The best restaurants in Rio de Janeiro

In his first solo venture, chef Elia Schramm pays homage to his ancestry. Diners can start with appetizers like the Tuscan sausage croquettes (R$35 for four) and the savory cannoli with shrimp salad (R$48). The handmade pastas are a must-try, including the pappardelle with beef ragout cooked in red wine for twelve hours (R$78) and the gnocchi with mushrooms and truffle sauce (R$79). For dessert, another classic: Pistachio & Lemon (R$41), a pastry filled with pistachio cream, salted caramel, and lemon anglaise.

Looking for a place that embodies the feel of Sardinia's countryside, where chef Silvio Podda was born, this spot in São Cristóvão was discovered. Family recipes shine on the menu, like lamb in wine with mushroom risotto (R$106) and octopus cooked in white wine (R$270, for two). Sample the potent bottarga (R$62) for a starter and finish with Amaretto (R$19, two units), a typical almond sweet.

Dinners for 20 are served in eight courses, featuring creative dishes with ingredients produced on-site, from bread to charcuterie. Behind the project is João Paulo Frankenfeld, a former basketball player who fell in love with gastronomy and became head chef at Le Cordon Bleu. Now his stage is the restaurant in Jardim Botânico, where he showcases techniques in an open kitchen. The tasting menu (R$590) changes every three months, always with a strong French culinary influence.

From the open kitchen come inventive dishes like oysters with watermelon (R$58) and duck breast with wine-poached pears, blueberries, Brussels sprouts, and kimchi (R$126). Not to mention classics like fish with banana in butter sauce (R$148), a recipe from Chef Claude Troisgros' grandmother, the mastermind behind this acclaimed restaurant. Fun fact: it opened in 2017 in the same location as his first restaurant in the city back in the 1980s. At the back, the Mesa do Lado (R$860 for the tasting menu) offers an immersive gastronomic experience.

Nello Cassese, the culinary director for all Belmond properties in South America, now helms the most refined restaurant at the Copacabana Palace. This Michelin-starred establishment offers two tasting menus: one featuring the chef’s career highlights (R$545) and another exploring various regions of Italy (R$650). The dining room, with its Italian mirrors and chandeliers, overlooks the iconic pool, but the chef's Table experience offers an immersive journey in the kitchen for a select six guests.

The "golden guys'' are former staff from the legendary Antiquarius, reunited around Lusitanian gastronomy. In a new location, Portuguese tiles and antique objects create a cozy ambiance of the homeland. Start with the famous couvert (R$49), then move to the codfish fritters (R$75). The historic duck rice (R$268, to share) and Lagareira-style codfish (R$249) are highlights among the main courses. Finish with floating islands (R$60) or Aveiro soft eggs (R$45).

Opening in the Hotel Fasano in 2020 marked a new era for this Italian restaurant, now with a view of Ipanema Beach. The vibe is more relaxed, but the cuisine remains top-notch. Italian chef Luigi Moressa revisits group classics while creating seasonal suggestions. Two sure bets: oven-roasted lamb (R$212) and spaghetti carbonara (R$139). From Monday to Friday, an extensive executive menu (R$180) offers an appetizer, main course, and dessert.

Childhood memories in Liguria, where his grandparents lived, inspired chef Nello Garaventa to open this slice of Italy in Rio. In a charming 1940s house filled with family artifacts, a fixed menu (R$198) in three courses offers choices like pork prime rib with mashed potatoes and spaghetti with clams. Tempting add-ons include grilled octopus (R$40). Traditional tiramisu is a perfect ending.

In 2015, just one year after opening, Rafa Costa e Silva's restaurant earned a Michelin star. Now in a new location, it serves a select group of diners. The venue is a stage for experiments with ingredients grown by the chef or sourced from small local producers. Diners sit at a counter overlooking the kitchen, where a sharp team crafts 12 to 14-course tasting menus (R$1,150). Vegetables and greens take center stage, without neglecting seafood and meats. The menu changes daily.

Marcelo Malta, a supplier of meats and fish to the top restaurants in Rio, opened two spots where the idea is to share cuts and sides around a generous table. There are over 10 options available, with highlights like the A5 Wagyu (R$1330), but there are excellent choices for more modest budgets, such as Denver Steak (R$180) and Prime Rib (R$265). Don't miss the fries (R$44) and egg farofa (R$44) to complete the plate.

