The Top 10 Restaurants In Barra Da Tijuca Rio De Janeiro

Barra da Tijuca in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil has grown in popularity with people drawn to its long, open beaches, surfing hot spots and many shopping malls and stores. For those staying in Barra, here are the best restaurants.

Outback Steakhouse

Australian-style Outback is one of Rio’s favorite restaurants. The service is outstanding, and the food is what you would expect from a steakhouse: burgers, steaks, fries, chicken wings, and other such nibbles. The dining experience begins with a free loaf of delicious honey bread to warm up the appetite. The most popular dishes are the Blooming Onion (think onion rings but on a full-scale onion), Aussie fries, and ribs. Arrive early as long waiting times to get in are common.

Paris 6

Bar, Restaurant, Bistro, French, Brazilian, Vegetarian

This bistro provides a charming setting of 1920s-themed French decoration and music that take diners back in time. The menu is extensive. The most famous dish on this menu is the Grand Gateau. This monster dessert consists of a hot chocolate pudding with a chocolate ice cream wedged inside covered in chocolate cream, hazelnut sauce, and strawberries. Not one for the waistline but certainly a treat for the eyes and the tastebuds.

Fogo de Chão

Bar, Restaurant, Brazilian

A meat lover’s dream, this is the perfect place to try a typical Brazilian-style barbecue. For a fixed price, Fogo de Chão offers an all-you-can-eat meat selection and an extensive salad bar. Don’t fill up on the salad though as the meat is too delicious to miss. Waiters come to the table with skewers of various types of meat before carving off the pieces that you want. A simple system of red and green cards on the tables show when you want to be served and when you prefer to be left in peace.

Laguna

Restaurant, Seafood

This seafood restaurant combines gorgeous food with a original experience. This place is nestled between palms and fruit trees on a small island on the lake in Barra. Diners need to take a quick trip across the waters by boat to reach Laguna. The highlight on the menu is the Moqueca, a traditional seafood stew originating from Brazil’s northeast. For those with kids, a play area allows the children to be kept entertained so parents can take a break to savor the heavenly foods on Laguna‘s menu.

Braz Pizzeria

Pizzeria, Italian

Thanks to a large Italian influence, Brazil has many fantastic pizzerias. Awarding-winning Braz is one of them. The elegant and rustic decoration is beautiful and provides a cozy and warm environment. Pizzas are traditionally cooked on a wood fire. They are made with authentic and seasonal ingredients such as real Italian mozzarella and parma ham. A popular Italian specialty here is the hearty calabresa bread as a starter, washed down with wine from the extensive wine menu.

Cervantes

Restaurant, Brazilian

Cervantes offers a more casual dining experience and is a traditional Brazilian bar-restaurant with late opening hours and a lively atmosphere. The prices are reasonable, and it is the perfect place to go for an after-party bite to eat. Cervantes is famous for its mammoth sandwiches that are just as delicious as they are satisfying. The sandwiches are typically a small French baguette generously filled with a meat of choice, cheese and a fresh slice of pineapple. The most popular meats are steak or pernil (pork).

Fratelli

Restaurant, Italian

Stone interior walls, soft earthy browns, and rustic decorations give this Italian restaurant an aged farmhouse feel. Fratelli embraces the Italian essence with a well-stocked list of wines and sensational homemade pasta. Start with the ‘covert’ plate that offers a mix of breads, olives and cheese before moving onto any one of the pastas. The most sought-after dishes are the stuffed ravioli, all made from scratch with fresh, imported ingredients.

Pobre Juan

Located in Barra’s Village Mall, Pobre Juan is one of a chain of popular Argentinean steak houses throughout Brazil. The quality of the meat is superb and is presented in several main dishes accompanied with salads and other side options. As a starter or a snack, there are typical tapas-style plates. For those not keen on meat, Pobre Juan also has a fantastic fish and seafood selection too. Round it all off with a churro de dulce de leche, a classic Argentinean dessert.

Rio Brasa

For those looking for a big feast, head to Rio Brasa. It offers a buffet of Middle Eastern, Jewish, and Japanese food as well as a barbecue with 40 different cuts of meats available. Diners arriving with an empty stomach are sure to pile their plates high for every item on the buffet looks just as good as it tastes. The price is reasonable for what you get. Visitors pay a fixed fee and can eat as much as they want. It’s good not to have anything too strenuous planned post-dinner; it’s a place to eat a lot and relax after.

T.T. Burger

This Brazilian hamburger chain has grown immensely in popularity since its opening in 2013 for its meaty, mouthwatering burgers made with fresh ingredients. The beauty about this hamburger chain is the overwhelming simplicity of it. There are only two options on the menu, a meat option and a vegetarian option. The bread is made from sweet potatoes, and the burger is accompanied by a wonderfully fruity barbecue sauce with goiaba, a Brazilian fruit.

About the author

Sarah Brown

Sarah is a British freelance journalist and writer based in Rio de Janeiro. Her favourite travel experiences so far include swimming with whale sharks in Mexico, trekking through Rio's urban forest and enjoying the city life in Madrid. Find her on Instagram @sbgrio