolled nubs of pasta in a jammy, roasty tomato sauce full of sliced octopus (pictured above, bottom middle). See which specific dish (hint: it’s pictured above) earned Sult a Best Pasta nod in our Best Food of 2025 post. Oh, and Sult is also recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide to Rio with a Bib Gourmand distinction and was a 50 Best Discovery in 2024. Pro tip: The last time we spoke with Julia, she was hoping to open an “Italian street food” joint next door to Sult.

Brota

Vegetarian food is available in Rio, but it’s often treated in a very casual way. Brota, which got a Bib Gourmand badge in the 2025 Michelin Guide to Rio, takes a different approach to its all-veg menu. Located in the Botafogo neighborhood in a repurposed mansion, Brota chef Roberta Ciasca (who worked at Rio’s renowned Miam Miam) brings serious creativity to the kitchen. The restaurant, however, retains a casual and fun-loving vibe (her menu actually says “Have Fun!”). Plates, such as their famous Brota Burrata V 2 with roasted onions, roasted garlic, lemon zest, basil, fried capers, and hot oil (pictured above, bottom right), are meant to be shared. Order all at once, or add on as you go. Expect international influences like Thai curry, Mexican bean dumplings, and Middle Eastern mushroom shawarma. And don’t disregard Brota’s list of house cocktails (we enjoyed a No. 6 made with tequila, mango puree with Tahiti lemon curry, and orange bitters).

Nosso Ipanema

Is it a bar? Is it a restaurant? Nossa Ipanema is both. This three-level structure offers distinct environments and fosters a young, hip vibe. The first floor is home to a sexy serpentine bar backed by a wall of booze. The second level is an intimate dining mezzanine. And the top level is an al fresco rooftop. A scene like that often translates into good drinks, but mediocre food. But food and drink are both great at Nosso, which is recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide to Rio. Talented bartenders sling all the classics, plus options created in-house to pair well with the wide range of dishes on the menu. Our dinner at Nosso included ceviche–made with tender fish and all the Peruvian touches, including yellow chili, crunchy corn, and slices of sweet potato, along with a mango and chili sorbet–that was the best we had in Rio. And be sure to order a rabo de galo cocktail here as well.

Spicy Fish

This large restaurant on a corner in Ipanema offers a long menu of dishes that call on Japanese and Korean ingredients and influences. At Spicy Fish, Hamachi Yuzu Jalapeno came with eight generous slices of tender and sweet raw yellowtail topped with slices of mild jalapeno in garlic puree and yuzu sauce (pictured above, top left). Tuna Tataki included thick slices of lightly seared tuna arranged in a flower pattern with crunchy and bright turnip, rich sesame seeds, and zingy grated ginger and garlic in a tangy citrus soy sauce (pictured above, top right). Can’t decide? Order one of the house special mixed plates at Spicy Fish, which is recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide to Rio.

Momo Gelateria

Starting at 32 BRL (US$6) for a teeny tiny scoop, the ice cream at Momo Gelateria gelato shop in the iconic Copacabana Palace Hotel on Copacabana Beach (and other locations in Rio), qualifies as a splurge. Despite the prices, it’s usually packed. A range of flavors are offered, including some made with no additional sugar and some made with whey protein. We splurged on dark chocolate ice cream (silky and bitter/sweet) and a flavor called Momocookies, which is fior de latte ice cream topped with crumbled cookies and drizzled with chocolate.

Where to eat in Rio: Traditional joints

Brazil is a huge country with a diverse culture and a wide range of traditional dishes, ingredients, and flavors. Here are some of the best restaurants, bars, and informal butecos or butequims serving traditional pesticos (snacks) and meals in Rio. Head to these traditional joints whenever you want to enjoy an authentic bite.

