Every time we head to the beach at Grumari or Prainha, this restaurant is where we stop before…read moreheading back to the city. For anyone who loves beautiful views and rustic seaside dining, you'll be super happy you came. This outdoor eatery serves up some of the best fish I've ever had. The thing to do is head around the side and check out the guy cooking - go with whatever fish you primarily see on the grill. Yesterday, we got vermelho (or Red Snapper, my favorite). The whole fish came out perfectly prepared and we washed it down with our bucket of Heinekens (they only serve beer in cans here, you can also get caipirinhas or other mixed drinks). Served with a side of rice, fries, and salad, this was the perfect meal. For a super hungry group of 4, you can go with one large and one smaller fish, if you're only regular hungry, one large fish should suffice. To compliment a savory meal, the view is incredible. There's a small beach just beneath the restaurant where you'll find plenty of people (but not too many) swimming, sun bathing or climbing up the giant rock for photo opps. If you're lucky, sometimes you'll find the guy selling coconut tapioca couscous. He'll walk around the beach area or the restaurant too and if you catch him, it's worth buying a square for your post-meal sobremesa. This gooey dessert is dense, moist, covered in condensed milk and topped with coconut. Sublime.

This is Paradise; awesome beach, spectacular views and dine under the trees. The Moqueca of Róbalo…read moreis one of the best fish stews with coconut ever. The Crab and the shrimps Paste (turnover / empanadas) are also delicious, as well as the fried fresh fish chunks with local mustard sauce. The Caipirinha also wonderfully done. Truly lunch in paradise. Although service was friendly, just make sure they don't get charged your American credit card in USD, charge in Brazilian Reais (better exchange). We could have stayed there all day. Truly worthwhile. What a gem. We don't have this in Miami.

If you're a surfer, friends with a surfer, or simply enjoy watching surfers, this Prainha…read morerestaurant is ideal. The reason for the surfing reference has to do with the fact that's located at the top of a small beach popular amongst wave riders so whether you're going after a great day or simply going to enjoy the view, it's a great spot. Located at a gorgeous lookout along Prainha beach, Mirante da Praia offers a great caipirinha along with some seafood and staple Brazilian snacks. The drive from Rio is relatively easy and will take you about 40 min to an hour by car. Once you leave Rio, you're mostly driving along the coast, so the beaches you'll pass along the way are picture-perfect. While fish is the thing, our table didn't really enjoy ours. It came out slightly raw and rather unimpressive in flavor. The shrimp pastels were excellent and the fried yuca was nice too. This place is ideal for an afternoon gazing upon the water, eating a shrimp pastel and drinking a caipirinha.

Absolutely the best and worth the long but scenic drive. The views are spectacular and so is the…read morefood. Freshest, most tasty seafood I can remember. The sea bass was tender and delicious. Octopus, mussels, squid all wonderful. Crab pastel appetizer a must. Couldn't be better. Can't wait to visit again.

ROMANCE ROMANCE ROMANCE! Take a date here for the perfect sunset perched above the water and trees…read more This infamous spot is right beyond Rio's Zona Sul, just past the famous Grumari beach. The restaurant specializes in seafoods, especially from the Bahia region of Brazil. Their portions are big and a little pricy, but they will gladly make a half portion of anything (except seabass). If there's a wait, get a crab pastry (Pasteis de Siri) and a passion fruit caipirinha (Caipirinha de Maracuja) to wait, and enjoy beautiful waiting area with a view! Have the moqueca, a rich seafood stew/soup made of palm oil, coconut milk, and seafood, served with rice. We also had the seabass filet cooked in lemon and served over onions, with shrimp rice (Filé de Robalo cozido no Limão sobre uma camada de Cebolas em rodelas e com Salsa encima, Acompanha Arroz de Camarão e Farofa de Dendê), and it was my favorite preparation of onions I have ever had. They were super citrusy, and paired with the delicate fish perfectly. The fish itself was divine, delicate, and so soft. The shrimp rice was delicoius and full of flavor, and a generous portion of prawns. Finally, we had the other seafood stew (Caldeirada de Frutos do Mar) and it was equally delicious. I can't praise this restaurant enough for it's food, view, service, and atmosphere. Would gladly come back anytime!

This place was amazing. Very authentic. Family feel. So fun! Food was delicious.read more

From the owner: O Restaurante Cantinho da Tia Penha é um dos representantes da cultura de uma região que se…read moreconsagrou através da gastronomia. Com mais de 30 anos de tradição, o espaço atrai turistas do mundo inteiro e encanta pela qualidade de seus produtos e excelente atendimento. Tia Penha como é carinhosamente chamada, reuniu características das regiões litorâneas do país e desenvolveu um estilo próprio na arte de cozinhar. O resultado é uma viagem de sabores que resgatam a verdadeira identidade de um Brasil Tropical. Em plena atividade profissional e atenciosa aos mínimos detalhes, nossa matriarca revela que as maiores conquistas de sua vida foram: o reconhecimento e a fidelidade do público, e ter podido contar com o apoio de seus filhos, que desde muito jovens aprenderam os segredos da arte ensinada por ela. Com administração impecável e cardápio surpreendente, o espaço Tia Penha é uma excelente opção para todos os momentos.