Rio’s best local food

Food is a treasured part of carioca (resident of Rio de Janeiro) life. With roots in African, Amerindian and European epicurean traditions, the tastes of the Marvelous City range from meat-centric churrascarias, hearty feijoadas, vibrant street food and upscale, gourmet selections – all best accompanied by Brazil’s national cocktail, the tangy caipirinha.

All-you-can-eat meat: experience churrascaria

No visit to Rio de Janeiro is complete without a true churrascaria (traditional barbecue restaurant) experience, which is generally offered as a set menu that includes a selection of side dishes and salads – and, of course, the perfectly char-grilled, all-you-can-eat meat.

Rio has some of the finest churrascarias in Brazil. The most popular in the city include Porcão in Flamengo, Fogo do Chāo in Botafogo, and local favorite, the 63-year-old family restaurant Churrascaria Palace in Copacabana.

Pichana is a prime beef cut at Brazilian churrascarias. Image by Teresa Geer / Lonely Planet

In its sleek, modern interior, the black and white photographs that hang on the walls are the only hint to Churrascaria Palace’s historic past. Every night, elegant bossa nova piano notes fill the space as the sushi chef slices sashimi and expert waiters skim from table to table, serving up succulent slices of meat to eager patrons. The peixe pintado (a meaty Amazonian fish) and sizzling butterflied picanha (beef top sirloin with a thin layer of fat) are some of the most remarkable options to try here. There is an impressive wine list with over 200 bottles, including a rare selection of the best Brazilian varietals. And for those who manage to save room for dessert, the Juliet and Romeo is a fantastic pairing of creamy white cheese sorbet and a tangy goiaba (guava) sauce.

Fill up on feijoada

Feijoada is a main staple of the Brazilian diet. It’s a feast of stewed beans in a pork or beef gravy, accompanied by crisp yellow potatoes, crunchy pork cracklings, fresh shredded kale, fluffy farofa (toasted cassava flour) and orange slices, which are meant to ‘cut through the calories’ and aid in digestion. Adapted from the food of slaves, it is now regularly eaten for lunch on Saturdays in Rio.

Hearty feijoada is a staple for Brazilians. Image by Teresa Geer / Lonely Planet

There are endless choices of feijoadarestaurants in Rio. But for a truly classic experience, head to the beating heart of Rio’s tourist hub, Ipanema, to Casa da Feijoada on any day of the week. In the quaint surroundings, waist-coated waiters serve up the traditional fare in mini cauldron-like pots. Pair the meal with the smoothest filtered caipirinhasin town, known as ‘batidas’, and end with a selection of traditional Brazilian sweets – goiaba jam, doce de leite (a sweet milk puree) or caramelized banana paté.

Sample the city’s best street food

On almost every street corner in Rio de Janeiro, a cart of fresh of sweets or salgados (savory snacks) awaits. The true essence of foodie entrepreneurship in Rio de Janeiro springs from street food vendors who are on the road tossing tapioca and popping pipoca (popcorn).

Tapioca

Tapioca is a mixture of cassava flour and shredded coconut, fried into a kind of crepe with a crunchy outer shell and gooey center. Served either savory, with cheese or chicken, or sweet, with cinnamon bananas or condensed milk, tapioca is a tasty and substantial snack. Head to Feira de São Cristavão in Tijuca to try this treat at some of the top tapioca bars in town.

Pastels

On a sunny Sunday morning at Gloria’s vibrant food feira, breakfast consists of pastels – steaming hot pastry pockets filled with meat, cheese or palmito (heart of palm). And here, the top pastels in the city are best followed with a swig of pure caldo de cana (sugarcane juice).

Pastels are a popular street food in Rio de Janeiro. Image by Teresa Geer / Lonely Planet

Read full share