Italian restaurants in South America
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El Cuartito
Since 1934, this legendary pizzeria has seen local men polishing off slices at the counter and families sharing fresh empanadas (savory-filled pastries) at tables, surrounded by faded images of sportsmen.
reviewed
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Chan Chan
Run by Italian chef Udo, this Italian eatery has a cozy atmosphere and lots of bright, white, curving adobe walls smartly decorated with tasteful art. The food here is great, the pizzas look like the real, thin-crust deal and the service is very attentive – it’s well worth the splurge. Get here early for a breezy patio seat. To find it, look out for the palm-frond-concealed frontage.
reviewed
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Xicara da Silva
Plenty of people say this popular restaurant prepares the city's best pizza and pasta, and you won't find any arguments to the contrary here. With artful and comfortable dining areas indoors and on a raised patio, the atmosphere is just as appealing. For something smaller, try the quiche. Squeezed into a small leafy lot near the huge Lider Z mall.
reviewed
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La Nueva Colonial
Enough reason to delay your departure, chef Cesar’s outstanding pastas (we recommend the sorrentinos with pesto) are divine creations, served up with fresh foccacia bread and a bottle of red. And if you don’t like it, it’s free (but a hard argument to make). He also prepares massive pepper steaks, salads and generous-sized desserts.
reviewed
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B
Ristorante Fiorentina
The pasta, fresh meats, sangria and homemade desserts are all first-rate, even at the per-kilo lunch buffet, but bring some extra moolah to cover your meal. The dining area features the obligatory Italian restaurant red-and-white checkered tablecloths; the upstairs area mixes things up a bit with blue and white checkers.
reviewed
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C
Artigiano
Overlooking the Jardim de Alah, Artigiano is set in a picturesque villa with more than a hint of the old-world about it. Here, you will find an older, well-dressed crowd enjoying classic Italian fare, including some 20 superb varieties of handmade pasta amid the oil paintings and antiquefurnishings.
reviewed
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D
Mamma Itália
If you're in the center or the northern part of town, it's worth stopping in here for quality Italian fare. The spinach-and-ricotta ravioli is divine.
reviewed
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E
La Trattoria
This casual but festive Italian trattoria has been a neighborhood favorite for over 30 years. Seafood pasta dishes are particularly recommended.
reviewed
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Restaurant Demarco
Although this small bistro specializes in Italian food and crispy crust pizzas – if you read Italian, so much the better for deciphering the extensive menu – they have mouth-watering chupe de camarones, a seafood stew of jumbo shrimp simmering in a buttery broth with hints of garlic, cumin and oregano. The desserts are excellent, from classic tiramisu to mile-high tres leches (a spongy cake made with evaporated milk).
reviewed
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Sottovoce
The warm, inviting interior of this classic Italian restaurant always makes us nostalgic for old-school Italian dishes. When your freshly baked bread arrives, you'll probably feel like plumbing for the classics such as eggplant parmigiana, a sleep-inducing gnocchi (freshly handmade, of course) and finish up with a Tiramisú. We're not sure how the business lunch crowd manage to stay awake at work after food this comforting…
reviewed
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H
Cipriani
On a candlelit patio beside the Palace’s pool, Cipriani serves fine northern Italian cuisine to a well-dressed, largely non-Brazilian crowd. Signature dishes such as the gnocchi, the sirloin with port sauce, and the smoked scallops all meet their mark. For dessert, tiramisu and chocolate mousse are both good options. The dress code is once again in force, so leave your Havaianas at home.
reviewed
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I
Mio
A mix of locals and turistas gather at this longtime Ipanema favorite for tasty traditional Italian dishes and excellent grilled seafood. A huge aquarium dominates the main dining room – though diners in the front patio will have their own glassed-in experience. There’s also an impressive wine cellar (containing 700 vintages) and a humidor stocked with cigars.
