In general, eating out in Rio is not cheap – and it can be very expensive – but there’s no shortage of low-priced places to grab a lunchtime meal, or just a snack and a drink: at a galeto, where you eat, diner-style, at the counter; or at a lanchonete, the ubiquitous Brazilian café, which serves very cheap combined plates of meat, beans and rice, as well as other snacks. Cariocas dine late, and restaurants don’t start to fill up until after 9pm. Generally, last orders will be taken around midnight in most places, but there are others where you can get a meal well after 2am.

Churrascarias

The following churrascarias are all recommended:

• Estrela do Sul, Avenida Reporter Nestor Moreira, Botafogo. This place has a long history and a good reputation.
• Gaúcha, Rua das Laranjeiras 114, near Largo do Machado. A bit of a barn, but with live music and a dance floor.
• Majórica, Rua Senador Vergueiro 11–15, Flamengo. A long-established, better-than-average place to attack a T-bone. If you’re not in the mood for beef, try the excellent trout from near Petrópolis.
• Marius, Av. Atlântica 290, at the top end of Leme’s beach. Probably the most popular rodízio in Rio, it seats over three hundred, and what it lacks in elegance it makes up for in service and atmosphere.
• Plataforma, Rua Adalberto Ferreira 32, Leblon. Upstairs, tourists are entertained by a samba show, downstairs you mingle with cariocas – and afterwards you can always stagger to the Academia de Cachaça round the corner, and sample a few with the benefit of a good lining in the stomach.

Fast food, snacks, cakes and ice cream

If you’re just peckish, then it’s nice to take tea and cakes at Confeitaria Colombo, which has two branches, in Copacabana at Av. N.S. de Copacabana 890 and in Centro at Rua Gonçalves Dias 32 (closed Sat at 1pm and all day Sun). Founded in 1894, the Colombo recalls Rio’s belle époque, with its ornate interior decoration and air of tradition; the branch in Copacabana has a decent restaurant upstairs, too. Also in Copacabana, and good for sandwiches, is Cervantes, Av. Prado Junior 335 (near Leme). In Leblon you’ll get a fresh, crisp salad at Gulla Gulla in the Hotel Marina Palace, Avenida Delfim Moreira – a bit pricier than usual, but recommended. There are more cakes at the Bonbon d’Or, Rua Visconde de Pirajá 351 in Ipanema, or at any branch of Kopenhagen. For a choice of ice cream, aim for Mr Ice, Rua Ayres e Saldanha 98, Copacabana; Babuska, at Rua Aníbal de Mendonça 55, Ipanema, and Rua Rainha Guilhermina 90, Leblon; or – if you’re visiting the Jardim Botânico – Mil Frutas, Rua Jardim Botânico 585. The Polis bar on Avenida Ataúlfo de Paiva in Leblon is a particularly good place for a suco (fresh, iced fruit juice).

Check the fruit markets for something exotic and healthy: at Botafogo on Wednesday by Praça Canoinhas; Flamengo on Sunday in Largo do Machado; Copacabana on Thursday near Praça do Lido.