When Chef Alberto Morisawa arrived at this Michelin-starred restaurant by the Copacabana Palace pool, he revolutionized the pan-Asian menu. Diners can choose between two Omakase experiences, one with 16 steps (R$560) and another with 19 steps (R$665), as well as a tasting menu, available in traditional (R$515) or vegetarian (R$480) versions. Highlights on the à la carte menu include Ebi Tempura (R$130), shrimp with tentsuyu sauce, Bluefin tuna tartare (R$220), and duck breast with red curry (R$155).

A fisherman since childhood, Gerônimo Athuel developed an intense study of fish and seafood preservation and maturation techniques. The result is recipes that break away from the ordinary, including less commercial fish. The chef uses the entire animal, from grilled aged fish with parsley aioli (R$76), with crispy skin and juicy flesh, to an artisanal sausage (R$46). The success of the first restaurant on Ilha Primeira led to a branch in Leblon.

The grill takes center stage in the preparation of the two menus offered by Felipe Bronze's award-winning restaurant: the Afetividade (R$590) offers 11 snacks, two main courses, and a dessert, while the Criatividade (R$690) includes two more main dishes. The proposal to bring Brazilian roots to avant-garde cuisine has been so successful that the place boasts two Michelin stars. There's also the option to pair meals with wines selected by the chef's wife, Argentine Cecilia Aldaz.

In this award-winning restaurant set in a 1938 mansion, chef Alberto Landgraf employs creativity in his tasting menu (R$895). It consists of eight courses that change seasonally, focusing on fish, seafood, and vegetables. From the counter, you can watch the show in the elegant open kitchen, which earned the place two Michelin stars, as well as 76th place in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 and 20th in the Latin America 50 Best Restaurants 2023.

The Pará embassy is located in the Riachuelo neighborhood in the North Zone. The menu is signed by cook Adriana Veloso alongside her husband, Júnior (known as Seu Zé), who is in charge of the grill. Among the options are plenty of jambu, chicory, and cheiro pepper, as well as typical dishes like açaí with flour (R$35.90), maniçoba (R$42.90), and tacacá (R$35.90). Tips: on dates announced on social media, there's an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet (R$69.90), and once a month there's a street party with carimbó singers.

An ambassador of sushi in Brazil and Portugal, Chef André Kawai is always creating new recipes for this restaurant that invests in high-end Japanese cuisine – but always with a regional touch. In the elegant dining room, under a pink cherry tree, diners can savor the Mini Katsu Sando (R$25), a pork loin sandwich, and Wagyu gyozas with aioli (R$79 for three), before moving on to sushi and sashimi. Ask for recommendations to pair each recipe with the best sakes.

Founded nearly 40 years ago by Italian Miro Leopardi (now run by his family), this place is a stronghold of high-end cuisine in Rio, focusing on classic Italian Mediterranean dishes. At the entrance, a counter displays fish and oysters that go from the sea to the tables. The platters offer combinations like oysters, king crab, and VG shrimp (R$480). Among the pastas, opt for spaghetti with clams (R$138), while the latest offering is giant shrimp, which can be served in risotto with burrata and salmon roe (R$258).

"A place to tell and eat stories." That's how Roberta Sudbrack defines the restaurant, which feels like an extension of her home. In the open kitchen, the chef and her team handle the clay oven and copper pots with delicacy and calm. From gougères (R$59 for eight) to land fruit rice (R$145), and grilled fish of the day (R$165), there are options for all tastes and budgets, always changing. Common to all is the feeling of dining at grandma's house.

Authentic Italian cuisine takes on Brazilian touches when Chef Nelson Soares incorporates family references from the North and Northeast into the menu. Good examples are the grilled mushrooms with pecorino romano fonduta (R$69) and clams with gremolata (R$59), excellent for starters. The meat lasagna with grana padano and pangrattato (R$75) is a hit, as is the pirarucu fillet with tucupi and jambu risotto (R$98). Amid the hustle and bustle of Botafogo, the restaurant stands out for its relaxed elegance, with wooden tables covered in white cloths.