For those who don’t know, I spent the first half of 2025 living in Rio de Janeiro, on a one-person mission to squeeze every last drop out of the city, brush up on my questionable Portuguese, and eat and drink my body weight in local delicacies.

Armed with what I like to think is a reasonably solid grasp of Rio’s best haunts, I’ve put together a set of recommendations that cover restaurants, bars, cafés, and hotels across my favourite city in the world. As usual, these are just my opinions, so don’t come at me.

Ipanema on any given day

Go on a hike

If you’re in Rio for more than two days, I beg you go into the Tijuca Forest and try out a hike, or do one of the many hikes in and surrounding the city. Some top ones:

  • Pedra Bonita
  • Christ the Redeemer Hike
  • Pedra da Gávea
  • Pico da Tijuca
  • Morro Dois Irmãos
  • Sugarloaf Mountain

What to avoid

Pedra do Sal on a Monday. If you’re heading to Rio then your TikTok algorithm has probably already thrust this upon you. As a result of its recent international fame, going to Pedra do Sal on a Monday is one of the more hellish experiences you can voluntarily walk into. Unless you arrive at 6pm on the dot, I’d forget about this tourist trap. Steeped in history, this area is famous for live samba performances and undoubtedly a fantastic place to visit if you’re looking to understand more about Rio’s history of African rituals and heritage. If your goal is to actually move to some live music, however, I’d strongly suggest that you skip this one. The crowds are unmoving, and tension lingers in the air, fueled by the uneasy mix of tourists and locals caught together in a dense and sticky mass. Between the sweaty armpits and chorus of drunken shouting, managing not to get your phone nicked here feels like a small miracle.

General advice on drinking

Sharing is caring: If you are ordering beer anywhere in Brazil, but particularly in Rio, you’d be crazy not to order a 600ml bottle and pour it between amigos, into Brazil’s iconic little glasses called copos americanos. Beers in Rio come astoundingly cold to the point that they’re sometimes semi-frozen. Original is by far my favourite beer brand, but they also have Brahma (watery lager, IMO) and some global classics like Stella on offer. If you’re not into sharing, then order a chopp (“chopp-y”) – a perfectly chilled little half pint.

General advice on eating

Botecos: A self-promotion here, but one of my favourite experiences in Rio was organising a boteco crawl with a local foodie expert and some pals. All of this + lots of eating out resulted in this article for Palate Magazine that I would obviously say is well worth the read.

Try at least one or two botecos. A boteco is Brazil’s answer to a traditional Spanish taberna, a cousin of the pintxo bar, and an integral part of Brazilian culture. These are informal social hubs, a cross between a bar and a restaurant, where Brazilians gather for cheap food and drinks. Traditional snacks are served throughout the day, such as torresmos with a slice of lime (crispy pork rinds, the Brazilian chicharrón or pork scratching), any number of pastel varieties (prawn is the GOAT), cassava, provolone or coxinhas (pear-shaped croquettes). 

If you’re at an established boteco, you may find an extended menu that features all manner of meats and fish; of course, as with any meal in Brazil, most of these dishes will be accompanied by a vinaigrette sauce, a homemade chilli sauce, beans and my one true love: farofa. 

Farofa: For those who aren’t familiar with farofa – often referred to by foreigners as that weird ‘dust’ – this accompaniment is a proud staple of any Brazilian plate of food. This magical dust is made from roasted cassava flour flavoured with your ingredients of choice, which could be garlic and butter, bacon or even banana, especially popular in the north of the country. Farofa = texture. Farofa = happiness.

Feijoada: Brazil’s ultimate comfort dish made from black beans, every pork cut imaginable, rice, farofa, and strong food coma afterwards. Heavy, hearty, and delicious.

Pão de queijo: Tiny, cheesy bread balls. Crispy outside, gooey inside, does what it says on the tin

Beach snacks: Do it. Try it all, apart from the prawns on a stick. I repeat, do NOT try the raw prawn skewers unless you’re looking to lose a few speedy pounds by way of food poisoning. These things are carried up and down the beaches of Zona Sul all day in scorching heat, getting a slow-cook from the sun and special seasoning from the flies that flock them. 

