As always, we at Taste Rio Tours will help you get the best food when you are here in Rio de Janeiro. Throughout Brazil we have many dishes that are incredibly delicious. Not all of them are easy to find in Rio de Janeiro, especially a good version of them. For example, Comida Mineira, which refers to the cuisine of Minas Gerais, a state west of Rio de Janeiro and north of São Paulo, is very hard to find good versions of here in Rio. However, if you end up going to Tiradentes, a colonial city in the state of Minas Gerais, then you will have a blast!
Back to our main topic! The Top 3 best and most Brazilian food in Rio de Janeiro:
1 - Feijoada
What is Feijoada?
It's a black bean stew cooked with various parts of pork such as ears, feet, and parts of the head. This combination adds depth of flavor to the dish. We serve it with white rice, farofa de torresmo (toasted cassava flour with fried pork skin) and Kale. They also serve with some orange slices, this is for you to eat at the end to help the digestion. It is a heavy meal, but if made right, it's a hell of a dish...
Where to have the best version of Feijoada?
In my opinion, best place would be Bar do Mineiro, typical bar in Santa Teresa - A lovely neighborhood - we'll talk more about it in another post. The Bar has a fantastic ambience very roots and there is a SECRET passage to the rooftop, so be sure to ask about it!
Bar do Mineiro
Address: Rua Paschoal Carlos Magno, 99 - Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro
Open: Sun-Thu: 11h30-03h00 | Fri-Sat: 11h30-01h00
2 - Picanha
What is Picanha?
Picanha is a special cut of the Sirloin. It is Brazilian's favorite meat cut, I actually prefer Fraldinha, but that's a subject for another post. Picanha is usually served with Broccoli Rice, Farofa of Eggs with bananas and Potato Chips. Looks simple, but you can get the wrong version of this dish easily around the city. So be aware!
Where to have the best version of Picanha?
Braseiro da Gávea offers the best version of this dish. I have even written a blog post about it. You can check it out here! It is in Gávea, some 20 minutes from Copacabana by car. Next to the Botanical Garden, so if you go visit the garden, please don't miss out on having one of the best dishes in town!
Braseiro da Gávea
Address: Praça Santos Dumont, 116 - Loja A - Gávea, Rio de Janeiro
Open: Sun-Thu: 11h30-03h00 | Fri-Sat: 11h30-01h00
3. Bóbó de Camarão
What is Bóbó de Camarão?
Bóbó de Camarão is a Cassava stew with shrimp, made with coconut milk, palm oil and full of herbs and spices. You can choose the side dishes, but I strongly recommend to order the Coconut rice and the Farofa Simples. It is Delicious! One of the most distinctive dishes around, more commonly found on the menus of Northeastern or African restaurants.
Where to have the best version of Bóbó de Camarão?
Well, you will find the best Bóbó de Camarão at Yayá Comidaria Pop Brasileira, a restaurant focused on African food and with a great ambience. Located in Leme, you can enjoy a walk on Copacabana Beach, go up the Leme Forte with an incredible view of the Beach and go lunch at Yayá. They also have a great drink called Jorge Amado, be sure to try.
Yayá Comidaria Pop Brasileira
Address: R. Gustavo Sampaio, 361 - Loja A - Leme, Rio de Janeiro
Open: Mon-Sat: 12h-23h | Sun: 12h-20h
