A Definitive Guide To Music & Food in Rio de Janeiro

Everything you need to know about navigating music and food in one of the greatest cities in the world.

Dearest reader,

Welcome to 2025! I hope you all had a fabulous time ringing in the new year, wherever you are in the world. May this year bring delicious meals, new friendships, and sweet tunes to guide us through the next 12 months in which we all reach new heights.

Sunset at Aporador

Typically, for those of us in the northern hemisphere, December and January are largely gloomy and rain-filled. Lucky for me, my December was filled with days spent laying on the beach, eating (too much) queijo coalho, drinking perfectly tart caipirinhas, and listening to world-class music. I wrote this month’s newsletter from beautiful and sunny Rio de Janeiro, where I’d been living for the last month or so visiting family and getting to know a city I grew up visiting, but this time on my terms as an adult. I entered a new decade of life during my time in Rio and became so much closer to a country that influenced the music I love, my culinary palette, and the way I see the world.

Barraca near Posto 10 on Ipanema

During my travels, I posted on Instagram daily, chronicling meals, views, art, and days spent in the sun. I received DMs from so many of you asking if I would share some of my must-see spots, so, as not to leave you high and dry, I’ve put together a list of my most adored places in Rio.

These recommendations come from countless trips to a city I am so lucky to call home, time spent there wandering into shops and restaurants that would soon become favorites, and the many recommendations of my wonderful friends who grew up in and around Zona Sul.

Below are some of the main categories my map covers, but the map itself has TONS more recommendations. Let’s dive in, shall we?

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️