Carioca Kitchens Rio de Janeiro Food Tour with 12+ Tastings

Duration4h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

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TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Group sizeUp to 8 travelers

Overview

Rio de Janeiro has spent decades convincing the world it's all beaches, and caipirinhas. But after sunset, another side of the city comes alive. Join us for an evening of feasting through Ipanema and Copacabana, two of Rio's most iconic neighbourhoods. Along the way, you'll uncover the immigrant communities, neighbourhood bars, and local institutions that have quietly shaped the city.

Sample crisp Bahian acarajé fritters, creamy crab gratin, buttery cassava, Lebanese kibe and esfiha, warm cheese breads, and one of Rio's most legendary sandwiches: slow-roasted pork paired with sweet pineapple. Wash it all down with an ice-cold chopp beer before finishing with silky Brazilian caramel custard. Between bites, you'll stroll the streets that inspired The Girl From Ipanema, ride the Metro between neighbourhoods like a local, and experience a lively botequin.

This isn't a tour of postcard Rio. It's a journey through the stories, flavours, and communities that most visitors never discover.

What's included

Max 8 exclusive guests, smallest group size in Rio de Janeiro (private tour or 9+ available)
Bottled water included
Moveable feast with 6-7 stops around the streets of old Rio de Janeiro
Led by professional foodie guides
12+ food tastings included, more than any other Rio de Janeiro food tour

Alcoholic drinks excluded (except a beer at a botequim)
Pick up and drop off from hotel excluded

What to expect

Ipanema
15m

Copacabana and Ipanema are Rio’s most iconic neighbourhoods. This is where bossa nova drifted out of apartment windows, where The Girl From Ipanema became immortal, and where locals still gather each evening to watch the sun sink into the Atlantic like it's a daily religious ceremony. Our evening feast begins beneath the palms of Ipanema, where we'll explore the food culture of Rio's most famous districts with our team of local foodie tastemaker guides.  Before we get started, our tour reflects the local cuisine and the limitations of street food vendors means we unfortunately cannot cater for every dietary restriction. Here's an honest appraisal for the tour so no-one is disappointed:

✖️Vegetarians and gluten-free guests have 3-4 less tastings due to limited alternatives.
✖️ Unsuitable for severe allergies, halal and celiac diets due to risk of traces and cross-contamination.
Ipanema
45m

Brazil is a country stitched together by migration, and some of its most beloved foods arrived from hundreds of miles away. Our first bite is acarajé, a crisp black-eyed bean fritter brought south from Bahia by Afro-Brazilian communities. It's street food with deep roots.
Nearby, a neighbourhood botequim serves dishes that have fuelled generations of Cariocas. Dig into creamy crab gratin bubbling beneath a golden crust, buttery cassava that disappears faster than good intentions, and banana milanesa, proof that Brazilians will happily deep-fry almost anything if it tastes good enough.
Ipanema
1h

If you look closely, you'll find the fingerprints of Lebanon all over Rio de Janeiro. Entire generations crossed the Atlantic carrying family recipes, and the city is better fed because of it. We'll tear into crisp beef kibe and fragrant ricotta and za'atar esfiha, before stopping for warm pão de queijo. Nobody can quite explain why these little cheese breads are so addictive.
Copacabana
1h

Rio runs on strong opinions. Football, politics, music, beaches, everyone thinks they're right. Sandwiches are no exception. A quick Metro ride brings us to Copacabana and one of the city's most legendary sandwich counters. Here, roast pork is piled into bread alongside sweet pineapple in a combination that sounds questionable on paper and absolutely perfect after the first bite. Some locals claim it's the best sandwich in Rio. We're certainly not going to argue with them.
Copacabana
1h

As night settles over Copacabana, we do what Cariocas do best: find a botequim and order absolutely everything. Cold chopp beer arrives alongside shrimp pastries, black bean broth and golden cod fritters, dishes designed for long conversations. Around us, regulars debate football scores, complain about politicians and catch up on neighbourhood gossip. We finish with a silky slice of pudim, Brazil's beloved caramel custard.

There's more to this evening than food. It's a glimpse into the Rio that exists after the beach towels have been packed away. The Rio of neighbourhood bars, immigrant stories, family recipes and nighttime conversations. You could attempt the food feast alone, but you’d miss the stories and characters our tastemakers bring alive.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Meet outside the Paróquia Nossa Senhora da Paz church is set just two blocks back from Ipanema beach next to the Praça Nossa Senhora da Paz square.

End point

The tour concludes at the Siqueira Campos / Copacabana subway station in Copacabana. The tour duration is approximately 3.5 to 4 hours depending on the pace of the group.

Additional information

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

5.0 (9)

From

$95.00 per person

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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
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Operated by A Chef's Tour · Booked through Viator

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