Territorio Aprazivel

Territorio Aprazivel, a mostly-open-air sprawling restaurant on a hillside in the Santa Teresa neighborhood above Rio, is the place to go for a casual and delicious crash course in Brazilian flavors, ingredients, and techniques. Recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide to Rio, and in our Best Food of 2025 post, this restaurant is beloved by locals and visitors who come for the chance to try things like a 1.5-foot (0.5 meter) long section of sweet and tender roasted heart of palm (pictured above, top right), cocktails made with local distillates and regional spices, and well-prepared dishes using Brazilian ingredients like river fish, casava, tucupi, acai, regional meats, cashews, coconut, farofa, and much more. Reservations recommended. Pro tip: The restaurant has added a 7-course tasting menu that looks very tempting.

Casa Porto

Head up a flight of stairs off of the plaza in front of Pedra do Sal in the centro/downtown area of Rio and enter Casa Porto where ceiling fans whir, chairs fill up, and friendly staff members deliver plates of Brazilian favorites. This botequim serves traditional snacks and meals, including set lunch meals (main and dessert for around 40BRL/US$7.50) that come with farofa (toasted and seasoned cassava flour) in Minera style or local Carioca style. Portions are large, and the beer (including craft beer) is cold. Pro tip: grab a window table for views and breezes.

Bar do Mineiro

This institution in the Santa Teresa neighborhood of Rio has been in business since 1992, serving traditional bar snacks and full plates, including feijoada, along with Brazilian cocktails and ice-cold beer in a festive atmosphere. Walls are covered in eclectic art. Waiters are bustling. And there’s an upstairs patio. Though Bar do Mineiro is most popular with tourists these days, it maintains high traditional standards, albeit at slightly higher prices as compared to other butecos or bars. Pro tip: Happy hour drink specials are offered between 5 pm and 8 pm.

Adega Perola

The long glass counter at Adega Perola, a beloved buteco in Copacabana, is bursting with tapas-style traditional pre-cooked plates that lean toward seafood and Portuguese specialties, including cold seafood, seasoned creamy beans, silky eggplant, tender potatoes, and much more. There’s also a menu of hot dishes such as fried calamari and whole fish. Ice-cold draft beer and Brazilian cocktails (including a caipirinha Oriental that zings up this beloved classic with ginger and sliced chilis). There are a few tables inside under fans, but you’ll likely end up at one of the sidewalk tables that sprawl on either side of this popular eatery that is reliably packed, especially on Saturday night. This is not the cheapest place to eat (cocktails are 34 BRL/US$6.50 and glass counter plates are 20 BRL to 50 BRL/US$3.75 to US$9.50 for small portions), however, it does deliver traditional dishes in an authentic environment full of locals.

Confeitaria Colombo

There are many historic bar/cafe options in Rio. Confeitaria Colombo is a particularly ornate example in the centro/downtown area of the city.  The two-level space is opulent with stained glass and mirrors, and other ornate details. A wide-ranging menu means you can pop in for breakfast, a mid-morning coffee, lunch, an afternoon snack, an ice cream break, or early evening cocktails. After your snack or meal, be sure to ride one of the two antique elevators up to the mezzanine to admire the architecture and watch a very short movie about the history of the place (with English subtitles). It’s not the best food in Rio, but it does come with a healthy slice of history.

Nova Capela

When we walked past Nova Capela, in the Lapa area of Rio, we knew it was something special. Maybe it was the tableclothes or the tiled walls or the imposing L-shaped bar or the old waiters in white jackets, black ties, and black pants or the well-stocked meat counter. So, we returned a few days later for lunch. Nova Capela has been in business at its current location since 1967, offering diners many of their favorite dishes, including stroganoff, fish, and broccoli rice, from an extensive menu. We ordered tender and juicy ribs and a thick and tasty chicken milanesa. Prices are higher than average (from 58 BRL/US$11 and up for most plates), but you’re paying for the atmosphere, history, and high quality. We’re sorry we didn’t try the freshly-made bacalao balls that were being offered to every table straight from the kitchen. Don’t make the same mistake. Pro tip: Though this restaurant offers sidewalk seating, head inside for the air-conditioning, which provides a welcome break from the city heat.

