Finding a great place to eat and drink in Rio de Janeiro is not the problem. The city has an extraordinary food culture, from the corner boteco serving cold beer and pastéis at noon to the neighbourhood restaurant where the feijoada has been made the same way for thirty years. The problem is knowing where to go when you don’t know where to look.
This is not a list of the most famous Rio de Janeiro restaurants. It is a list of six places I have been to personally, recommended by my friend Raissa, who grew up in Brazil and knows this city far better than any guidebook, where the experience was genuinely memorable. Some are neighbourhood bars, some are proper restaurants, and one is one of the most exciting new openings in the city. All of them are worth your evening.
1. Destilaria Maravilha (Centro)
If you want to understand Rio’s nightlife, start at Destilaria Maravilha. Situated on the vibrant Rua do Senado in the heart of Centro, this bar produces its own gin, cachaça, and vodka in an alembic that occupies the main room of the space, meaning you can watch the distillation process happening live as you drink. It has quickly become a favourite among a creative, culturally switched-on crowd.
The space combines elements of Brazilian culture and bohemian Centro tradition, with photographs by Walter Firmo and artwork by Rodrigo Bueno alongside the copper distillation equipment. The cocktail list is built around the house spirits: expect house-made gin and cachaça in drinks that are inventive without being precious. The food menu, overseen by chef Daniel Pires, runs elevated bar food that pairs well with a long evening, tuna crudo, steak tartare with truffle egg yolk, fresh mussels with house bread.
Go on Saturday for the full energy of the space with DJs and live music. Budget: mid-range. This is not the cheapest drink in Centro, but it is one of the most interesting.
Rua do Senado, 53, Centro
2. Lilia (Lapa)
Lilia reminds you what a city’s food scene looks like when it is genuinely operating at the top of its game. Located just a few metres from the conical Catedral de São Sebastião in Lapa, the restaurant has an unassuming façade that can easily go unnoticed among the historic townhouses, but climb the long narrow staircase and you find a two-storey space with exposed brick walls that lend it a spacious, pared-back, industrial feel.
Lilia is the project of two cousins, Lucio Vieira and Mateus Siqueira, who wanted a place to honour their grandmother, the restaurant’s namesake. The menu changes daily depending on what is seasonally available, with a real focus on grilled meats and seafood. Chef Yan Ramos’s creativity is evident throughout: vegetarian options are taken seriously, and the natural wine list is one of the most interesting in the neighbourhood.
At lunch, a three-course fixed menu is served; at dinner, an eleven-step tasting menu. The tasting menu is the experience to go for if you are looking to understand what contemporary Brazilian fine dining feels like. Lilia holds a Michelin selection, and it earns it. Book in advance. Budget: higher end, especially for the dinner tasting menu.
Rua do Senado, 45, Centro
3. Chanchada Bar (Botafogo)
Chanchada Bar is exactly what a great neighbourhood bar in Rio de Janeiro should be: unpretentious, with innovative cocktails, simple and incredibly delicious food, and great vibes from the bar team. Located in Botafogo, one of the city’s best neighbourhoods for eating and drinking, it draws a loyal local crowd that returns not because it is fashionable, but because it is genuinely good.
The menu is carefully composed, combining traditional petiscos with creative reinventions, alongside a list of original cocktails and a selection of craft beers. The kitchen prioritises fresh ingredients and local suppliers. Standout dishes include the corn pastel, torresmo (fried pork belly), okra, and the carne assada, but the real pleasure of Chanchada is ordering several things and working through them slowly over drinks.
In typical Rio fashion, tables spill onto the wide pavement. Go from around 7pm onwards, when the energy builds and the tables fill up. Budget: very reasonable, particularly for the quality on offer.
Rua General Polidoro, 164b, Botafogo
4. Adega Pérola (Copacabana)
Adega Pérola is a Rio de Janeiro institution, and one of those rare places that has earned that status entirely through consistency and character. Operating since 1957, it has served Portuguese and Spanish delicacies in 100-gram portions alongside ice-cold beers and cachaça. Former customers took over from the original owners and have preserved the traditional boteco ambiance down to the last detail.
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the counter where regulars crowd after dark is one of the most convivial spots in the neighbourhood. The food is Portuguese-inflected and built around seafood: octopus salad, cod croquettes, smoked haddock, sardines, grilled squid, and an array of tapas that you select from the counter display. Arrive, point at what looks good, and let the evening take its course.
The best strategy is to arrive before noon to beat the queues, though the evening crowd is part of the atmosphere. Budget: mid-range; the quality justifies the price point.
Rua Siqueira Campos, 138, Copacabana
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5. ARP Bar (Ipanema)
ARP Bar is situated next to Arpoador beach within the Arpoador Hotel, it is celebrated for its exceptional location with stunning views of Ipanema beach, creating a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere. It has a view that makes you put your phone down, look at the water, and remember why you came to Rio in the first place.
The maritime atmosphere is complemented by a menu developed with care, with most dishes passing through a Josper charcoal oven that adds intensity and caramelisation to the food. The cocktails are well-executed and the all-day format means ARP works equally well for a leisurely breakfast, a long lunch, or drinks at sunset. It is particularly recommended for brunch and for a caipirinha as the sun goes down over Ipanema.
The atmosphere is laid-back and bohemian but with a polish to it. Go for sunset, order a drink, and stay for dinner if the light and the mood allow. Budget: on the higher side for Rio, reflecting the location and the hotel setting.
Rua Francisco Otaviano, 177, Ipanema
6. Bar do Mineiro (Santa Teresa)
There are Rio de Janeiro restaurants that are good, and there are places that feel like they belong to the city in a deeper way. Bar do Mineiro is the latter. Operating since the 1980s in the bohemian hilltop neighbourhood of Santa Teresa, it has become one of the most beloved institutions in Rio because it has been doing the same things extremely well for decades and shows no sign of stopping.
The name refers to the state of Minas Gerais, and the cooking reflects that heritage with pride. The centrepiece is the feijoada (the best in Rio): a rich, slow-cooked black bean stew with tender cuts of beef and pork and smoked sausage, served with rice, garlic-sautéed Brazilian kale, farofa, and sliced orange. The pastel de feijão, a fried pastry filled with the same black bean mixture, is another thing that should not be missed.
The atmosphere is antique and bohemian. Go on a Sunday, when the feijoada is at its most ceremonial and Santa Teresa is at its most alive. Arrive early; it fills fast and the queue outside is not a myth. Budget: moderate, with portions generous enough to share.
Rua Paschoal Carlos Magno, 99, Santa Teresa
The six Rio de Janeiro restaurants and bars above cover a range of neighbourhoods, budgets, and vibes, from a 1957 Portuguese boteco in Copacabana to a working distillery in Centro to a Michelin-listed restaurant in Lapa. What they share is quality, character, and the particular warmth that Rio’s food and drink culture does better than almost anywhere.
A few practical notes for navigating Rio restaurants: reservations are advisable at Lilia, particularly for dinner. At the botecos (Adega Pérola, Chanchada), arriving early or late is the way to avoid the busiest moments. Uber is the easiest way to move between neighbourhoods at night. And wherever you end up, order more than you think you need, the portions and the generosity of Rio’s food culture are both considerable.
All recommendations are based on personal visits and the guidance of someone who knows Rio far better than I do. Thank you Raissa!
Hi! I’m Sophie
I am a social scientist and explorer. I write about global society, travel, academia, personal growth, and technology. Nothing makes me happier than learning and discovering the wonders of the world.
