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    Gaia Art & Café

    4.5 (20 reviews)
    ModerateVegetarian, Vegan
    Open 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Gaia Art & Café Photos

    GAIA ART & CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Gaia Art & Café

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    Roshan D.

    Everything that I have tasted here was flavorful and delicious. The lunch combinations especially were good and so cheap!

    My brownie was here.. I ate it all!
    Nessa V.

    I am a gluten/dairy free vegetarian, in Brasil it is extremely difficult to find a place that accommodates my needs. I am so grateful to have found this cute and creative restaurant! I just ate a gluten free, vegan brownie and it was amazing!

    Tables
    Naomi K.

    We found this place because it was the furthest place at the end of Leme. They advertise it as a vegan or vegetarian restaurant but they have somethings that aren't marked as either on their menu so there's options for everyone. They have have a fold out menu with colorful pictures listing the food and another condensed menu listing the same items but with prices. The last menu lists their drinks. They have a good selection of Noi beers listed, but they only had the Bianca left. I tried the blueberry and pear juice which was a good combination. The shiitake mushroom pizza took a while, but it seemed like it was just made to order and tasted pretty good with a thin vegan crust layered in cheese mushroom and sun-dried tomato. It was a personal pan size but fairly generous in portion. The Carioca quesadilla had fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and tomato wrapped in a tortilla with a cup of pesto sauce on the side. The pesto was amazing and really gave the sandwich flavor (which was a bit bland on its own). For dessert I had to have a pastel de nata which fortunately wasn't vegan (an egg custard) and the inside tasted pretty good though the pastry itself was a little soft. The cappuccino here wasn't that impressive for a cafe but the rest of the food was pretty good. There's unisex bathrooms in the back behind the counter and a cute communal sink creatively made from a silver bucket with a hidden drain. Service was friendly and the manager was around keeping her eye on everything. Seems like they speak English so there are plenty of gringos. I would like to come back here and listen to some live music.

    Vegan Burger.
    Ethan L.

    My wife and I found this place in Rio just yesterday. The food is delicious, fresh and very vegan friendly. We went 2 days in a row because it was that good! The staff was very nice and helpful. I highly recommend the quinoa burger and the frozen cappuccino. Very tasty!

    A galery of fun photos and a small stage for live music.
    Diego M.

    As a non vegan nor a gluten person you would feel awkward here, but is not the case. They got soda drinks, beer (even gluten free ones). The missing meat plates is a hands down for me. My wife on the other hand love it.

    Nice and ecological :)
    Stefan K.

    Nice and ecological :) A bit expensive and portions are not really big. Even in that small cafe sometimes live music is being performed.

    Get the little chocolate pot de creme . Amazingly decadent! Paired perfect with an espresso!

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    Great Service, live music in the night (added to price). Food was great, had a nice relax feel.

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    Gaia Art & Café Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Gaia Art & Café

    The 2nd day I ordered Falafel burger & a mojito (was too sweet) but the burger was awesome....

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Bio Carioca - The inside

    Bio Carioca

    3.9(22 reviews)
    2.7 kmCopacabana
    $$

    I hate when I take non-vegan friends to a vegan restaurant and they enjoy it more than I do…read more It was my fault, I've never had gnocchi in my life before and they make a vegan version of it here! Too bad it tastes like crap. Blechhh. The mushroom sauce was worthy, but the gnocchi itself was mushy and made me think I was eating half digested food. The amount of parsley on top also made me feel like I was eating grass. *Insert joke about how veg*ns eat nothing but grass* So why 4 stars? Because everything else on the table was so good! It actually took every fiber of my being to try and enjoy my dish while we tasted each others. Stir fried noodles? Amazing. Italian sandwich? Unexpectedly savory and full of flavor. I had to feign 'fullness' and stop eating. I was actually still pretty hungry but the gnocchi was that bad. :( We all had dessert and those were just super decadent and yummy! The caipirinhas and beer were all cold, refreshing, and perfect on a warm day. So yeah, I just chose the bad apple on the menu. Better luck next time. Oh! One more thing, the chef here? Can we say absolute Brazilian Eye Candy? Yummy, I wish I could trade my dish in for him. And I think he saw us (my and my 2 girlfriends) catching glances roughly every 2.5 seconds. A good looking man that can cook? Wonder who the lucky lady is! ;D