What to feast on when au beach/na praia: A classic combination is mate – elite Brazilian iced tea, which you can have pure or with extra lemon juice or passionfruit juice – and biscoto Globo, which are strangely delicious and appealing ring-shaped, airy crisps not dissimilar to a Wotsit in texture but lacking 100% of their flavour. Still, this drink and snack combo is a must. Nothing hits quite the same as an ice-cold mate on a hot day and a handful of crunchy, somewhat sandy Globos. 

In truth, you could happily pitch up on a Rio beach for a day, not move a single muscle, and still eat like royalty. Meat skewers sizzle on tiny portable grills before being dipped in farofa; esfihas – pastries of Lebanese origin – make the rounds; and queijo coalho, addictive halloumi-style cheese, is grilled before your very eyes and drizzled with runny honey. Then come the iconic corn vendors, pushing their carts up and down the sand like absolute machines in the blazing sun, shucking cobs on the spot and slathering the kernels in margarine, salt, and a host of other seasoning options. It’s a full-blown feast for the senses, and the endless parade of hard-working beach vendors doing God’s work is better entertainment than anything you’ll find on TV.

After rolling off the beach, you’ll likely be confronted by a small army of vendors hawking even more irresistible treats. Enter the churro trucks and mobile popcorn stalls. Churros with dulce de leche? Non-negotiable – one of Rio’s ultimate snacks; you simply can’t leave without trying them. They fill their churros from the inside in Brazil so they are a flavour powerhouse. Even the salted popcorn is built different here: it’s inherently buttery, crispy, and somehow perfect

Market culture

Another thing Rio does better than most cities is markets. Whether you’re after all manner of fresh produce and food stalls, vintage clothes or local crafts, here are some of the best:

  • Praça IV – Saturdays
    Hands down the best vintage and second-hand clothes market I’ve ever stumbled across. Seriously, bring extra suitcase space.
  • Feira da Glória – Sundays
    The city’s top food market. Don’t miss Cozinha Nigeriana de Latifa—line up early for ridiculously generous portions of Nigerian food.
  • Ipanema Hippie Market / Junta Local
    Perfect for wandering, people-watching, and picking up unique souvenirs. Follow Junta Local on Instagram to see where they’re pitching up next. This is a lovely little market that moves around the city. Go for the food, stay for the brownies and live samba.

Açaí and coffee fix

Humble self-promotion here but I wrote a whole article for Palate Magazine on açai. Voilà

  • Tacacá do Norte- The absolute goat. All natural, REAL açaí that leaves your mouth purple. Actually healthy, incredible experience to try it pure, but you can also add sugar. It’s epic
  • Aussie Coffee (Ipanema) and Cafe au Leu (Copacabana) – best coffee spots in Rio IMO
  • Kiosk da Tika (Copacabana) – açai, pure guaraná, and esfirras right by the beach (heaven)
  • Tapi – a couple of them around Zona Sul, pretty good tapiocas and açaí
  • Cultivar (Santa Teresa) – seriously hard to spot, and so incredibly simple inside, but go here for fresh and yummy pão de quiejo and açaí
Tacacá

Neighbourhood guide: eating, drinking, culture

Copacabana

Rough around the edges, gloriously chaotic, and dripping in faded 70s charm. The beach is iconic, the boulevard is loud, and the local haunts are classic.

  • Pavão Azul – pastels and cheap drinks across three corners – always packed
    Cervantes – famous for the pernil and pineapple sandwich (definitely add patê!). Not my favourite but it’s very popular, busy and famous
  • Galeto Sats – barbecued meats and garlic bread that will ruin every other garlic bread for you
  • Basha – great Middle Eastern food, but a queue is inevitable
  • For beach vibes, wander towards Leme and check out Rasta Beach – young, fun, and full of energy

Ipanema & Leblon

Rich people and tourists. Still, the beach is absolutely stunning

  • Balcão
  • Gurume – great Asian/Brazilian fusion food
  • Virtuoso Vinho – cute little wine bar
  • Jobi
  • Boteco Princesa
  • Culture?: Farm Rio & other important shops along Nossa Senhora da Paz / Leblon Shopping Centre – incredible shopping

Botafogo / Flamengo

A cooler option for young people to explore and some of the buzziest parts of the city; for actual locals who run away from Copa/Ipanema (Copanema)

