Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Bolinho de bacalhau is a fried fritter of salt cod and potato, a fixture on Rio botequim counters, eaten hot with a cold chope. Prices ran from about R$8 to R$14 each in 2024.
Portuguese food historians place the fritter's origin in the Minho, where a cookbook of 1841 already printed bolinhos de bacalhau, nearer to a patanisca; the first modern recipe appeared in 1904 as bacalhau em bolos enfolados. Brazil took it with the Portuguese kitchen, and Rio's botequins still list it among the petiscos, beside empadas, coxinhas and pastéis.
4 editor picks for Bolinho de bacalhau in Rio de Janeiro, ranked by editorial score. All Rio de Janeiro signature dishes · Bolinho de bacalhau across every city.
Dona Donzília Gomes runs Bar da Portuguesa, a Ramos botequim on Rua Custódio Nunes in Rio de Janeiro known for bolinho de bacalhau and aipim croquettes.
OrderBolinho de bacalhau, the fritada de bacalhau or camarão, and the aipim croquette with carne seca.
TipIt placed second at Botecar 2025 with a trio of cod bolinhos stuffed with whole shrimp; it is shut on Mondays.
Bar Urca sells pastéis and empadas de camarão from a counter on Rua Cândido Gaffrée in Urca, Rio de Janeiro, to eat on the Guanabara Bay wall opposite.
OrderEmpada de camarão or siri, bolinho de bacalhau with Serra da Estrela cheese, fried sardines.
TipOrder at the counter and carry the plates across the street to the mureta for the bay view; the bar opens at 09:00.
Velho Adonis is a Portuguese boteco in Benfica, in Rio de Janeiro's Zona Norte, pouring chope with a head beside bolinho de bacalhau and sardinhas ao forno.
OrderBolinho de bacalhau, sardinhas ao forno and the Maladrinho de 70 rice dish for four.
TipThe bar is closed on Mondays and shuts at 19:00 on Sundays, so plan lunch or an early evening visit.
Petisqueira Martinho cooks seafood on Praia do Jequiá in Ribeira, on Ilha do Governador in Rio de Janeiro, and placed fourth in Botecar 2025.
OrderBolinho de bacalhau, casquinha de siri and camarão crocante from the petiscos list.
TipThe menu has an executive lunch section; the house is shut on Mondays and closes at 17:00 on Tuesdays and Sundays.
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