Rio de Janeiro State
Directly opposite the picturesque 17th-century white church on Cabo Frio's most historic square, this eatery in a colonial house serves sophisticated…
Must-see restaurants in Brazil
Ipanema & Leblon
Leblon's top sushi destination boasts a Zen-like ambience, with a handsome dark-wood sushi counter setting the stage for succulent cuisine. In addition to…
Natal
The Manary Praia Hotel's poolside restaurant serves creative salads and superb seafood and is one of Natal's very best restaurants. During the day it's a…
São Paulo
This top-quality casual grill (there's a more formal location at gastronomy-heavy Shopping JK) serves the city's best steak – don't let anyone tell you…
Praia da Pipa
Tapas is a culinary godsend, a labor of love of a well-traveled paulista couple who dish out large Brazilian tapas peppered with Thai, Indian, French and…
Fortaleza
Hugely popular with local families, this grill restaurant has a fabulous main dining room covered in old movie posters; it houses a collection of hundreds…
São Paulo State
It’s worth popping to the Grande Hotel for this award-winning pizzeria. Firing in the wood-burning oven is interrupted three times to slather the pies…
Pará
It's no surprise that the island's nicest hotel also has its most sophisticated restaurant. It's not easy to attract experienced staff to this culinary…
São Paulo
The Moema location of this classic pizza Paulistana chain follows suit from its more lively Pinheiros location, churning out wood-oven baked pies (try…
Rio de Janeiro
Aconchego Carioca consistently ranks as one of the best places in town to eat traditional Brazilian cuisine. The setting, cozy and welcoming, has a casual…
Gávea, Jardim Botânico & Lagoa
A short stroll from the Jardim Botânico's north exit, this very friendly vegetarian restaurant has garnered quite a following for its deliciously healthy…
Santa Teresa & Lapa
One of Santa Teresa's most creative spaces, Bazá is equal parts vegetarian cafe, handicraft gallery and live-music venue. Stop in for tasty lentil or…
Flamengo & Around
For an alternative taste of Rio, head up to Tavares Bastos for an amazing feast of Indian cuisine. Chef Bruno Dantas Nadkarni learned from his Indian…
Rio de Janeiro
Hands down, Azumi serves some of the best traditional Japanese cuisine in Rio. This laid-back sushi bar certainly has its fans – both in the nisei…
Rio de Janeiro
The sourdough revolution has yet to take hold in Rio, so this modern bakery is something of a pioneer. A range of superb sourdough loaves are baked on…
Belém
The good people of Belém love their burgers, and this small chain is the pick of a rather plentiful bunch of hamburger grills. The recipe for success is…
São Paulo State
Chef Pisek studied the art of sausage-making in Germany and is celebrated for his homemade production (he often takes home best German restaurant in…
Gávea, Jardim Botânico & Lagoa
Inside the lush Parque Lage, this beautifully located cafe serves an expansive array of dishes, including eggs Benedict and roasted eggplant lasagna, as…
Brazil
For a cheap meal with a local flavor, head to this huge open-air restaurant south of the city. Pull up a plastic chair alongside the hordes of local…
Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses
Pull up a table on the breezy wooden deck overlooking the river at this excellent local restaurant and choose from a variety of fantastic typical plates…
Brasília
This northeastern por-quilo restaurant is a culinary experience like no other. An assembly line of tempting creative dishes will totally overwhelm you –…
Rio de Janeiro
Set with checkered tablecloths, exposed brick and decorations from the Old World, La Trattoria has been a neighborhood favorite since 1976. Shrimp dishes…
Manaus
One of Manaus’ top gourmet restaurants, especially for fish. Varieties such as pirarucú, tambaqui and other Amazonian specialties are served in various…
Goiás
Follow the paper lantern trail to the edge of the village for an open two-floor timber restaurant with a treehouse feel and loads of character. The…
Pernambuco
This romantic spot with views over Olinda's roofs is one of the region's best places for creative seafood. Try the shrimp in whisky and béchamel sauce…
Curitiba
Hankering for a fiery curry? This upscale Indian restaurant in Batel is easily Brazil's (and maybe South America's) best. The kitchen staff are not afraid…
Rio Grande do Norte
Just across from wide Praia do Cardeiro, this simple beach bar does simple fare very well: the posta de cavala (mackerel), served with salad, fried potato…
Bahia
Considered one of Arraial's finest restaurants, Rosa dos Ventos offers a short menu of exquisite grilled seafood, perfect cocktails and decadent desserts;…
Fernando de Noronha
One of the best-value upscale choices, within walking distance of most pousadas, Varanda is an unpretentious place with a varied menu that includes a good…
Salvador
This vegetarian-friendly restaurant offers a spread of regional dishes, buffet-style. Lunch is fairly casual, but at night it's a dinner-and-show package…
Brasília
Smart but not pretentious, this restaurant has an elegant two-level interior and lovely back deck. The cuisine shows off its French and Italian roots with…
Maceió
Janga is the place to scratch your itch for modern fine dining in Maceió. It does exquisite seafood dishes (the sauteed shrimp salad is especially tasty…
Bonito & Around
Just off the main drag, this warm-hearted spot serves top-notch pizzas with mostly – but not exclusively – vegetarian toppings. All are brimming with…
Belém
Wildly popular with Belém's hip young crowd, Mango is devoted to the art of healthy eating, with fab dishes such as duck burger, and grilled mango for…
Morro de São Paulo
This pretty cafe-restaurant doubles as an art space; the patio overlooking the square is a sweet spot for a little night music. House specialties include…
Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul
You'll be gobbling up river fish like a caiman at this quality rodízio (all-you-can-eat), which features several dozen preparations of pintado, pacu and…
Jericoacoara
This delightful little corner restaurant with only a few tables pumps out memorable cuisine, from octopus Provençal (best dish in Jeri?) to a divine green…
Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul
The best dishes at this regional institution require an advance order, such as the pacu recheado (fish stuffed with manioc and spices; three-hour…
Mato Grosso & Mato Grosso do Sul
Corumbaenses flock to this unpretentious, family-run churrascaria for the best meat rodízio in town at lunchtimes; dinner is à la carte. Portions are…
Praia da Pipa
Beat the heat at this Italian-owned gelateria. The 16 flavors change daily, but stalwarts include the namesake Preciosa (with Belgian chocolate) and…