  • All the bars pop off especially from Wednesday onwards. Some favourite bars:
    • Quartinho – amazing stuff, live music after a certain point (unsure when but fun)
    • Lemo / Calma 
    • Head to Rua Fernandes Guimaraes and just crawl your way down there
    • Fala
  • Restaurants:
    • Chanchada – good sharing plates, always super busy
    • Sult – Italian, definitely book ahead
    • Il Leone – yummy Italian
    • Sushi do Gil in the Cobal do Humaita indoor market – go!!!
  • Cafes etc
    • The Slow Bakery – lovely vibe
    • Tacaca do Norte, duh
    • Casa Hoba – nice, interesting flavoured vegan ice creams

Santa Teresa

Iconic area that is known for its Lisbon-esque trams and adorable boutique shops, atop rolling hills with exceptional views. Artist community sort of vibe

  • Cultivar
  • Bar do Mineiro
  • Samba dos Guimarães – samba!!
  • Mo Café
  • ZOLA – cool bar/ café and pizza place
  • Bar dos Descasados
  • Novooeste – fun bar

Jardim Botânico & Horto

Le chic crowd live here. Goals.

  • La Bicyclette
  • Katz-Su
  • Eleninha
  • Culture: Botanical gardens (a must!!!), waterfalls, and general lush vibes

Glória & Centro

A really interesting and historical part of the city, where you can find an emerging bar and restaurant scene immersed in the colour, chaos and general sensory overload that is the Centre. Please be mindful of your bags and phones here and no texting in the middle of the street near the road; you’re welcome

  • Casa da Glória – hidden gem! Go for a lovely bar and restaurant next to a really striking swimming pool; arty, family crowd
  • Feira da Glória – non-negotiable market
  • Jurema – go go go! Great drinks and vibes and a new spot has opened up next to it that I can’t remember the name of but really good sharing food and live samba. Cool crowd
  • Suru
  • Os Ximenes – super popular cheap bar, absolute staple
  • Bar da Cachaça – one of the buzziest spots in Lapa, all manner of cachaça to try. Try the Jorge Amado caipirinha with a tiny bit of sugar only
  • Acasa Bistrot on the most beautiful colourful street next to Gloria Market – definitely go here!
  • Lilia – upmarket amazing restaurant
  • Bar Sousa Lima – cheap drinks, no frills vibe, bustling crowd, great pastels
  • Culture: Museu do Amanhã, MAM Gardens, Catete Palace Gardens – culture, history, and architecture
Boteco Princesa in Leblon – prawn pasteis that I am still drooling over

Beaches

  • Pepino Beach / São Conrado – So-Ga Bar – classy AF beach, excellent vibes, scarily attractive people; a 20 min uber from Zona Sul
  • Barra da Tijuca & Praia da Reserva – bit further out but stunnnnnig
  • Praia da Joatinga – again, an Uber away but amazing little beach
  • Ipanema – Posto 9/10 – young/sexy people abound
  • Leme Beach – Barraca 20 Reggae as mentioned above
  • Praia Vermelha or Red Beach – next to Sugarloaf, a little beach but good vibes
Joatinga

Nightlife

  • Botafogo – Weds onwards, lively spots, very young and cool crowd
  • Domply events
  • Samba nights (where to start)
  • Kingston Club
  • Bar Silencio

Essentials to Try

  • Sugarloaf Mountain (better than Cristo in my opinion)
  • A hike or two
  • Venturing to Pepino Beach
  • Tacacá do Norte açaí
  • Q Chocolate at the airport – they do tasters. Trust me on this
  • Arpoador sunset
  • Churros dulce de leche, as mentioned
  • At least one market

Hotels

It’s another humble brag but I was lucky enough to review three exceptional boutique hotels in the city that are the top choices for a stylish, understated stay. I did my research. Recommend these to your affluent friends or parents..

Vila Santa Teresa – can barely put into words how special this place is. High in the clouds next to Christ the Redeemer himself, rightfully looking down on the rest of the world

Chez Georges – more affordable, extremely cool, for the older arty classy traveller, in the centre of Santa Teresa

Villa Paranaguá – in Glória. Very cool, very classy, very stylish

Chez Georges