Restaurants by neighbourhood

• Botafogo and Urca
  Botafogo undoubtedly hosts some of Rio’s most interesting restaurants, often overlooked by tourists because they lie a bit off the beaten track, hidden away in back streets. There are few places to eat in Urca, but it’s a pleasant place for a relaxing meal.
  • Adega do Valentim, Rua da Passagem 178 (tel 021/295-2748). A comfortable restaurant (especially the front salon) serving up good Portuguese food. Expect to pay around $15 per person for a satisfying munch through cod, onions, potatoes and smoked ham.
  • Botequim-184, Rua Visconde de Caravelas 184, at the Lagoa end. Good, varied food in a lively establishment; next door, the Overnight Bar is a friendly place for a few drinks afterwards.
  • Cochranes, Rua das Palmeiras 66. Food and drink in a lively atmosphere reminiscent of an English wine bar. Live music, too, and the patronage of some of Rio’s gay community.
  • Comidinhas 46, Praça Joia Valansi, Rua Muniz Barreto. Brazilian cooking, with inexpensive dishes from the state of Minas Gerais. Not at all bad – and with some of the best cheese in Rio.
  • Garota da Urca. A small restaurant on the Urca seafront just after the old TV Tupi studios. The best views of any Rio restaurant, looking back towards Botafogo and the Corcovado, with good food, too; the peixe a garota is a delicious fish risotto that serves two for around $10.
  • La Mole, Praia de Botafogo 228. Inexpensive, palatable Italian food; nearby and similar are Bella Blu, Rua da Passagem 44, and Bella Roma, Rua General Gois Monteiro 18.
  • Madrugadas, Rua Sorocabana 305. Inexpensive homemade pasta dishes, including a sauce made with figs and nuts, in a cosy place with friendly service.
  • Raajmahal, Rua General Polidoro 29 (tel 021/541-6999). An Indian restaurant that is English-owned, and extends itself well beyond the basic curry. Let the waiter know how well seasoned you want your dish, as the restaurant tends to cater for the local preference for mild curries. Closed Mon.
  • Yorubá, Rua Visconde de Pirajá 128-A (tel 021/247-7004). Friendly restaurant serving up moderately priced Bahian cooking with an African influence.
• Centro
  The restaurants in the city centre cater largely for people working in the area, and at lunchtime the service is rushed. Around the Praça Tiradentes, particularly, there are lots of cheap eating places, bakeries and bars.
  • Alba Mar, Praça Marechal Ancora 184, a short walk from Praça XV de Novembro (tel 021/240-8378). Founded in 1933 and housed in the remaining tower of the old municipal market, this cool, green, octagonal building provides a superb view of Guanabara Bay. Stick with the moderately priced seafood, served by serious-looking waiters in white uniforms. Lunch only, closed Sun.
  • Bar dos Estudantes, Praça Tiradentes. Basic food and friendly service for next to nothing.
  • Bar Luiz, Rua Carioca 39. Near Largo da Carioca, this run-of-the-mill restaurant and bar, serving German-style food, is considered quite an institution and is still a popular meeting place for journalists and intellectuals. Closed Sun.
  • Bar Ocidental, Rua Miguel Couto 124. One of several bars on a small pedestrianized road near the Largo de São Francisco de Paulo. Sit at a table outside and enjoy an early evening chopp and a plate of fresh sardines.
  • Caldeirão, Rua do Ouvidor 26. Open at lunchtime for good, cheap seafood, with a pleasant atmosphere – try badejo (a type of fish) or capixaba (seafood stew).
  • Cosmopolita, Travessa do Mosqueira 4. A long-established, excellent Portuguese establishment in Lapa with a loyal, rather Bohemian, clientele. Closed Sat evening & Sun.
  • Entrecote, Rua Gonçalves Dias 82, a block west of Av. Rio Branco. A steak house, popular and inexpensive, with a friendly atmosphere.
  • Miako, Rua do Ouvidor 45, north side of Praça XV de Novembro. One of the first Japanese restaurants in Rio. Sushi, sashimi, teppan-yaki and filé na chapa. Closed Sat evening & Sun.
