Day-by-day eating plans for Rio de Janeiro. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Day-by-day plans

Rio first weekend: Centro sweets, Urca sea wall, Portuguese Sunday ★ 4.5

First-time visitor, weekend2 days

A Saturday of Portuguese sweets in Centro, bolinho de bacalhau on the Urca sea wall and seafood in Ipanema, then a Sunday of breakfast in Jardim Botânico, bolinho de feijoada and suckling pig.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: Centro sweets, Urca sea wall, Ipanema seafood

    Morning
    Casa Cavé on Rua Sete de Setembro from 09:30 (Saturday hours end at 13:00) for a pastel de Belém, then Confeitaria Colombo, open from 11:00, for coffee and a pastry in its art nouveau halls.
    Afternoon
    Bar Urca from 15:00. Order at the ground-floor counter: bolinho de bacalhau, an empada de camarão or siri, and a chope. Carry the plates to the sea wall opposite and eat facing Guanabara Bay.
    Evening
    Dinner at Satyricon in Ipanema from 20:00; the kitchen runs to 01:00 on Saturdays. Choose from the counter of the day's catch or the oyster, king crab and prawn plateau, then a late chope at Jobi in Leblon, open to 03:00.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: Jardim Botânico breakfast, Praça da Bandeira lunch, Portuguese dinner

    Morning
    Empório Jardim on Rua Visconde da Graça from 09:00. It takes no reservations, so arrive early; the all-day breakfast menu runs to eggs benedict, croques, shakshukas and gougères.
    Afternoon
    Aconchego Carioca in Praça da Bandeira at 13:00; it closes at 18:00 on Sundays. Order the bolinho de feijoada with kale and pork crackling, the moqueca of peach-palm hearts and a lime batidinha.
    Evening
    Rancho Português in Ipanema, open to 22:00 on Sundays, from 19:30. Order the leitão à Bairrada, the suckling pig, or the bacalhau da terra, the cod dish the house lists.

Rio boteco and samba Friday: Centro, Tijuca and Lapa ★ 4.4

Food lover who wants botecos and live samba1 day

One Friday on the botequim circuit: a pernil sandwich in Centro, rabada and coxinha de rabada in Tijuca, then roast kid and live samba in Lapa.

  1. Day 1: Friday: Centro sandwich, Tijuca botecos, Lapa samba

    Morning
    Opus on Rua Gonçalves Dias from 11:30; it is open Monday to Friday, 11:00 to 19:00. Have the pernil assado sandwich with cheese on pão francês, with a very cold chope.
    Afternoon
    Bar Varnhagen on Praça Varnhagem in Tijuca by 14:00, since it closes at 17:30: rabada with watercress and farofa, or the mini feijoada. Then Bar do Momo, open to 22:00, for coxinha de rabada and bolinho de arroz.
    Evening
    Dinner at Nova Capela on Avenida Mem de Sá in Lapa from 18:30: cabrito assado with broccoli rice, or the chorizo à Oswaldo Aranha. Be at Carioca da Gema before 21:00, when held tables go; the main show starts at 22:00.

Rio Saturday: Laranjeiras fair, Lapa feijoada, port dinner ★ 4.5

Food lover, one Saturday, markets and feijoada1 day

A Saturday that starts at the Laranjeiras street fair, takes feijoada with samba in Lapa and ends with a Bahian-leaning dinner in Saúde.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: Laranjeiras fair, Lapa feijoada, port dinner

    Morning
    Feira da General Glicério from 09:00 (Saturdays, 07:00 to 14:00) for tapiocas, bolinhos de bacalhau, oysters and choro on the street. Then Novo Mercado São José, open from 10:00, reopened in September 2025 with 16 businesses.
    Afternoon
    Beco do Rato in Lapa from 12:30 for the Saturday feijoada, R$40 when the service began in November 2025. Entry is free until 14:00, then R$25 when the roda de samba starts.
    Evening
    Dois de Fevereiro on Rua Sacadura Cabral from 19:00; Saturday is its only evening, with service until 22:00. Try the sun-dried beef with Afro-Brazilian gremolata or the shrimp bobó.

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