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The food here is nothing if not eclectic. Expect to find sushi bars, Italian restaurants, and German biergartens sitting alongside restaurants selling typical Brazilian cuisine. Coastal towns serve a large selection of fresh seafood, and most have a local specialty that's worth trying. Beachfront restaurants, especially the ubiquitous baracas (kiosks), can be a pleasant surprise and most will bring food and drink right up to your chosen spot on the sands.
Paraty and Búzios have excellent restaurants serving international cuisine. During high season they fill up beginning at 10 pm and may not close until after sunrise. Restaurants in Petrópolis and Teresópolis serve European cuisine and comida mineira, the hearty, meaty fare from Minas Gerais. Generally, dinner starts at seven and restaurants close around midnight.
To be on the safe side, don't buy seafood from venders strolling along the beach. Be especially careful about the oysters in Búzios and Cabo Frio, which may not be as fresh as the vendor claims.
A traditional pé na areia (beach bar) with a sophisticated twist. Bonito Bar is the perfect place for having lunch or dinner---or just spend the afternoon drinking beer or a jaca fruit caipirinha, their signature drink. The restaurant uses fresh ingredients to create a new version of classic seafood dishes.
Owner Alfredo and chef Roque welcome locals like old friends at this great-value gastro bar, which specializes in high-class cocktails, pizzas, and tasty tapas. With a beautiful view over Manguinhos beach, it’s one of the best spots in town to catch the sunset and stay for a relaxed dinner. It’s almost always crowded.
A pancake house might seem an unlikely meeting point for partiers, but this Belgian-owned crêperie is indeed the hangout of choice for many hip young things in Búzios. Locals and tourists alike flock to the street-side tables after dark to soak up the scene and listen to live DJ sets while tucking into their choice of over 60 savory and sweet fillings.