  • Penafiel, Rua Senhor dos Passos 121. Superb – and amazingly inexpensive – Portuguese dishes have been served here since 1916. Lunch only, closed Sat & Sun.
  • Rio Minho, Rua do Ouvidor 10. Tasty Brazilian food at fair prices in a restaurant that’s been going for a hundred years. The kitchen concentrates on seafood – try badejo fish, lobster in butter, prawn in coconut milk or the fried fish with red peppers, rice and broccoli. Lunch only, closed Sat & Sun.
  • Sentaí (O Rei da Lagosta), Rua Barão de São Felix 75. A wonderful daytime-only Portuguese seafood restaurant full of local colour. Take care in this rather rough part of the centre, but it’s a restaurant well worth taking a slight risk to get to.
• Copacabana and Leme
  It comes as no surprise that Copacabana is riddled with restaurants, but that doesn’t mean that the choice is particularly good – unless you enjoy sitting in a restaurant swamped with holiday-makers being shuttled about by tour companies.
  • Arataca, Rua Figueiredo Magalhães 28, halfway along Copacabana. Brazilian food dominates the menu, in particular traditional dishes from the Amazonian state of Pará: try surubim, tucunaré or pirarucu, fishes from the waters of the Amazon Basin, served grilled, in stews (caldeirada) or in coconut sauce; pato no tucupi is duck in tucupi sauce; and for dessert, have a go at the exotic cupuaçu fruit. Inexpensive.
  • La Trattoria, Av. Atlântica, by Hotel Excelsior. Cheap and cheerful, the best Italian food in Copacabana.
  • Mala e Cuia, Rua Raimundo Correria. Superb Minas Gerais cooking at very reasonable prices.
  • A Marisqueira, Rua Barata Ribeiro 232. A good spot for seafood. The restaurant has been around for over forty years, with a more recent branch in Ipanema, in Rua Gomes Carneiro. The food is well prepared, though perhaps a little unimaginative and a touch on the pricey side.
  • Ouro Verde, Av. Atlântica 1456, just after Praça de Lido (tel 021/542-1887). Part of a hotel (go through the lobby and use the lift), the restaurant serves international cuisine featuring some snappy French cooking and a gracious maitre d’; don’t go in shorts. It’s quite expensive but well worth it for a treat, as the food is good and the dishes are creative; nice desserts too.
  • A Polonesa, Rua Hilário de Gouveia 116 (tel 021/237-7378). Reasonably priced Polish food in a tiny restaurant, with unusual dishes such as herring with apple and onion, shashlik kebab and goulash. Closed Tues–Fri lunchtime & Mon.
  • Shamrock Irish Pub, Rua Ronaldo de Carvalho 154. Irish owned and run, this newly opened bar is as authentic an Irish pub as one could possibly hope to find in Brazil.
  • Shirley, Rua Gustavo Sampaio 610, Leme. Stuffed away in a side street behind the Hotel Meridien, this is not one of Rio’s classiest eateries, but the Spanish food served up is both good and inexpensive.
  • Siri Mole e Cia, Rua Francisco Otaviano 50 (tel 021/267-0894). One of Rio’s few really excellent Bahian restaurants, where beautifully presented spicy dishes are served in an upmarket, yet comfortable, setting. There’s another branch in Centro at Av. Rio Branco 1.
  • Traiteurs de France, Av. Nossa Senhora de Copacabana 386. Simple cooking, but one of the very few affordable and good French restaurants in Rio.
• Flamengo
  As well as the places listed below, there are numerous restaurants, galetos and lanchonetes around the Largo do Machado.
  • Adega Real, Rua Marquês de Abrantes. No haughty nouvelle cuisine here, just piles of good basics – if you like decent-quality food in large quantities, this place is recommended as the friendly waiters serve up tasty portions sufficient for at least two people. The restaurant opens onto the street, and on Fridays you can hang on to the bar and swallow draught beer until 4am; the bolinhas de bacalhau (cod balls) are worth testing.
  • Alho & Óleo, Rua Barque de Macedo 13, down at the bottom near Praia do Flamengo. Tasty homemade pasta and good food (try the salami flavoured with pepper and lemon) in an upmarket atmosphere, but reasonably priced.
