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Beduíno
You'll always find a lunchtime crowd at this low-key restaurant east of Cinelândia. Reliably good food and excellent prices are Beduíno's keys to success, with 30 different traditional Middle Eastern dishes to choose from. Favorites include grilled kafta, lamb stew, and rice and lentils.
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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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Bibi Crepes
This small, open-sided restaurant attracts a young, garrulous crowd who come to enjoy the more than two dozen sweet and savory crepes available. There are plenty of straightforward options as well as creative choices like salmon with cream cheese. There are also decent salads - you choose up to 15 toppings. Come early to beat the lunchtime crowds. Bibi Crepes also has a branch in Copacabana (2513 6000; Rua Miguel Lemos 31).
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Bibi Sucos
Among Rio's countless juice bars, Bibi Sucos is a long-standing favorite. You'll find over 40 different varieties, and a never-ending supply of the favorite açaí . Sandwiches will quell greater hunger pangs.
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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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Bistro do Paço
On the ground floor of the Paço Imperial, this informal restaurant offers a tasty assortment of quiches, salads, soups and other light fare. Save room for the delicious pies and cakes.
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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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Botequim Informal
One of the neighborhood's popular meeting points, this airy bar and restaurant serves Brazilian standards and icy cold beers on a quiet tree-lined street.
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Braseiro da Gávea
This family-style eatery serves up large portions of its popular steak with farofa, pot roast or fried chicken. On weekends, the open-air spot fills with the din of conversation and the aroma of fresh chope drifting by. A younger crowd takes over at night and into the early morning.
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Brasileirinho
Facing Praça General Osório, this simple eatery with its rustic charm serves a satisfying selection of traditional Mineiro cuisine. Traditional favorites include tutu a mineira (mashed black beans with mancioc), carne seca and passion fruit mousse for dessert. The feijão (beans) here are tops - not surprising given Brasileirinho is run by the same owners of Casa da Feijoada around the corner. They often have excellent multi-course lunch specials for around R$18 .
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Brasserie Rosário
Set in a handsomely restored 1860s building, this atmospheric bistro has a hint of Paris about it. The front counters are full of croissants, pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) and other baked items, while the restaurant menu features roast meats and fish, soups, baguette sandwiches and the like. Old American jazz plays overhead.
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Braz
The much-touted pizzeria from São Paulo won a huge Carioca following after it opened in Rio in 2007. Perfect crusts and super-fresh ingredients are two of the components that make Braz the best pizza place in town. This is no secret, so arrive early and plan on having a few chopes on the front patio before scoring that table.
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Caesar Park
Some of Rio's best feijoada is served at the Caesar Park Hotel on Saturday. The rich cuisine is expertly prepared, without a lot of extra fat, and you can sample nearly a dozen varieties of pork dishes. A live samba band lends a festive atmosphere to the feasting.
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Café Botânico
This letter-box-sized café and bistro serves tasty bites, like goat cheese quiche, pumpkin soup and homemade sandwiches. Don't neglect the tasty pie and cake selection.
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Café do Rodrigues
Inside the charming Centro branch of the Livraria da Travessa bookstore, Café do Rodrigues is a suitable setting for philosophical conversation when the world - or the humidity - has worn you down. Browse for books, then peruse your finds over a torta do palmito (heart-of-palm quiche), a hearty soup or a flavorful salad.
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Café du Lage
Inside the lush Parque Lage, this beautifully sited café serves tasty sandwiches, salads and other light fare. On weekends, it's a popular gathering spot for young families who come for the brunch, which features fresh breads and jams, fruits, juices and the like.
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Café Severino
In the back of the Argumento bookshop, this charming café is a cozy place to hide away with a book or a new friend. In addition to coffees and lighter fare - sandwiches, salads and desserts - it's justly famed for its tasty crepes (try the salmon with Gruyère).
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Cafeína
In the heart of Ipanema, this inviting café (and its sidewalk tables) is a fine spot for having a cup of java while watching the city stroll by. In addition to strong coffee and a lively mixed crowd, you'll find sandwiches, salads and some very rich desserts.
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Cais do Oriente
Brick walls lined with tapestries stretch high to the ceiling in this almost-cinematic 1870s mansion. Set on a brick-lined street, hidden from the masses, Cais do Oriente blends West with East in dishes like sesame tuna. On Friday and Saturday nights, live bands perform in the restaurant (around R$20 cover).
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Capricciosa
Inside this trendy high-end pizzeria, you'll find delicious thin-crust pizzas employing the freshest ingredients. The price is high but so is the quality, and toppings aren't so much tossed onto the curst as they are artfully arranged. Among many flavorful combinations is the signature capricciosa (ham, bacon, an egg, artichoke hearts and mushrooms). There is another branch in Copacabana (2255 2598; Rua Domingos Ferreira 187, Copacabana).
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Carême
This French bistro serves excellent plates of marinated snapper, braised rabbit, and apple-and-nut risotto (among other vegetarian offerings). The desserts are legendary.
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Carlota
This award-winning restaurant has an intimate ambience that sits just right with the delicate cuisine. The small but ever-changing menu features elements from traditional Portuguese cooking (like the cod recipes) as well as Eastern influences (salmon sashimi, shiitake dishes). Regardless, inventive chef Carla Pernambuco always creates some memorable meals.
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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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Casa Cavé
Set with attractive tile floors and marble tabletops, this simple, historic coffeehouse (c 1860), lures in passersby with its glass shop windows full of tempting desserts. Inside, diners gather at the long, narrow counter, sipping hot coffee served by bustling waitstaff.
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Casa da Feijoada
Admirers of Brazil's historic feijoada needn't wait until Saturday to experience the meaty meal. At this 15-year-old institution any day is fine to sample the rich black-bean and salted-pork dish. Served with the requisite orange slices, farofa and grated kale (cabbage), it goes nicely with a caipirinha.