reviewed
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J
Don Camillo
One of the few decent restaurants on the Copa strip, this handsomely appointed Italian restaurant has flavorful pastas and lasagnas, as well as some excellent seafood dishes. Antique tile floors, distressed wood beams and black-and-white photos make a nice setting to add to your dining pleasure. For pure decadence, try the linguini with lobster, shrimp and cherry tomatoes.
reviewed
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K
Fratelli
On a quiet street in Leblon, Fratelli’s large glass windows frame families and young couples enjoying a fine neighborhood restaurant. It’s the food, however, that ought to be on display: creamy linguini with langosta (lobster), polenta with porcini and Brie and plump tortellini all pair nicely with Fratelli’s decent wine selection.
reviewed
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D’Oro
This tried-and-true Italian wine-bar turns out thin, crispy oven-baked pizzas, mushroom risotto, cappellini tossed with fresh basil and tomatoes, and garlic-topped focaccia bread. A friendly sommelier is on hand to recommend a glass of Cabernet, and atmosphere is busy and pleasantly casual – you’ll have to squeeze in sideways at lunch.
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Filo
Popular with the 45-minutes-and-gone business lunch crowd and, by night, couples out on their third dinner date, this large, pop-art-style Italian pizzeria tosses thin-crust pies with fresh toppings. Try one piled high with prosciutto and arugula, then throw back some limoncello before checking out the downstairs art gallery.
reviewed
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Osteria Dell’angolo
Northern Italian cuisine is prepared and served with consummate skill. You’d be hard pressed to find fault with fresh pastas, seafood and much-lauded risottos – the squid risotto in ink sauce in particular. President Lula, among other notable visitors, once dined in the elegant but understated Osteria.
reviewed
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O
Gero
Elegance is the spice of choice at this handsome Ipanema favorite on posh Aníbal de Mendonça. Run by hotelier and restaurateur Rogério Fasano, Gero has some exquisite choices including tuna carpaccio, risotto with Tuscan sausage and the simple but delicious ravioli with tomato, mozzarella and basil.
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Trattoria Toscana
The gnocchi, ravioli and lasagna are all made in-house, and served in hefty portions. The spaghetti and linguini use store-bought noodles, but the sauces – salmon, puttanesca, and others – are excellent. For dessert, splurge on the divine petit gateau di cioccolato (petite chocolate cake; R$10).
reviewed
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Le Due Torri
Italian immigrants and their descendants have tended the clientele at this stylish wood-paneled central restaurant for three generations. The packed lunchtime tables are testament to their enduring success. Tucked away in a shopping arcade, it's expensive but good, boasting 78 different varieties of antipasto.
reviewed
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Il Ballo del Mattone
The homemade pastas here can be hit or miss, but the atmosphere – full of funky, artsy touches – is priceless. Not surprisingly, the owner is an artist and the little patio in back has a graffiti mural. Friday nights can be packed – a DJ often spins. Its cafe, a few doors down, is a more peaceful proposition.
reviewed
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Círculo Italiano
Part of the Italian social club, Círculo Italiano prepares good, moderately priced lunch specials (AR$25 to AR$30 Monday to Friday) and tasty pasta. Come for the ritzy atmosphere, the waiters in linen jackets, the complimentary pâté or the extensive wine list. Stay for the classic rock on the sound system.
reviewed
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S
Vivace
Surprisingly attentive service marks this as the dining location of choice in central Talca. Its interior is fresh and tasteful, as is its Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. Try the rabbit grilled with onion and carrots. Vegetarians are well catered for, especially with the lovely Tortellini al Roquefort.
reviewed
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Amici Miei
There aren’t many places in town where you can dine on gourmet black truffle carpaccio while an impeccably dressed tenor strides through the room crooning ‘O Sole Mio'. Try chef Sebastian Rivas Proia’s exquisite tagliatelle with shrimp at a charming table for two overlooking Plaza Dorrego.
reviewed
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Mais Sabor
Occupying a raised pier perched over the water, this popular open-air restaurant opposite Praça do Pescador has nice breezes and views of both rivers – the regular one and the one made up of joggers, families and teenage couples flowing down the wide promenade. The menu has mostly pizza and pasta.
reviewed