  • Café Lamas, Rua Marquês de Abrantes 18. This 125-year-old restaurant serves well-prepared food to members of the art and journalism worlds. Always busy, with a vibrant atmosphere, it’s a good example of carioca middle-class tradition, and highly recommended. Open until 4am.
• Gávea
  Not an obvious choice for restaurants but a night at the races and a dip into the food available here is fun.
  • Guima’s, Rua José Roberto Macedo Soares 5, on the opposite side of Praça Santos Dumont from the Jockey Club (tel 021/259-7996). A small, intimate restaurant with a happy atmosphere, catering for artists and intellectuals; the food is delicious, and even the couvert of wholemeal bread and pâté is worth the price. Try steak in a mustard and pear sauce and one of the brilliant desserts. One of Rio’s best and not too expensive.
  • Jockey Club, Praça Santos Dumont. Palatial surroundings and decent reasonably priced food in this restaurant overlooking the racetrack.
  • Les Artistes, Rua de São Vicente 75 (tel 021/239-4242). An unusual combination for Brazil: a decent, reasonably priced French restaurant. On Wednesday and Saturday, good cassoulet is served.
• Ipanema
  There are lots of expensive restaurants in Ipanema, but budget eating choices are fairly limited. There are, however, some great, late-opening bars where you can sample a taste of the high life.
  • Alô-Alô, Rua Barão de Torre 368. A piano bar with live jazz until 4am, this is a smart place to lounge on sofas and listen to faultlessly executed music. Cover charge.
  • Baroni Fasoli, Rua Jangadeiras 14, near Praça General Osório. Reasonably priced Italian place in an area otherwise brimming with expensive choices.
  • Barril 1800, Av. Vieira Souto 110. This and Alberico’s at no. 236 – both more bars than restaurants – are well frequented by the young and beautiful, and good places to fill your face with cold beer after a hot day on the beach.
  • Casa da Feijoada, Rua Prudente de Morais 10. Feijoada is served daily here, along with other traditional, and moderately priced, Brazilian dishes.
  • Doubiansky, Rua Gomes Carneiro 90. You’re likely to suffer from culture shock here – Russian food (and rather good it is too) in the quintessential carioca suburb, Ipanema.
  • Garota de Ipanema, Rua Vinícius de Morais 49. Always busy, this bar has entered the folk annals of Rio de Janeiro since the song of the same name (The Girl from Ipanema) was written in here one night when the muse came to Tom Jobim, the song’s composer. Few better places in Rio for a beer, but the food is unexceptional and overpriced.
  • Lord Jim, Rua Paul Redfern. An English boozer serving steak and kidney pie, fish and chips and High Tea. Downstairs, there’s a dart board amongst the horse brasses and fake half-timbering.
  • Saideira, Rua Gomes Carneiro, near Praça General Osório. Eating and drinking through the night, until 8am. The term saideira means “one for the road” and it’s a place that the night-people stop off at after strenuous entertainment in the clubs round about. Worth considering for a late – or early – snack.
  • Sal e Pimenta, Rua Barão de Torre 368, above the Alô-Alô (tel 021/521-1460). An American Express Goldcard joint; you’ll need to make a reservation, and the fifteen-percent service charge is outrageous – but it’s gracious international cuisine served in pleasant surroundings overlooking a courtyard.
  • Satyricon, Rua Barão de Torre 192. Good, though not cheap, Italian food, especially seafood.
• Lagoa
  Most of the restaurants in Lagoa are on the Avenida Epitácio Pessoa, which runs along the east side of the lake: generally plush, pricey, air-conditioned and boastful of their views over the lake – which are usually obscured by trees.
  • Café Lagoa, Av. Epitácio Pessoa 1674, tucked into the southern corner of the lake by Ipanema. The cheapest and oldest of the lakeside restaurants, it’s usually full of families from the adjacent neighbourhoods; white-coated waiters deliver beer, German sausage and smoked pork chops the size of football boots to your table. Arrive by 9pm and grab a seat on the patio, from where there’s a good view of the lake. Inexpensive and definitely recommended.