    So, many traditional Brazilian dishes and items feature meat. As a pescatarian, I can of course…read morehave fish (which I love), but I was a little nervous about how many things I'd actually be able to eat and enjoy during my time here. Well, come to find out, Brazil actually has a little vegetarian and vegan movement going on. Surprised? I was too, but glad that I found one veggie spot in Copacabana, Bio Carioca. There's a really low key vibe here, pretty much a no-frills environment. Yet, you can find an abundant amount of options, even featuring gluten free and vegan options. I was there for breakfast (which, isn't really a prime meal there, so, it's nice to find places serving it), so started out with a Cafe (an espresso shot, if you want more of a traditional "coffee", order an americano). Then, since I'm an egg fanatic, and even though it didn't seem like the most "exciting" thing on the menu, I ordered Omelete com pimenta biquinho e alho poro (leek and local bell pepper). You also get a choice of cheese in any of your omelets, mozzarella or ricotta. I chose ricotta, but, they messed that up and gave me mozzarella, whatever. The omelete was good, but what I especially loved was the local bell pepper, different from any domestic pepper I've had. These tiny little guys packed a lot of flavor, and a little bit of heat too.

    Photos
    Bio Carioca
    Bio Carioca
    Bio Carioca

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    Prana Vegetariano - Acarajé de palmito

    Prana Vegetariano

    4.8(17 reviews)
    3.8 kmCosme Velho
    $$

    Vim almoçar aqui enquanto estava visitando minha familia no Rio de Janeiro. Éramos um grupo grande…read moreentão fizemos uma reserva, que foi muito boa idea por que estava bem cheio. Por causa do local, tinha muito mosquito, mais e só pedir um spray que eles tem no bar-problema resolvido rapidinho. A comida foi maravilhosa! Minha tia pediu um acarajé e a couve-flor crocante como entradas para dividir enquanto esperávamos o resto do nosso grupo. Os dois pratos foram muito bom. Como meu prato eu pedir o nhoque de aipim- foi muito bom, mais bem diferente do que eu esperava. Não sei si chamaria esse prato de nhoque, mais foi muito saboroso. Também foi um prato bem grande então levei um nhoque entero pra casa pra comer mas tarde (e ainda estava uma delícia no próximo dia). Minha prima e vários outros pediram o steak de berinjela com risoto de limão. Muito muito bom também. Com certeza voltaria aqui si tivesse mas tempo no Rio...voltarei na próxima viagem.

    Food was amazing. Service very friendly. Really nice ambiance as well. Would highly recommend to…read moreanyone. We had the feojoada, nhoque, and the smash burger. We also tried all three of their juices (red fruit, passion fruit/mint, lemon/ginger), which were great. Our two kids also enjoyed the food. Only issue is that the address in Yelp and Uber is incorrect. They moved from their original location. This restaurant is very close to the Botanical Gardens at 37 R. Lopes Quintas, Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro. When going, use the address in Google Map.

    Photos
    Prana Vegetariano - Steak de berinjela

    Steak de berinjela

    Prana Vegetariano - Nhoque de aipim crocante recheado

    Nhoque de aipim crocante recheado

    Prana Vegetariano - Menu changes every day. Food around lunch time, smoothies and snacks later in the day.

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    Menu changes every day. Food around lunch time, smoothies and snacks later in the day.

    New Natural

    New Natural

    4.4(17 reviews)
    4.1 kmIpanema
    $

    Definitely not vegetarian, has a lot of meat and seafood. Honestly, it's not the most appetizing…read morelocation downstairs, feels a bit crowded and haphazard, but they do have a good selection, especially veggies which can be hard to find in Brazil, and the upstairs seating area is nice and breezy. I am not sure what is organic, however the food does taste healthier than normal, with less salt and oil. Pick a plate, pick what you want, and get it weighed before you eat. Pay after. I have been to tons of these kilo type restaurants, love the concept and wish they had these in the states. A great place to come get a bite to eat, catered to the portions you want.

