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00 (Zero Zero)
Housed in Gávea's planetarium, 00 is a sleek restaurant-lounge that serves Brazilian cuisine with Asian and Mediterranean overtones. Jerked beef and leek-tapioca rolls or filet mignon with puree of arracacha (a root vegetable that is something of a cross between carrot and celery) are best enjoyed on the open-air veranda. After dinner, have a few cocktails and stick around: some of Rio's best DJs spin at parties here.
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Aprazível
Hidden on a windy road high up in Santa Teresa, Aprazível offers beautiful views and a lush garden setting. Brazilian fare with a twist showcases plates of succulent quail and salmon with mango chutney. Wednesday nights are dedicated to live choro (around R$10 cover). This place is a bit out of the way, so take a taxi (and have your map handy, as drivers don't always know this place).
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Arataca
The casual, no-nonsense Arataca serves the exotic cuisine of the Amazon. While there's better tacacá on offer in Rio (Flamengo's Tacacá do Norte is the city's best), Arataca is a handy spot to grab a savory bowl of the soup. There's also pirarucu (a kind of fish), pato no tucupi (roast duck flavored with garlic) or vatapá (seafood dish with a thick sauce made from manioc paste, coconut and dendê oil), all of which go nicely with real guarana juice.
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Arte Temperada
Hidden in a tiny alley behind the Casa França-Brasil, this charming restaurant serves delicious Franco-Brazilian cuisine without the fuss. Some top choices are the crepes, the bouillabaisse, and the chicken breast served with passion fruit sauce and polenta. You can also opt for the two-course plate of the day.
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Azul Marinho
Below the Arpoador Inn, Azul Marinho serves an excellent range of seafood dishes, and the outdoor tables facing the ocean have the best beachside setting you'll find in the Zona Sul (there's no traffic between you and the sea, only sand). Try one of the tasty moquecas or their famous whole fish baked in salt.
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Barreado
In a lush setting west of Barra, this rustic spot serves fresh Brazilian seafood with a wildly eclectic twist. Meals are prepared in the wood-burning oven, and pumpkin is the serving vehicle of choice. You can order it filled with rich delicacies like shrimp with catupiry (a kind of cheese), scampi, or lobster and mango. For those who'd rather save the pumpkins for Halloween, vatapá and roast meats are also excellent choices.
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Bazzar
Set on a peaceful, tree-lined street, this nicely designed restaurant serves a wide variety of cuisine, making it a good spot if you're not sure what you're in the mood for, but want something dazzling. Top choices are grilled namorado with whole-grain rice, citrus and pesto, and lamb with polenta and mushrooms. There's a smaller branch hidden on the second floor of Ipanema's Livraria da Travessa (2249 4977; Rua Visconde de Pirajá 572, Ipanema).
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Belmonte
One of the classic botecos in Rio, Belmonte is a vision of Rio from the '50s. Globe lights hang overhead as patrons steel their nerves with cachaça or chope from the narrow bar. Meanwhile, unhurried waiters make their way across the intricate tile floors, carrying plates of trout or steak sandwiches. This hugely successful chain is now widespread across Rio.
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Bira
Splendid views of Baía de Marambaia await diners who make the trek to Bira, about 45 minutes outside the city. On a breezy wooden deck, diners can partake in the flavorful, rich seafood emerging from the kitchen. Moquecas, sea bass, shrimp, crabmeat pastries - all are prepared with doting tenderness.
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Botequim Informal
Located on the 7th floor of the Botafogo Praia Shopping Center, Botequim Informal has a fairly standard menu, but boasts spectacular views of the bay and Pão de Açúcar. It's one of many eateries in the mall.
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Carretão
It's all about the meat at this decent but inexpensive churrascaria in Leme. With several branches throughout the city, including an Ipanema Carretão (2267 3965; Rua Visconde de Pirajá 112), this popular chain serves up consistently good cuts - and heaps of them. There's also a small salad bar, and you can order sides from the menu at no added charge.
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Catete Grill
One of the newer restaurants in Catete, the Catete Grill has won over the neighborhood with its excellent buffet - served all day. It also offers ice creams - a quilo of course.