  • Lagoa Charlie, Rua Maria Quitéria 136. Upmarket Mexican food, eaten outside on the terrace, or inside where you’ll be charmed or annoyed by serenading musicians who stroll between the tables.
  • The Queen’s Legs, Av. Epitácio Pessoa 5030. A facsimile Victorian pub, good for a beer and a game of darts downstairs – but don’t bother with the upstairs restaurant, which is overpriced and over-regarded.
• Leblon
  Many of Leblon’s restaurants are situated along the Avenida Ataúlfo de Paiva, where you’ll also find a lot of the late-opening bars. Another popular food and drink venue is Baixo Leblon, the area around Rua Dias Ferreira three or four blocks back from the beach, which is very lively at the weekend.
  • Alta Munchen, Av. Ataúlfo de Paiva 410 (tel 021/294-4197). A varied menu of German and Swiss dishes; on a hot evening the veranda is a pleasant place to eat. Open until 3am and reasonably priced.
  • Antiquarius, Rua Aristides Espínola 19 (tel 021/294-1049). Widely rated as the best Portuguese restaurant in Rio (and possibly Brazil), with seafood the thing to eat here. Definitely no shorts. Very expensive.
  • Caneco 70, Av. Delfim Moreira 1026, at the very end near the Praça Atahualpa. The only restaurant serving the beach in Leblon; the terrace upstairs provides a nice view.
  • Degrau, Av. Ataúlfo de Paiva 517. Extensive international cuisine; it doesn’t figure in Rio’s gourmet guides, but it’s always busy, and the food is satisfactory and affordable.
  • Pizzeria Guanabara, Av. Ataúlfo de Paiva 1228. Good if nothing special, and they keep serving pasta and pizza until 5am.
• Santa Teresa
  To visit to Rio is complete without going up into the hills of Santa Teresa. There are several good restaurants here and it’s just a ten-minute tram ride from Centro. On Friday and Saturday evenings, young people congregate in the bars and restaurants around Largo dos Guimarães.
  • Adega da Pimenta, Rua Almirante Alexandrino 296. Moderately priced German cooking – lots of sausage and sauerkraut. The Santa Teresa tram passes the restaurant.
  • Aprazível, Rua Aprazível 62 (tel 021/508-9174). Excellent and fairly expensive Franco-mineira dishes, and an attractive terrace with wonderful views across Rio. Advance booking is advised. Thurs–Fri 8pm–midnight, Sat noon–midnight, Sun 1–6pm.
  • Bar do Arnaudo, Rua Almirante Alexandrino 316. Just up from the Adega do Pimenta, an excellent mid-priced place to sample traditional food from Brazil’s northeast, such as carne do sol (sun-dried meat), macaxeira (sweet cassava) and pirão de bode (goat meat soup). Closed Sun evening & Mon.
  • Sobrado das Massas, Largo dos Guimarães. Most of the week this restaurant serves up heavy pasta dishes, but on Saturday it dishes up the best feijoada in Santa Teresa – a portion for two to three people costs just $8.

Vegetarian food

• Associacão Macrobiótica, Rua Emb. Regis Oliveira 7, Centro. An inexpensive macrobiotic restaurant – busy and, strangely enough, with some dishes that include fish. Lunch only.
• Café Bohemia, Av. Santa Luzia, off Av. Rio Branco. A bit different: a decent vegetarian restaurant by day, and at night a mixture of comedy store and transvestite revue, with a bit of dancing thrown in; entry is about $4 and it starts after midnight.
• Macro Nature, Travessa Cristiano Lacorte. An excellent health-food shop and restaurant (though the menu is limited) in Copacabana. Closed Sat & Sun evening.
• Natural, with branches in Botafogo (Rua 19 de Fevereiro 118; lunch only) and in Ipanema (Rua Barão de Torre 171). Not strictly vegetarian restaurants as fish can be had, too, but the food is good and cheap.
• Sabor Saúde, Av. Ataúlfo de Paiva 630–A, Leblon. A better-than-average vegetarian restaurant claiming to serve only organically grown produce. Inexpensive.
• Semente, Rua Joaquim Silva 138, Lapa. Basically vegetarian, but fish and even chicken sneak onto the inexpensive East Asian-influenced menu. Closed Sat & Sun.