What to eat Rio De Janeiro? culinary specialties and gastronomy

Depending on the type of restaurant, opening times will vary. Some establishments will operate mainly between 11am and 3pm, serving buffets and food by the kilo. Others operate at lunchtime and in the evening (generally from 11am to 3pm and from 7pm to 11pm). More often than not, those offering buffets and food by the kilo at lunchtime only offer à la carte dishes in the evening. Brazilians often eat out with their families on Friday evenings or weekends. Waiting times can be a little long. For some establishments, reservations are strongly recommended.

Restaurant prices vary widely. You can eat a few salgados for a handful of reais, a PF(prato feito or prepared dish) for around 20 reais or break your piggy bank eating at "Claude" (Claude Troisgros in Rio), where the bill will happily exceed 100 euros per person, and much more at Lasaï. On the whole, you can eat well for around 100 reais. A mid-range kilo will cost 45 reais a kilo, as at the Rancho in Mariana (Minas Gerais) or 85 reais at the Catete Grill restaurant in Rio, but prices tend to be highly inflated.

The price generally includes all taxes. A tip is added, as waiters' wages are not very high. Between 5 and 10% is a fair tip. You can be even more generous if you feel the service deserves it. When there are musicians performing, many restaurants charge for a musical place setting. This is often indicated at the entrance or on the menu. The price can be quite high.

Some dishes are advertised as being for one, two or even three people. It's a good idea to check the actual size of the dishes on the plates of those around you, as some plates for one person are more than enough for two, or even three...

Churrascarias are typical restaurants serving all-you-can-eat meat. To be served by the waiters, you have to turn the little disc on the table to the green position. Let's not forget that meat production is destroying the Amazon, and a diet that includes too much meat is not necessarily good for your health.

In many Brazilian restaurants, the traditional feijão (kidney beans), farofa (cassava flour) and rice are systematically served as side dishes. Often derived from African, Indian and "cabocla" culinary traditions, these staples provided the calories needed for hard days working in the fields.

There are also "by the kilo" restaurants. These are buffets where you weigh the food you serve yourself and pay the price according to weight. These establishments are generally highly recommendable.

In some bouibouis, raw vegetables and seafood should be avoided, even if the catering sector is making significant progress in terms of health. Mineral water is the rule everywhere. The more wary or fragile should avoid ice cubes.

Some pousadas do not allow children, to ensure the peace and quiet of their guests. This is not the case for restaurants. It's up to parents to decide whether children will disturb their guests.

Smoking is prohibited in bars and restaurants, as in all enclosed areas intended for public use.

Close to beaches and tourist spots, such as Copacabana, the inevitable touts try to lure customers by holding out the menu and extolling the virtues of the restaurant they're promoting. As is often the case, places full of tourists are to be avoided, and you don't necessarily go out of your way for customers you'll probably never see again.

Pastry shops, cafés and tearooms can be found in every town. Here again, opening hours vary widely, depending on the city, the season and the day of the week. On the whole, they are open from 9am to 6pm, or even 10pm in some cases, when they are part of a café. Days off vary. On Sunday, in the city centers, remember, everything is deserted because everything is closed. For example, the magic confeitaria Colombo in downtown Rio is closed on Sundays. On other days, it closes at 6 or 5 pm. At its branch in the Banco Do Brasil cultural center, it's only closed on Tuesdays. It is closed on Mondays at its Copacabana Fort address.

Bars often close at midnight on weekends, or even later, until the last customer has left. On weekdays, if there are few customers, they close earlier. Many bars also offer food.

Brazil is no longer a cheap country. Prices for gourmet breaks and alcoholic beverages are relatively similar to those in Europe. Savoury and sweet snacks are perhaps a little cheaper. On the other hand, some things are more expensive: wine, for the same quality, will be a little more expensive than in France. The price of a basic 600 ml bottle of beer varies between R$9 and R$12 in the bars of Belo Horizonte and Rio, and R$15 for a mug, and R$5 to R$7 for a shrimp pastel. Nowadays,happy hour is becoming increasingly popular in Brazil's major cities. It's an opportunity to mingle with the local bonita at a lower price. Of course, the crowds are busier at this time, so it's a bit more complicated for a romantic tête-à-tête.

Brazilian law prohibits the sale and service of alcohol to minors. The legal age of majority is 18, as in France. So you can't consume alcohol if you're under 18. However, it is very rare for customers to be asked to prove their age with identity papers.

It's traditional, especially in Rio, to meet up with friends in the late afternoon, after work or, more prosaically, after the beach, in "one's" botequim, a neighborhood bar with a strong identity. It's from Friday evening onwards that this social practice is in full swing. The world is revisited, the latest match of the favorite soccer team is discussed and the future is talked about. When the weather's right - and, fortunately, quite often - the atmosphere in the neighborhoods is festive. In beach bars and other small establishments, regulars are accustomed to leaving beer bottles under the table, where they serve as "bills" for the final bill. Clever people sometimes slip their bottles into their neighbors' piles. The piles of beer bottles are often impressive at the end of the evening. The tradition of cafezinho offered to guests seems to be one that is holding up, as best it can, to the evolution of Brazilian society. Like cachaça, small doses or a cup can be served in some traditional Brazilian bars and restaurants. The subject is so serious in Brazil that a number of doctoral theses have been devoted to it.

Children are welcome in cafés, of course, and in bars. Legislation does not prohibit the presence of minors in drinking establishments... as long as they do not consume alcohol, of course.

As in all enclosed public places, smoking is prohibited in bars and cafés. As in France, you'll have to leave the establishment if you miss nicotine.