40 editor picks in Rio de Janeiro.
40 mid-range places in Rio de Janeiro, editor-picked. the comfortable everyday-good restaurants in Rio de Janeiro, with real cooking and no surprise on the bill. All Rio de Janeiro food.
Aconchego Carioca in Praça da Bandeira is chef Kátia Barbosa's house, birthplace of the bolinho de feijoada, with Northeastern dishes, in Rio de Janeiro.
OrderThe bolinho de feijoada, filled with kale and topped with pork crackling, with a lime batidinha
TipThe moqueca of peach-palm hearts with banana-da-terra suits vegetarians; the beer list runs to about 50 labels, many from craft brewers.
The Slow Bakery bakes sourdough bread, croissants and focaccia in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro; it began in Joá and also serves sandwiches and fresh coffee.
TipDiário do Rio reported in October 2025 a monthly fair at the bakery with Brazilian artisan cheeses, natural wines and live jazz.
Rio Coffee House is a roastery, cafe and coffee school on Rua Cosme Velho in Rio de Janeiro, named Roastery of the Year 2026 at the Fispal contest.
TipThe house also runs a coffee school with courses for enthusiasts and professionals, beside the cafe and the roastery.
Empório Jardim serves breakfast all day in a bakery, bistro and deli on Rua Visconde da Graça in Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, with no reservations taken.
OrderEggs benedict, croques, shakshukas or gougères from the all-day breakfast menu
TipThe kitchen takes its last order at 18:30, and the house asks laptop users without an order to give up their table when there is a queue.
Koral in Ipanema cooks fish and live-fire dishes for chef Pedro Coronha, a Bib Gourmand pick that won Michelin's Young Chef award in 2026 in Rio de Janeiro.
OrderThe catch of the day à la meunière, or the warm flaky cheesecake with guava and cheese ice cream
TipThe house is a two-storey casarão on Rua Barão da Torre; Sunday service ends early, at 17:00, so lunch is the safer slot.
Rudä in Ipanema serves chef Danilo Parah's colourful Brazilian cooking in a bistro-style house, and won Veja Rio's Brazilian award in 2026 in Rio de Janeiro.
OrderThe octopus with jambu, served with pasta cooked in a moqueca sauce
TipA private room on the first floor suits groups; the à la carte menu is joined by an executive menu, and the cheesecake has guava syrup and an almond tuile.
Aconchego Carioca in Praça da Bandeira is chef Kátia Barbosa's Northeastern-leaning boteco, birthplace of the bolinho de feijoada, in Rio de Janeiro.
OrderThe bolinho de feijoada with kale and pork crackling, and a lime batidinha.
TipCamarão do Gui took third place at Botecar 2025; the moqueca of peach-palm hearts suits vegetarians, and the beer list runs to about 50 labels.
Blue Blazer is a Botafogo cocktail bar in Rio de Janeiro whose Portas Etílicas menu includes Laura Paravato's Maní, with tucupi liqueur and jataí mead.
TipThe Fornatta de Parma at R$40 is the most-ordered dish; the bar opens Wednesday to Saturday, from 17:00 on weekdays and 18:00 on Saturday.
Sult in Botafogo cooks Italian dishes with Brazilian ingredients from an open kitchen, and it is a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick in Rio de Janeiro.
OrderThe meat lasagne with Grana Padano fondue and breadcrumbs, the chef's signature dish
TipThe pirarucu fillet with tucupi and jambu risotto is the Amazonian counterpart; the wine list leans to small, low-intervention producers.
Ferro e Farinha bakes naturally leavened pizza in a wood oven at its Botafogo branch, and Veja Rio named it best pizzeria in 2026, in Rio de Janeiro.
OrderA wood-fired pizza made with the house's naturally fermented dough
TipReserve by phone or through the house's Instagram account; the bar makes its own cocktails and this is one of four Rio branches.
Miam Miam has served chef Roberta Ciasca's comfort food in her grandmother's Botafogo house since 2005, a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick in Rio de Janeiro.
OrderThe curried chicken croquette or the shrimp croquette, both singled out by Michelin
TipThe menu splits between the classic dishes, seasonal specials, a tasting menu and a midweek executive menu, so say which you want when booking.
