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With nearly a thousand restaurants, Rio's dining choices are broad, from low-key Middle Eastern cafés to elegant contemporary eateries with award-winning kitchens and first-class service. The succulent offerings in the churrascarias (restaurants specializing in grilled meats) can be mesmerizing for meat lovers—especially the places that serve rodízio-style (grilled meat on skewers is continually brought to your table—until you can eat no more). Hotel restaurants often serve the national dish, feijoada (a hearty stew of black beans and pork), on Saturday—sometimes on Friday, too. Wash it down with a chopp (the local draft beer; pronounced "shop") or a caipirinha (sugarcane rum, lime, and sugar).
Hidden away on the second floor of the unassuming apart-hotel Ipanema Beach Star, this low-key vegan lunch spot and sister spa (Maria Bonita) is a real find, not just for the quality of the all-you-can-eat buffet, but also for the reasonable prices. The daily changing menu is crafted from ingredients sourced from the restaurant’s organic farm, while friendly staff deliver complimentary detox juices and digestion shots to your table.
The food at this happening little Ipanema restaurant is so fresh and inventive that you’ll barely notice that they only serve plant-based vegan dishes. Its chic industrial design and top-quality cooking make this one of Rio’s go-to spots for a relaxed lunch or dinner.
One of an increasing number of organic eateries in Rio, Celeiro is a combination café and health-food store that's popular with models and other body-conscious locals. The restaurant operates on a pay-by-weight system, and the expensive buffet features a staggering 50 types of salad, as well as oven-baked pies, whole-wheat pastries, fish and chicken dishes, and low-calorie desserts.
Vegan restaurants are a growing trend in body-conscious Rio, but few are as established and well-loved as the Vegetarian Social Club. The all-you-can-eat organic lunch buffet includes tasty and wholesome soups, whole-grain rice, colorful salads, and many soy-based dishes, while dining in the evening is à la carte.
