What is in season in Rio de Janeiro. and what to order when the market changes.

Spring

  • Rio Gastronomia: Rio Gastronomia, in its 16th edition, runs 17 September to 4 October 2026 at the Jockey Club Brasileiro, with restaurants, chef classes and a fair of producers from Rio state.
  • Rio Restaurant Week, spring edition: The 30th Rio Restaurant Week ran to 30 November 2025 with 100 restaurants selling fixed menus from R$59.90 at lunch to R$149 at dinner, on an Italian theme.
  • Mondial de la Bière Rio: Mondial de la Bière Rio fills Píer Mauá from 29 October to 1 November 2026 with around 1,500 beer labels from 230 breweries, plus food and concerts at the waterfront.

Summer

  • Carnaval street food: For Carnaval 2026 the city issued street-vendor credentials valid from 17 January to 22 February and set an online lottery for 80 fixed pitches for stalls, food trucks and food bikes around the Sambódromo.
  • Açaí in the heat: Visit Rio calls açaí one of the most refreshing orders of the Rio summer, blended with banana or strawberry or served pure in the classic Amazon style, and says the city's juice houses helped popularise the iced copão.
  • Mate gelado on the beach: By 1950 iced mate sold from drums was the most popular drink on Rio's beaches, and Matte Leão launched its ready-to-drink cups in the summer of 1987, aimed at the beaches.

Autumn

  • Ceasa-RJ's March produce: When Ceasa-RJ launched its harvest calendar in March 2014, it told March shoppers to favour abóbora, aipim, goiaba, banana nanica, laranja natal, limão taiti and melancia.
  • Feijoada for São Jorge: On 23 April Rio eats feijoada for Dia de São Jorge: in 2026 the Circuito das Feijoadas de São Jorge ran from 16 to 26 April around Largo da Prainha and Centro, with Casa Porto and Bafo da Prainha serving it at R$55 for one.
  • Comida di Buteco: Comida di Buteco ran from 10 April to 10 May 2026 in more than 150 bars, each selling a R$40 petisco, with greens as the compulsory ingredient this year.

Winter

  • Festa Junina food: June brings canjica, milho verde, pamonha and quentão to Rio's arraiás, and in 2026 the São João da Feira de São Cristóvão ran on 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27 June.
  • Caldos and soups: Time Out Rio's June 2025 round-up of cold-weather eating points to caldinho de sururu at R$25 to R$45 and caldos of shrimp, fish and siri at R$43 each.

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