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Cervantes
A Copacabana institution, the late-night Cervantes gathers a broad mix of Cariocas who come to feast on Cervantes' trademark meat and pineapple sandwiches. Its waiters are famed for their fussiness, along with their quickness to the tap when your chope runneth dry. Around the corner (Rua Barato Ribeiro 7), Cervantes' stand-up boteco serves up tasty bites in a hurry.
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Churrascaria Majórica
A true gaúcho (person from Rio Grande do Sul) would chuckle at the kitschy cowboy accoutrements inside this restaurant. He'd shut his trap, however, once his plate of steak arrived. Meat is very serious business at Majórica, and if you're seeking an authentic churrascaria experience, look no further.
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Doce Delícia
Doce Delícia has a small but loyal following that is sold on the restaurant's innovative Eastern design concept. Restaurant goers create their own salads from over 40 ingredients on the menu. Feeling daring? Go for the pumpkin, jerked meat and leeks. The only limit is your imagination, cara . There's a second branch in Ipanema (2259 0239; Rua Aníbal de Mendonça 55, Ipanema; ;noon- ).
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Emporium Pax
One of many eateries at Botafogo Praia Shopping, Emporium Pax is a more polished affair than the adjoining food court and offers spectacular views of Pão de Açúcar and Baía de Guanabara. As well as salads, pastas and tasty desserts, the lunch buffet draws in the shopping and film-goers.
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Espírito Santa
One of Santa Teresa's best new restaurants, Espírito Santa is set in a beautifully restored mansion in Santa Teresa. Take a seat on the back terrace with its sweeping views or inside the charming, airy dining room, and feast on rich, expertly prepared meat and seafood dishes from the Amazon.
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Estação República
Estação's buffet table is a neighborhood institution, featuring an extensive selection of salads, meats, pastas and vegetables. It's easy to indulge without breaking the bank. Sundays are family affairs here.
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Fellini
One of Leblon's top buffet restaurants, Fellini has an enticing selection of dishes: salads, pastas, grilled fish and shrimp, a sushi counter and the hallowed roast-meat counter. Fellini's modest dining room attracts a mix of hungry patrons - tourists, neighborhood folk and the beautiful crowd included.
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Garcia & Rodrigues
Serving French food with a Brazilian accent (like roast veal à la Pantanal), Garcia & Rodrigues remains popular with Gallic expats in the city. Its two floors provide an elegant dining experience, though you can also sit in the café in front if you simply want a quick bite. Behind the glass counters surrounding the tiled floor, you'll find breads and cheeses, a good wine selection, homemade ice cream and good-looking desserts.
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Gula Gula
In a recent move to a cozy villa on Ipanema's western edge, Gula Gula continues to remain one Ipanema's culinary favorites - which means a lot in a neighborhood ever in search of the new. Quiches and salads are tops at this casual spot, but those in search of heartier fare can opt for grilled meats or other Brazilian dishes. Gula Gula is franchising fast, with locations in Centro (3852 1174; Rua Primeiro de Março 23A) and Leblon (2284 8792; Rua Rita Ludolf 87A) among other places.
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Mangue Seco Cachaçaria
Part of the Rio Scenarium empire, Mangue Seco is a popular spot for grabbing a meal or a drink before doing the Lapa samba circuit. The menu has a mix of seafood and Bahian fare, with hearty moquecas and bobó de camarão (shrimp pastries) among the most popular dishes. There's live music Thursday to Saturday nights, and an upstairs bar that stocks over 100 different types of cachaça .
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Marius Carnes
In addition to the breathtaking array of delicious roast meats carried from table to table, this Leme churrascaria (all-you-can-eat barbecued-meat restaurant) features a lavish buffet table. Oysters in the half shell, sushi, grilled vegetables with herbs; it all seems almost too lovely to eat. Next door is Marius Crustáceas, the restaurant's seafood equivalent.
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Plataforma
This restored churrascaria still draws a garrulous mix of politicians, artists and tourists. Dark, mellow woods in the dining room match the tones of the roast meats traveling from table to table. Also in this complex is the Bar do Tom, with live bossa nova, and downstairs is the Plataforma Show - the over-the-top Carnaval show for tourists.
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Porcão Rio's
Set in the Parque do Flamengo with a stunning view of Pão de Açúcar, Porcão Rio's has been gradually moving up the charts in the churrascaria ratings. Some claim it's the best in the city; others are content just to go for the view. Whatever the case, you're in for an eating extravaganza. Call a few days in advance to book that table by the window.
