3 Best Restaurants in Santa Teresa and Lapa, Rio de Janeiro

Background Illustration for Restaurants

We've compiled the best of the best in Santa Teresa and Lapa - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Tereze

$$$$ | Santa Teresa Fodor's Choice

Located in the Santa Teresa MGallery Hotel, the restaurant offers an international menu with a touch of Brazilian cuisine. Chef Luanna Malheiros brings to the menu all her experience in several French and Brazilian restaurants. Classical recipes like steak au poivre are recreated to include Brazilian ingredients such as national fish, and French dessert techniques are used in sweets made with açaí, cupuaçu, and banana.

Aprazível

$$$$ | Santa Teresa Fodor's Choice

A lantern-lit tropical garden filled with exotic plants, monkeys, and birds is the spectacular setting for this family restaurant serving pan-Brazilian dishes and an exciting selection of Brazilian wines. The owner and chef, Ana Castilha, hails from Minas Gerais but received her formal training at New York City's French Culinary Institute. Call ahead to reserve, as weekends are reliably packed.

Rua Aprazível 62, Rio de Janeiro, 20241–270, Brazil
21-2508–9174
Known For
  • Sustainable dishes with a French twist like grilled palm heart with cashew pesto
  • The Tangemahall (a mint and tangerine caipirinha)
  • The handful of tables set in private tree houses
Restaurant Details
Closed Mon.; no dinner Sun.
Reservations essential

Something incorrect in this review?

Bar do Arnaudo

$$$ | Santa Teresa

A neighborhood favorite for more than three decades, this informal tavern in the heart of Santa Teresa serves Northeastern cuisine in more than ample portions. Expect a meat-focused menu with various fried side dishes and an informal atmosphere, with friendly, laid-back service attracting a predominantly Brazilian clientele.

Rua Almirante Alexandrino 316B, Rio de Janeiro, 20241–260, Brazil
21-2252–7246
Known For
  • Suckling pig stew
  • Sun-dried beef
  • Vegetarian options
Restaurant Details
Credit cards accepted
Closed Mon.

Something incorrect in this review?

Recommended Fodor's Video