Adega Pérola lines a glass counter with more than 50 petiscos on Rua Siqueira Campos in Copacabana, a Rio de Janeiro bar founded by Madeirans in 1957.
OrderSardinhas em escabeche, polvo à vinagrete and provolone à milanesa from the glass counter.
TipGo with two or three friends so you can share several petiscos; the bar is closed on Sundays.
Bento Pizzeria Napoletana bakes Neapolitan pizzas on Rua Afonso Pena in Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, and ranked 11th in 50 Top Pizza Latin America 2026.
OrderThe Bento pizza: pomodoro pelati, fior di latte, house calabresa, gorgonzola and chilli oil.
TipThe room seats 55 and opens Tuesday to Sunday evenings only, from 18:00, so arrive early on weekends.
Bracarense pours chope and serves shrimp bolinhos and empadas on a Leblon corner in Rio de Janeiro, a botequim registered since 1961 with a weekday set lunch.
OrderThe shrimp and Catupiry bolinho from the warming cabinet, with a draught chope.
TipWeekday set lunch (almoço executivo) runs 11:00 to 15:00, Monday to Friday, when the corner is quieter than at night.
Dianna Bakery bakes sourdough, brioche, focaccia, cakes and tarts, with specialty coffee, in a pastry shop on Rua Dona Delfina in Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro.
Confeitaria Kurt has sold Austrian-style tortes and biscuits on Rua General Urquiza, Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, since a German immigrant founded it in the 1940s.
Cirandaia opened in 2023 on Rua Voluntários da Pátria in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, brewing filter coffee by V60, Clever and Aeropress with pão de queijo.
TipPão de queijo is the house best-seller, with more than 2,000 sold a month, and the cold brew comes with orange juice.
Confeitaria Colombo has served pastries and afternoon tea in its art nouveau halls on Rua Gonçalves Dias in Centro, Rio de Janeiro, since 1894.
TipThis is the Rua Gonçalves Dias house in Centro; the Forte de Copacabana branch is a separate venue with a different address.
Rio Coffee House pours specialty coffee in Cosme Velho, Rio de Janeiro, beside its roastery and coffee school, and won the 2026 Roastery of the Year title.
Adega Pérola keeps a glass counter of over 50 petiscos beside the chope taps on Rua Siqueira Campos in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro; the bar dates from 1957.
TipSardines are sold by the unit and most other petiscos by 100 g portions, so order a few at a time.
Bracarense pours chope and sells shrimp bolinhos and empadas from a Leblon corner in Rio de Janeiro, a botequim with a Junta Comercial record from 1961.
TipRiotur lists the corner open daily, until 23:55 from Thursday to Saturday; the weekday set lunch runs from 11:00 to 15:00.
Eleninha is a 40-seat bar in a heritage-listed house in Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, with shrimp wontons, fish crudo and cocktails by Alex Mesquita.
TipIt takes no reservations and charges R$80 corkage; Revista Manchete says it won best bar at the Rio Show gastronomy awards.
Adega Pérola, a Copacabana bar from 1957 on Rua Siqueira Campos, Rio de Janeiro, keeps a glass counter of petiscos and chope taps going until 01:00.
OrderSardinhas em escabeche, polvo à vinagrete and provolone à milanesa from the glass counter.
TipIt closes on Sundays and stays open until 01:00 the other days; go in a small group so you can share several petiscos.
Ferro e Farinha bakes naturally leavened pizza in a wood oven in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, and stays open until midnight, or 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
OrderA wood-fired pizza made with the house's naturally fermented dough
TipOne of four Rio branches; reserve by phone or via the house's Instagram, and note the Botafogo house shuts at midnight except on Friday and Saturday.
Guimas Brunch & Bar opened in June 2025 on Rua Marquês de São Vicente in Gávea, Rio de Janeiro, serving brunch all day from pitas to eggs benedict.
OrderOvos beneditinos on brioche with salmon gravlax and hollandaise (R$54)
TipThe house seats 45 and takes no reservations, and Sunday is the busiest day, so arrive early.
