Top foodie highlights of Rio de Janeiro

As the fifth largest country in the world, it’s no surprise that Brazil has a large number of very distinct regional cookery styles and local dishes – and you’ll find a plethora of these tasty foodie treats in Rio de Janeiro. There are so many great things to eat in this sensational city that narrowing it down is a challenge – but we’ve tried anyway! Read on for our list of Top Foodie Highlights in Rio de Janeiro. 

The history of Rio de Janeiro’s food scene

First, a quick history of Rio cuisine. The Brazilian food we know today is a fusion of many things: indigenous ingredients such as cassava, acai berries and other native fruits; the influence of the Portuguese, who landed here in the early 16th century with dairy products, sugarcane and cooking techniques such as salting and preserving meats. Alongside this, there are the culinary traditions of Afro-Brazilians who introduced the use of ingredients like okra, spices and coconut milk. The unique fusion of Brazilian food emerged over centuries, as these Indigenous, Portuguese and African influences shaped the country’s rich and flavorful dishes. 

As Brazil is a gigantic nation, there is so much diversity in the food scene depending, for example, on whether you’re inland, in Afro-Brazilian hubs such as Bahia, Maranhão or Pernambuco, or on the coast. However, in the big cities such as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, you have the best chance of trying everything you can within a relatively short radius, without having to travel across the entire country. 

What to eat in Rio de Janeiro

Here are some of the tastiest, most quintessential Rio eats…

Pao de queijo, a cheesy breakfast roll

This classic breakfast dish is the small, chewy and slightly crispy roll, pao de queijo. This delicious bite hails from Minas Gerais – home of many dairy products thanks to its fertile, green lands scattered with lakes, great for hiking. It’s an intensely savory cheese bun and dangerously moreish, especially when covered with more cheese or even jam. Grab a bite or two for yourself when visiting traditional cafes and bakeries; they’re great as a morning treat.

Beer and cassava chips, the perfect pairing

On the shimmering sidewalks of the Copacabana, as the hot mornings blend into the afternoon, the street-vendors of Rio serve up ice cold beer – a startlingly frosty and refreshing beverage, often flaunted to passers-by in deep freezers. Though there isn’t a national beer in Brazil, the city’s favorite beers span a few brands; from Antarctica (strongly linked to Carnival and beach culture), to Skol, to Brahma. Sometimes an unlabeled beer will just be poured from a big cooler into a plastic cup in front of you.

Watching the goings-on of Rio as you nurse this sub-zero thirst quencher is one of the city’s simple pleasures. If you’re looking for a crunchy snack to complement your beverage, nothing goes better with beer than fried cassava chips. An absolute national staple and basically Brazil’s version of the potato chip, they have a nuttier, starchier appeal all of their own. 

Pastéis, an irresistible bar snack

Rio has a strong drinking culture, and that comes with a much welcome tradition of bar snacks, much like Spain’s tapas. Pastéis are perhaps the most irresistible bar snack in Rio and are available everywhere. Similar to an empanada, this crispy, deep-fried parcel is truly delicious, and too easily munched in a couple of bites! The pastries can be stuffed with virtually anything and the variety of fillings on offer is dazzling; any variation on cheese, chicken or ground beef is especially good. You can find them not only as a bar snack but on sale in most of Rio’s traditional cafes, pastelerias and bakeries, as this is a Brazilian treat that goes back to the early 20th century. 

Feijoada, Brazil’s beloved national dish

A strangely pleasing oddity of Rio food is its warming, hearty nature; intuitively better suited to a far colder climate, somehow it works. Feijoada, a thick black bean soup, is Brazil’s beloved national dish, and a perfect example of one of these filling, satisfying stews. Once viewed as a dish to fill up stomachs on a tight budget, it is an alluring pottage with chunks of meat, typically served on white rice, with collard beans and orange slices; kind of like chili con carne, but with a distinctly Brazilian vibe. 

