Eat in Zona Portuária, Rio de Janeiro

Dois de Fevereiro ★ 4.3

Dois de Fevereiro serves Bahian-inflected cooking from chef João Diamante in Pequena África, with pavement tables on Largo da Prainha, in Rio de Janeiro.

OrderLunch plates such as sun-dried beef with Afro-Brazilian gremolata, or the shrimp bobó

TipThe room is dressed for Iemanjá, with Senhor do Bonfim ribbons and blue boats; Saturday is the only evening, with service until 22:00.

Dois de Fevereiro ★ 4.2

Dois de Fevereiro serves Bahian-leaning lunches by chef João Diamante on Rua Sacadura Cabral in Saúde, near Largo da Prainha, in Rio de Janeiro.

OrderLunch plates such as sun-dried beef with Afro-Brazilian gremolata, or the shrimp bobó.

TipSaturday is the only evening, with service until 22:00; in April the house joins the São Jorge feijoada circuit at Largo da Prainha.

Free Walker Tours ★ 4.1

Free Walker Tours starts at Angu do Gomes in Rio de Janeiro's Little Africa and continues to Pedra do Sal, the birthplace of samba, tasting dishes from regions across Brazil.

TipMeet at Angu do Gomes in the square known as Bafo da Prainha, which the operator says is easy to find.

Carnaval do Rio ★ 4.4

Carnaval do Rio fills Rio de Janeiro with hundreds of street blocos and the Sambódromo parades, fed by thousands of licensed street vendors and 80 stall, food truck and food bike pitches by the Sapucaí.

Mondial de la Bière Rio ★ 4.3

Mondial de la Bière Rio, the Brazilian edition of the Montreal beer festival, takes over the Píer Mauá warehouses in Rio de Janeiro for four days with about 1,500 beers from some 250 breweries.

Casa Porto ★ 3.9

Casa Porto serves petiscos and a daily plate on the upper floor of a sobrado at Largo da Prainha in Saúde, Rio de Janeiro, with a picadinho carioca at R$48.

TryPicadinho carioca, the plate of the day

Angu do Gomes ★ 4.0

Angu do Gomes, born from street carts in 1955, serves angu with offal, ground beef or chicken and corn at R$34.90 at Largo da Prainha, Rio de Janeiro.

TryAngu with beef offal, or with ground beef and olives, sausage, or chicken and corn

Casa Porto ★ 4.0

Casa Porto serves petiscos and a daily plate on the second floor of a sobrado at Largo da Prainha in Saúde, Rio de Janeiro, with shelves of books.

Why locals goIt sits on the upper floor of a sobrado at Largo da Prainha, laid out like a living room with bookshelves and framed pictures on yellow walls.

TipPetiscos lead the menu, such as the sliced onion beef and the jiló chips; the daily plates include a picadinho carioca.

Casa Omolokum ★ 4.2

Casa Omolokum cooks terreiro food and acarajé beside Pedra do Sal in Saúde, Rio de Janeiro, under chef Leila Leão, open Friday to Sunday afternoons.

Why locals goA weekend-only kitchen on Rua Tia Ciata beside Pedra do Sal in old Pequena África; it opens Friday to Sunday afternoons and is closed the rest of the week.

TipThe acarajé is the signature: a black-eyed pea fritter fried in dendê and filled with vatapá, vinagrete and dried shrimp, with pepper added to taste.