Hora Extra Bar Gourmet won Comida di Buteco 2026 in Rio de Janeiro and nationally with discostela, beef rib and watercress fritters on cassava cream.
OrderDiscostela: fritters of beef rib and watercress on cassava cream, the 2026 contest winner.
TipWeekdays it opens at 18:00 and weekends at 13:00, shut on Mondays; discostela was priced at R$40 for the contest, so confirm it is on the regular menu.
Ella Pizzaria bakes wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas in a casarão on Rua Pacheco Leão in Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, and now opens for weekend lunch.
OrderThe Lombo pizza: Canadian loin, smoked scamorza, crisp Parma and chilli jelly.
TipWeekend lunch runs 12:00 to 16:00 with the full menu, and the room seats 56, so the lunch slot is the easier time to get a table.
Maria e o Boi serves grills and baião de dois in a former painters' studio on Rua Maria Quitéria in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
OrderSlow-braised beef ribs with truffled cheese purée, or the sertão-style parmigiana with baião de dois.
TipPortions are generous and priced for sharing; the Michelin Guide says the house does not take bookings through it, so call the restaurant.
Bar da Frente serves Porquinho no Quimono and Fondue de Coxinha at its Praça da Bandeira house in Rio de Janeiro; it placed fifth in Botecar 2025.
OrderPorquinho no Quimono, a harumaki with pork rib and herb requeijão, and the Fondue de Coxinha.
TipThis is the Praça da Bandeira house; the Copacabana branch keeps its own hours, daily 11:00 to 23:00. This one is shut Monday and Tuesday.
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.
A Colher de Pau, a sweets house founded in 1974, reopened on Rua Rita Ludolf in Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, as a sweets bar led by pastry chef Carol Troisgros.
Empório Jardim is a bakery, bistro and deli on Rua Visconde da Graça in Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, with fresh bread all day and a counter of sweets.
Café 18 do Forte has served coffee, breakfast and lunch inside the Forte de Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro since 2010, with views over Copacabana beach.
TipThe Army charges R$10 at the fort gate, payable in cash or Pix; entry is free on Tuesdays, so allow a few minutes at the gate before you reach the cafe.
Metiers Café serves Café Orfeu coffee, breakfast and brunch in the garden of the Casa Roberto Marinho on Rua Cosme Velho in Rio de Janeiro, closed on Mondays.
TipEntry is allowed until 17:00, parking at the Casa Roberto Marinho gate is free, and the house takes bookings through WhatsApp.
Bar da Frente serves cascos of Heineken beside Porquinho no Quimono and Fondue de Coxinha at its Praça da Bandeira branch in Rio de Janeiro.
TipTime Out also lists a Copacabana address; this entry is the Praça da Bandeira house, which opens Wednesday to Sunday.
Chanchada is a Botafogo boteco in Rio de Janeiro with 1970s decor, a weekday set lunch and bar food such as cured torresmo and beef-cheek croquettes.
TipIt opened in early 2022 and held a four-year anniversary party with guest chefs on 9 February 2026.
Quartinho Bar holds up to 40 people on Rua Arnaldo Quintela in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, with inventive cocktails and bar food such as Korean fried chicken.
TipIt reopened in June 2026 with a larger sofa and new art on the walls; Tuesday and Wednesday close an hour earlier.
Quiosque Ginga on the Leme seafront in Rio de Janeiro opens around the clock and won Veja Rio's best kiosk award in 2026, with a Bahian pastel de vatapá.
OrderPastel de vatapá with a dried-shrimp and green-tomato vinaigrette
Quiosque Ginga on Avenida Atlântica in Leme, Rio de Janeiro, never closes, so its Bahian pastel de vatapá can be had at any hour of the day or night.
OrderPastel de vatapá with dried-shrimp vinaigrette, third at Sabores da Orla 2025.
TipThe kiosk stands on Avenida Atlântica near Posto 1 and never closes, so it covers the small hours as well as lunch.
Bar da Portuguesa, on Rua Custódio Nunes in Ramos, Rio de Janeiro, is a family botequim known for bolinho de bacalhau and aipim fritters with shrimp.
TipThursday broth is usually siri and Friday's mocotó; ask for the aipim fritters stuffed with shrimp and the house chilli.
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