    Living year-round at ground zero for the organic/locavore movement it's easy to forget that much of…read morethe rest of the world doesn't have the access or ability to eat similarly. I'd eaten at New Natural's take out counter three times before learning the name of the place then did a double take when I saw the yelp listing describing it as an "organic shop" and "vegetarian restaurant". Travelers hailing from Northern California will find nothing here that resembles any organic shop or vegetarian restaurant they've ever been to. What New Natural is, from my point of view, is a) a bakery serving savory, meatless pastries and b) a buffet serving all sorts of things including non-vegetarian items. All the other Yelp reviews currently focus on the buffet (laid out in a small, very hot room behind the bakery) which I only viewed but didn't eat at. Let me tell you about the bakery: There, for BRL $6 apiece (less than $2 US) I chose many flaky, buttery pastries that easily constituted a meal even though they were consumed from a paper bag while standing in front of the store. Upon each visit they were offering a special - buy 2 get the 3rd free - which made this the cheapest meal one could imagine. Cheap and good and very near to Ipanema Beach. Many shops offer the traditional Brazilian pasteles but these were not those; these weren't greasy or fried. Of the pastries sampled, the fan favorite was one filled with tomato and ricotta. Wash a couple of these down with some fresh juice from the refrigerated case and you can be back on the beach in no time. I can't vouch for the buffet and I don't know about the organic or vegetarian labels. All I know is that this is the place for excellent, freshly made, savory, meatless pastries. They cost a mere pittance and fill you up darned good. If you're hitting Rio on a budget - or just seeking a quick, filling snack - New Natural's bakery counter is heaven sent. Just don't be searching for an American looking organic shop or you'll never find it.

    Photos
    New Natural
    New Natural
    New Natural - Buffet style. Really fresh really good

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    Buffet style. Really fresh really good

    Joaquina - Tapioca ice cream

    Joaquina

    4.3(52 reviews)
    0.5 kmLeme
    $$

    Came here and had a great experience. Service was good. Servers were able to make us comfortable…read moreand speak English, which was nice. It's a cute chill spot for dinner and drinks. Honorable mentions: Shredded Beef Rice- was delicious. Rice cooked to perfection and the beef had amazing flavor. Joaquina's picadinho- beef was a salty for my taste but flavors were delicious. Tapioca Shrimp- these were sooo good appetizers. Good size shrimps and the flavors were delicious. Pasteis (shrimp)- delicious! Came with 2 smaller empanada-type pastries. We wanted to order Pork Rinds and Mini Shrimp Burgers but ran out early that day. We ate around 8 pm so go earlier if you want to try. Definitely a great culinary experience.

    We stopped here for our first meal in Rio, and the location alone makes it worth it. It's directly…read moreacross from the beach, so the atmosphere is always alive -- sunshine, music, people walking by, and that effortless Rio energy. It's absolutely a vibe. The drinks were phenomenal. I had a passion fruit caipirinha, and it was fresh, vibrant, and packed with real fruit -- you could see the seeds and citrus in the glass. It was refreshing but also very strong (Rio does not hold back ). If you appreciate a properly made caipirinha with a serious pour, you'll love it. We also tried another cocktail with a beautiful frothy top that was just as impressive -- both drinks were visually stunning and well balanced. For food, since it was my first meal in Brazil, I kept it simple. I ordered a traditional plate with rice, steak in gravy, crispy potatoes, farofa, and a fried egg on top. The flavors were on the milder side, but the portion was generous and extremely filling. It felt comforting and authentic -- a classic Brazilian plate done in a straightforward way.

    Photos
    Joaquina
    Joaquina - Veggie Stroganoff, Chef's Rice, Fish in Shrimp Sauce

    Veggie Stroganoff, Chef's Rice, Fish in Shrimp Sauce

    Joaquina

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    Gaia Art & Café - vegetarian - Updated July 2026

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