Bonus round: If you find yourself falling in love with traditional buteco eateries in Brazil (easy to do), you will be thrilled to know that the annual Comida di Buteco competition that picks butecos around the country that are serving the best food and drink lets you be a judge. Participating butecos create a special dish which is served during the competition (a few are pictured above) and anyone visiting the buteco (including you) can fill out and submit a ballot right there on the spot after ordering the special dish. The website for Comida di Buteco is also a good place to get to know winning butecos around Brazil.

Where to eat in Rio: Mid-range and budget finds

Eating on a budget in Rio is possible with plenty of places for low-cost meals and even more options for mid-range meals that deliver terrific value for money.

Parada do Copa

You will, no doubt, notice many bars, restaurants, and butecos selling sandwiches stacked with slices of freshly roasted pork, turkey, and beef. Prices vary (though these sandwiches generally deliver a lot of food for a low price), as does quality. We particularly liked the pernil (pork leg) sandwiches made at Parada da Copa (locations around Rio), where the tender slices of pork are piled high and topped with a slice of pineapple. Bonus: they make their own lively hot sauce, which is the perfect foil to the sweet zing of the pineapple.

Haru Sushi Bar

A sushi restaurant in the mid-range category? Yep. And it’s recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide to Rio and earned a 50 Best Discovery nod. We stumbled upon Haru Sushi Bar (aka Haru Ichiban RJ) in the Copacabana area of Rio by accident and popped in to see what was going on. A few minutes later, we were sitting at the sushi bar enjoying very well-priced dishes made with locally-sourced and seasonal fish (no yellowtail when we were there, for example). All the sushi standards are offered, plus enticing omakase options and combos, good-looking cocktails, craft beer, a full bar, and a selection of sake. Pro tip: Haru Sushi gets packed during weekday lunch hours when the restaurant offers various 3-course set menus (appetizer, main, and dessert) at extremely reasonable prices for food this good.

Labuta Bar

The Lapa area of Rio is known as a nightlife district. A bit out of the fray of Lapa is Labuta Bar where customers gather at two small counters and at outdoor tables. A small menu offers good fresh oysters (30 BRL or US$6 for three), small fish or pork sandwiches (34 BRL or US$6 each), fried snacks, and more, plus cold beer and some cocktails, also reasonably priced. There’s a hip vibe and uncommon attention to service and cleanliness.

Baixela

Baixela, just a couple of blocks in from Copacabana Beach, looks the same as most other buteco-style casual and cheap eateries around Rio. However, the food here operates on another level.  Locals and visitors in the know flock to Baixela for lunch and for snacks and cold drinks throughout the day. Everything is homemade, they have craft beer as well as the usual stuff, English is spoken, and there are menus in English too. Don’t miss the frango frito, which is legit boneless fried chicken (pictured above) served with rice, black beans, and great coleslaw (or French fries) for 34 BRL (US$6.50). And their namesake baixelas are plump meatballs in a delicious tomato sauce. Rely on Baixela for a great plate of food for the same price as mediocre dishes served at other butecas.

Lilia Restaurante

Lilia Restaurante, in the centro/Lapa area, is the kind of place we’d go to every week if we lived in Rio. The space is industrial chic (high ceilings, exposed brick, brown leather chairs, statement pottery), the service is polished and friendly, and the ambitious food is out of this world. Look forward to dishes like oysters from Santa Catarina with green onion oil and halved green grapes for a sweet pop (pictured above, top second from left). And lightly seared then sliced sandperch topped with earthy, toasted fresh hearts of palm, and dill (pictured above, top second from right). And tender smoked mushrooms with creamed spinach and a generous slice of roasted cauliflower all topped with paper-thin slices of mushroom, toasted nuts, and a vibrant green cashew vinegrette. This whole package earned Lilia a 50 Best Discovery distinction, and Lilia is recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide to Rio and has earned a Bib Gourmand badge for outstanding value. It’s such a great value for money (especially the 3-course set lunch menu on weekdays) that we included Lilia in our Best Food of 2025 post. Note: There is a cafe offshoot of Lilia, but you want to go to the original Lilia Restaurante.

