2 Best Restaurants in Centro, Rio de Janeiro

A smaller, more laid-back neighbor to the long-established samba party at Rio Scenarium, Santo Scenarium shares its parent club’s passion for grandiose interiors, and the split-level space here is packed with ornate pillars, carved cherubs, and borderline-kitsch religious artifacts. It's a good option for lunchtime, as the kitchen serves tasty Brazilian classics. A prime spot at the heart of Rio’s oldest street in the party district of Lapa makes it a top stop for history and architecture buffs.