15 Brazilian Foods and Drinks You Have to Try in Rio de Janeiro

Sure, when you first think of Rio de Janeiro, maybe the Cristo Redentor (a.k.a. Christ the Redeemer) statue comes to mind. Maybe you visualize yourself taking in the views from Sugarloaf Mountain. Or perhaps your mind goes straight to soaking in the sunshine at Rio’s world-famous beaches.

But an underrated, and extremely important part of experiencing Rio’s culture is appreciating all that its cuisine has to offer. With African, Indigenous, and Portuguese influencers, Brazilian food is so much more than just barbecue.

If you’re planning on visiting Rio de Janeiro, add these 15 Brazilian foods and drinks to your list to try.

Foods to try in Rio

1. Pão de Queijo

First on this list will always have a special place in my heart: pão de queijo, a.k.a Brazilian cheese bread. It’s light, kind of chewy, and completely addicting. Plus, it’s cheap and you can find it pretty much everywhere, so no excuses not to try it while visiting Rio de Janeiro!

2. Coxinha

Coxinha is a fried tear-drop-shaped street food filled with shredded chicken. Its filling often includes a creamy Brazilian cheese such as catupiry cheese or requeijão. It’s super satisfying and the perfect bar snack. This is another snack you’ll find at pretty much any bar that serves food.

3. Tapioca

Brazilians love their cassava, and tapioca’s typically made from either cassava flour or tapioca flour. The end result is something similar to a crepe but with a spongier texture. Like crepes, these can be served either sweet or savory.

Get them from Feira Nordestina São Cristóvão, a northeastern fair/cultural center. Last time I went, I tried a tapioca with dried beef, and it honestly converted me to a tapioca fan. In the past, I’d tried them just with cheese, and I found the texture combo to just be a bit too much, but this one was 10/10.

4. Picanha

Since we are talking about Brazil after all, if you eat meat, you should be prepared for the abundance of steak and barbecue options!

Whether or not you choose to go to a churrascaria, picanha is an option you’ll find at many restaurants. This juicy and tender cut of meat has some fat on the edge for flavor, and is most likely served with classic Brazilian sides of white rice, black beans, farofa, and maybe a vinaigrette (similar to a salsa or pico de gallo) or side salad. 

5. Açai na Tigela

Although açai is popular in the United States, a trip to Rio wouldn’t be complete without sampling the city’s many açai options.

While it’s common in the U.S. to fill your bowl with as many toppings as possible, you’ll find that some locals eat it plain or just with powdered milk (I like to get it with passionfruit — or passionfruit mousse if I want more of a dessert — and coconut shavings.) Although pure açai actually isn’t even sweet (in the North of Brazil, where açai actually originated, açai can even be served in savory or salty meals), many places in Rio will typically blend it with a little bit of sweetener, like guarana, which is a Brazilian fruit. In some places, adding the guaraná syrup is an optional add-on.

This is another super easy-to-find item. Different chains are sprawled throughout Rio, from shopping mall kiosks, to near the beach. Check out Maria Açai for affordable and fully customizable açai.

6. Moqueca

This rich stew consisting of fish or shrimp (or both), coconut milk, palm oil, tomato, onion, and lots of seasonings originally comes from Brazil’s Northeast region, but it’s since become popular in Rio. And it’s also one of my favorites! As in, I try to have it multiple times every time I go to Brazil. It’s hearty without feeling too heavy, and so flavorful.

The last time I went to Rio, I tried it at Boteco de Peixero, a restaurant in the Tijuca neighborhood, and it was so good. It was also a giant portion, so either plan to share it, or have lots of leftovers.

7. Pastel

You can find this delicious fried Brazilian street food with a variety of fillings. It’s kind of similar to an empanada, but it’s generally rectangular shaped, and is airy — as in, it’s not totally stuffed.

It’s common for locals to grab a pastel de feira, or a pastel from a street market, along with caldo de cana, or sugarcane juice.

While it usually involves cheese and a type of meat or seafood, it can even have sweet fillings, although I’ve personally never tried it that way. My favorite way to get it is with shrimp. The best ones are usually found at a random street vendor!

8. Romeu e Julieta

This combination of sweet guava paste and salty, soft cheese is surprisingly delicious and found in a variety of forms— in pastries, in pastels, and even in sushi. It’s simple but perfect as either a dessert or snack.

9. Feijoada

One of the most famous items on this list is feijoada, a dish made of black beans (feijões in Portuguese, hence the name) and different cuts of pork and sometimes beef.

Served with a side of fried collard greens (usually mixed with bacon bits), white rice, farofa (cassava flour toasted with seasonings that sometimes has additions of things like bacon or egg — a super common side dish in Brazil), and a slice of orange, save this one for a day when you have a big appetite!

Check out Bar Simplesmente in Santa Teresa for generous portions and affordable pricing. Or check out two of Rio’s most famous spots for feijoada: Bar do Mineiro and Aprazivel. All three restaurants are located in Largo dos Guimarães, a square in the Santa Teresa neighborhood.

10. Acarajé

Our tenth and final item on this list of Brazilian foods is one of my favorites. A specialty originating in the Northeast, Acaraje is a typical Afro-Brazilian street food consisting of lack-eyed peas fried into fritters. It’s typically topped with vatapá, a shrimp, coconut milk, peanuts, and palm oil mixture. 

Also grab one from a stall at the Feira Nordestina São Cristóvão, a fair dedicated entirely to Northeastern Brazilian culture.

Drinks to try in Rio

11. Coconut water

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve never been a fan of bottled coconut water in the States. But it’s a totally different experience drinking it straight from a coconut.

These are super convenient to grab anywhere along the beach, there are always plenty of places selling these for an affordable price. They’ll be called “coco gelado,” or ice cold, coconut water.

12. Limonada Suiça

Brazilian lemonade, first of all, is made with limes instead of lemon, and the entire limes are blended, peel and all.

Add sweetened condensed milk along with sugar, ice and water, and you’ll have this popular version, known as Swiss lemonade or limonada suiça. It’s sweet, tangy, creamy and refreshing, all in one.

13. Caiprinha

If you drink alcohol, you can’t leave Rio without trying the famous caiprinha.

Made with cachaça, sugar, and lime, this drink is refreshing, sweet and fruity. I love getting it either regular or with extra flavors like passionfruit (maracuja).

14. Batida

Batida means “shaken” in Portuguese, and this cocktail can be made a number of different ways, but think of it as kind of like an alcoholic milkshake. It utilizes cachaça, coconut milk, and sweetened condensed milk, making for a creamy and refreshing drink that’s extra delicious with mango or passionfruit, but you can make it with pretty much any flavor!

15. Caldo de cana or sugarcane juice

I’ve been told this one’s more of an acquired taste, but personally, I found it delicious, and surprisingly, not too sweet.

You can find it sold by many street vendors, and it’s common to enjoy one with a pastel, or a fried, savory pastry, that I mentioned earlier.

A great way to explore all that Rio’s food scene has to offer is through a tour — Viator has a few great options to check out like this one here, as does Free Walker Tours. Of course, you could also just explore on your own. All of the included foods and drinks are common and fairly easy to find.

Want to easily track down all of these foods and drinks before your trip? Drop your email below to immediately get access to my curated Google Map, which has all the places I’ve loved over years of visiting Rio de Janeiro.

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