Katz-Su

Do you like creative riffs on Asian street food (think ramen, bao, curry)? Do you like a festive atmosphere? Do you like value for money? Then Katz-Su, in the Jardim Botanico of Rio, is for you. We are told that in Brazil, Asian food is generally assumed to mean Japanese food. However, chef Bruno Katz, who owns Katz-Su (get it?), wanted to broaden that assumption. So, you won’t find any sushi on the menu at Katz-Su. You will find dishes like Ceviche Kimchi Punch, which is a tasty mash-up of tender fresh catch of the day ceviche topped with cold, bright, and tangy kimchi sorbet (pictured above, bottom left). There are even some vegan dishes on the menu. The small wine list is tightly curated to offer just a few bottles (also at great prices) that pair well with the dishes. There are also creative craft cocktails and, of course, cold beer.

Cervantes

The first Cervantes Restaurant opened in Rio in 1955 and became famous for massive, affordable sandwiches served well into the wee hours. There are now two Cervantes restaurants in Rio, and while they look like a pretty standard sandwich bar and restaurant featuring house-roasted meats, you can rely on Cervantes to deliver generous, high-quality plates, sandwiches, and ice-cold beer at prices that won’t break the bank. We ate at Cervantes Copacabana twice, drawn to the quality and the value and the restaurant’s location close to the Rio & Learn language school that we were attending.

Lazy

During the three months we spent living in Rio, we dropped a not-insubstantial amount of money buying sourdough bread from a place called The Slow Bakery, which is widely seen as a top bakery in Rio. In 2025, we were delighted to learn that the folks behind The Slow Bakery were opening a restaurant called Lazy right next door to their Botafogo bakery. The inviting cafe, crafted into a space that used to be a mechanic workshop, offers slow food made in-house in small portions meant to be shared and savored, not wolfed down in a hurry (hence the name). Most ingredients are made in-house, including cheeses and pastas, which were developed in partnership with Shihoma pasta in Sao Paulo. A highlight from our lunch at Lazy was linguini al limon coated in a light and zingy lemony creamy sauce and topped with a large, thin piece of crispy prosciutto for salty crunch (pictured above, bottom middle). Craft beer and a tight selection of natural wines are also available.

Ferro e Farinha

Pizza is often a great budget or mid-range meal choice, and Brazilians LOVE pizza, so the country is full of pizzerias. In fact, 25 of the pizzerias on the 2025 list of the 50 Best Pizzas in Latin America are in Brazil. There are, however, some standouts. In Rio, we ate at five different pizzerias. Two are included in this post. Our favorite pizza in Rio, by far, is being made by Sei Shiroma and the team working at his growing family of Ferro e Farinha pizzerias around Rio. This former NY-er taught himself to make pizzas, which he originally sold out on the street. No more. There are now four locations of Ferro e Farinha in Rio, and Sei’s pizzas routinely show up on lists of the world’s best pizzas. For example, Ferro e Farniha holds the #31 spot on the 2025 list of the 50 Top Pizzas in the World and is ranked #4 on the 2025 list of the 50 Top Pizzas in Latin America. Awards are all well and good, but it still takes balls to put a pizza on your menu called Classic NY. Turns out, Sei nailed it. All of the pizzas we tried at Ferro e Farinha were terrific, but the Classic NY (pictured above right) delivered the exact look, smell, and taste of a great New York slice. That’s why Ferro e Farinha was named Best Pizza in our post about the Best Food of 2025. Nostalgia is a powerful thing.

Officina Local Pizza

For a more casual pizza experience, we like Officina Local (formerly known as Local). With fewer pizzas, less space, and no extras, Officina (locations in Botafogo and Copacabana) feels more like a local neighborhood pizza joint and less like a restaurant (though you can eat in). Whenever we visited, take out and delivery orders were flying out the door to customers who, like us, appreciate Officina’s yeasty, springy crust and classic toppings.

 

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