One of the most famed spots for feijoada is Casa da Feijoada in the Ipanema district. It gets busy at weekends but as its name suggests, it serves up some of the most delicious local black bean stew. There are also some great places to eat it near the Escadaria Selarón, where after filling up on this tasty stew you can admire this famous Rio landmark – a steep, vividly decorated staircase in the bohemian district.

Caldeirada, a moreish fish stew

Celebrating its rich seafood heritage, caldeirada fish stew is another traditional one-pot dish with roots in Portugal. Its genius is its simplicity: with a stock base of onions, garlic and peppers, virtually any kind of fish that is added to it only serves to enhance its flavor and texture. Squid, prawns, mussels and clams usually put in a welcome appearance. When the Portuguese introduced the dish to Rio, it evolved with local ingredients like coconut milk and fragrant spices like coriander, for a distinctly Brazilian twist. Lots of places serve caldeirada on their menus, from high-end luxury restaurants (seafood gem Marius Degustare in Leme is a good example), to more affordable home-style eateries (such as Bar do Mineiro in Santa Teresa).

Acai berries, the locally-grown superfood

Not all Rio food is about indulgence, it’s also a health-conscious beach town of beautiful people! Though acai berry might be a globally-renowned superfood, renowned for its nutritious benefits outside of Brazil, it’s a much-loved breakfast staple inside the country. On their own they’re quite tart with a bitter, earthy flavor, so are best enjoyed without too much added syrup, but natural sweeteners like bananas or mangoes. 

Smoothie bowls are increasingly popular in Rio de Janeiro and acai berries are often present, along with granola, honey, seeds and other fruits. Try healthy juice bar Bibi Sucos, they’re everywhere in Rio and offer a range of fruity goodness if the mood takes you.

Caipirinha, the legendary cocktail

We’ve covered an ice-cold beer, but who can forget the legendary Rio cocktail, the caipirinha, to accompany your al fresco Rio evening as the sun sets? The basic caipirinha is a mix of sugar, lime and cachaça (a sugarcane spirit) as the alcohol component, but drinking it in Brazil is like drinking it nowhere else. The tang of the citrus and shaved ice offsets the hit of the liquor. Perfect as the evening closes in, maybe after a trip to Sugarloaf Mountain by cable car. Try Bar Astor overlooking Ipanema​ Beach for that perfect sunset sip. 

Churrasco, authentic Brazilian barbecue

No one does grilled meat like the South Americans, and once you catch the smell of smoky barbecue on the air you won’t be able to resist. Indulging in churrasco, or Brazilian barbeque, in its home country for the first time is a culinary experience not to be missed. Perfectly chargrilled, succulent, meaty morsels are served with warm bread, fresh salads and hot sauce. It’s no surprise that this is Brazil’s most popular culinary export. Try the widely acclaimed Fogo de Chão for its authentic and smoky meat dishes, or Assador Rio’s, which serves delicious meat that falls off the bone, along with a stunning view of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Deliciously fresh Brazilian sushi

By now most are familiar with the exceptional Japanese export that is sushi, however many nations outside of Japan are raising the bar in their own attempts at this fresh, flavorful dish. The high quality of the sushi in Rio de Janeiro is a pleasant surprise, particularly because of the tweaks and quirks that have transformed this global staple into a Brazilian fusion cuisine.

It’s fair to say that São Paulo deserves its crown as the Brazilian capital of Japanese food, but Rio is not far behind. Tuna sashimi tostada is a particularly enjoyable option, or a tropical roll, a traditional sushi roll stuffed with fish and Brazilian fruits like mango or passion fruit. Try it yourself – stop in on one of the Haichiko establishments (there are two in the city) for a high-end Japanese-Brazilian fusion dinner, or settle down at Haru Sushi Bar in Copacobana for a laid-back, cozier affair. 

Make it happen

If you would like to discover the foodie highlights of Rio de Janeiro, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with our local experts in Brazil who can build a fantastic foodie trip to spark your imagination.