Looking for a great spot to have lunch in Rio? The city offers plenty of locations where a hearty lunch can be combined with amazing surroundings. Here are some of our favorite lunch spots with a view.
Copacabana Fort
Copacabana fort is located in Rio’s most famous burrow, Copacabana, at the end of the beach in the direction of Ipanema. It offers one of the best places to have a lunch in Rio. An historical place where you easily can spend a nice midday meal while enjoying astonishing views. Just pass by the big iron gate that shields the fort from the road, buy an entrance ticket and enter the former military base. Here you’ll find two restaurants, Cafe 18 do Forte and Confeitaria Colombo, a franchise of the famous coffee house located in downtown Rio. Both places offer a splendid outdoor terrace and serve local food and great caipirinhas.
Opening hours: Tu-Su 10AM – 7.30PM. Mo closed
Address: Praça Coronel Eugênio Franco, 1 Posto 6 (map)
Terra Brasilis
Lots of people visit Sugar Loaf mountain everyday, but never make it to the beautiful Red beach, praia Vermelha, situated next to the iconic mountain. It’s one of those amazing little beaches, where the sea is calm, the vibe is relaxed and the view is just awesome. The good thing is: there is also a very nice restaurant. It is called Terra Brasilis, and facing the sea, it is located on the right hand side of the beach. The restaurant offers typical Brazilian food and is a great place to enjoy the incredible view and drink a delicious caipirinha.
Opening hours: Mo-Su 11.30AM- 12AM .
Address: Praça General Tibúrcio (map)
Garota da Urca
Garota da Urca, or Girl from Urca, is part of the well known chain of restaurants that have their names based on the iconic Brazilian Bossa Nova song, the Girl from Ipanema. These typically are easy going restaurants where you set your teeth in a pizza or ask for a delicious picanha. What makes Garota da Urca different, is its address, in the middle of Urca next to a tiny beach. The view is just lovely and the small village feel of the neighborhood Urca will make you feel at home in this big city.
Opening hours: Mo-Su: 12PM-2AM
Address: Avenida João Luíz Alves, 56 (map)
Bossa Nova Shopping
No, it doesn’t sound like your off-the-beaten track destination for an exciting lunch, the Bossa Nova shopping. However, this mall is located next to Santos Dumont, the domestic airport with its tiny landing strip on the shores of the Bay of Guanabara. The place is full with restaurants, burger joints and coffee bars. The exquisite Asian food restaurant Xian is probably your best shot at a lunch with a brilliant view of Guanabara Bay, since it is located at one of the upper floors and boasts an enormous terrace.
Opening hours: Mo-Su: 9AM – 12AM
Address: Av. Almirante Silvio de Noronha, 365, Centro. (map)
Restaurante Mauá
An excellent reason to venture out to Rio’s port zone, is a visit to Praça Mauá. There you can find the museum of Tomorrow, designed by the Spanish neo futuristic architect Santiago Calatrava. Museum Mar is its neighbor and therefore the right spot for a lunch in Rio – with mesmerizing view. It’s a great option, because its restaurant called Mauá is located on the rooftop of MAR (the Rio Art Museum). The ambience is relaxed and the outdoors section spacious. Great food and awesome views of Rio’s bay and harbor.
Opening hours: Mo-Su 12PM-5PM
Address: Mo-Su 12PM-5PMMuseu de Arte do Rio, 6th floor, Praça Mauá, 5. (map)
Are you a vegan or vegetarian? No worries, we also made a selection of the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Rio. If you want to read more about food and restaurants in Rio de Janeiro, make sure not to miss our guide.
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