Brazilian/Baiana - Baiana (state of Bahia) food is known for it's strong spice, dende oil, extracted from the Dendezeiro palm tree, brought from Africa in the 17th century. The majority of Baiana dishes consist of seafood, hot peppers, tomato, onions and coconut milk. The most typical dishes include: Moqueca (stew), Boba de Camarao, Vatapa', and Acaraje'.

Siri Mole & Cia rua Francisco Otaviano, 50 (Arpoador) tel. 267-0894 accepts all credit cards; hours - noon to 1:00 am; mid range $$ www.sirimole.com.br

Siri Mole & Cia av. Rio Branco (Centro) tel. 233-0107 noon - 5 PM closed sat/sun: known for the Siri-Mole, crab stew harvested during the new moon, with softer shells.  Large portions served that can de divided. mid range $$

Yoruba rua Arnaldo Quintela, 94 (Botafogo) tel. 541-9387 hours - noon to 3 PM (lunch), 7 PM to midnight (dinner) Sun/noon to 10 PM, closed Mon/Tues

Churrasco/Brazilian Steakhouse - there are essentially two ways to do Brazilian Barbeque, cooked using gas or rocks, or rotisserie (shish kabob), cooked on wood fire, generally all you can eat for a set price, and with a green or red flag on the table to alert the circulating waiters yes or no for more beef.

Esplanada Grill - rua Barao da Torre 600 (Ipanema) tel. 2512-2970, hours noon to midnight. A very sophisticated churrascaria with a branch in Sao Paulo. Accepts Diners, Master and Visa. Valet parking. High range $$$

Steak House - rua Buenas Aires, 20 (Centro) tel. 263-5565, hours 11:30 am to 4 pm; closed Sat/Sun. Accepts Amex and Visa. The restaurant made 25 years recently. Mid range $$

Porcao - a chain that has restaurants in New York and Miami, and 4 in Rio. 20 types of cuts including salmon and a great variety of salads.   Valet parking. High Range $$$ www.porcao.com.br

1. Porcao Ipanema - rua Barao da Torre, 218; tel. 2522-0999, hours 11 am to 1 am discount of 30% during weekday lunch, accepts all credit cards

2. Porcao Barra da Tijuca - av. Armando Lombardi, 591; tel. 2493-3355, hours 11am to 1am. Accepts all credit cards

3. Porcao Rio's - av. Infante D. Henrique (Flamengo Park) tel. 2554-8535, a fabulous view of the Sugar Loaf mountain and Guaranbara bay makes this excellent choice that much better. Visa accepted

Marius - Av. Atlantica, 290-A (Leme) tel.2104-9000, Chain of restaurants with local in New York. hours noon to 1 am. Accepts all credit cards. Valet parking.

Feijoada - one of the most traditional of Brazilian dishes, a black bean stew with cuts of meat.

Casa da Feijoada - rua Prudente de Morais, 10 (Ipanema) tel. 2523-4994, hours noon to midnight. Accepts all credit cards. The customer chooses what types of meat will be included.

French

Olympe - rua Custodio Serrao 62 (Jardim Botanico) tel. 2539-4542, hours noon to 4 pm, 7:30 pm to 12:30 am, closed Sun. French chef Claude Troisgros commands the kitchen with an ever-changing menu, conforming to seasons. Accepts Visa, Master and Diners. Valet parking. Highest range $$$$

Le Saint Honore - Avenida Atlantica 1020 (Hotel Le Meridien, Leme) 37th fl. tel. 3873-8880, hours noon to midnight, closed Sun. Fabulous views of Copacabana beach, excellent service and seasonal menu. Accepts all credit cards. Valet parking. Very high range $$$$

Carême Bistro - rua Visconde de Caravelas 113 (Botofogo) tel. 2537-5431, hours 8 pm to 2 am, closed Sun. High range $$$

Italian - Rio de Janeiro has no shortage of Italian restaurants, with some of the better ones listed below.

Quadrifoglio - rua J.J. Seabra 19 (Jardin Botanico) tel. 2294-1433, hours 12:30 to 3:30, 7:30 to 1 am, Sat 7:30 to 1 am. Other than a few of the long surviving dishes, the menu is always being renewed, due to the creativity of the chef/owner Silvia Bianchi. Known for it's excellent service and desserts. Accepts Amex, Mastercard, Visa and Diners Club.  High range $$$

Cipriani - Av. Atlantica 1702 (Hotel Copacabana Palace) tel. 2545-8747, hours 12:30 to 3 pm, 8 pm to 1 am. Situated at poolside of the famous Copacabana Palace, chef Francesco Carli came from Cipriani de Veneza and is always at the top of the list of Rio's best. A 5-star experience. All credit cards accepted. Valet Parking. Top range $$$$ www.copacabanapalace.com.br     

da Brambini - Av. Atlantica 514-B (Leme) tel. 2275-4346, hours noon to 1 am. Accepts all credit cards. Valet parking. Mid range $$

Gibo  - rua Prudente de Moraes 1387 (Ipanema) tel. 2540-5194, hours noon to 1 am. Accepts Amex and Redecard. Mid range $$$  www.gibobrambini.com.br

Margutta - av. Henrique Dumont 62 (Ipanema) tel. 2599-3718 hours 7 pm to 1 am, Sat/Sun noon to 1am. Accepts Amex, Diners and Master. High Range $$$

Satyricon - rua Barao de Torre 192 (Ipanema) tel. 2521-0627 hours noon to 2 am. Accept all credit cards. Valet parking.  High range $$$

Luigi's - rua Senador Correa 10 (Laranjeiras) tel. 2205-7343 hours noon to 1 am, closed Mon. Accepts Amex. One of few options in this nice neighborhood with a beautiful veranda and extensive menu.

Japanese - Cariocas (Rio Natives) caught on fast to the delicacies of Japanese cuisine, making it quite easy to find.

Sushi Leblon - rua Dias Ferreira 256 (Leblon) tel. 2512-7830 hours Mon-Fri noon to 4 pm, 7 pm to midnight, Sat. noon to 1 am, Sun. 1:30 pm to midnight. Accepts Master, Visa and Amex. Mid range $$

Sushinaka - av. Epitacio Pessoa 1484, Kiosk 10 tel. 2247-9479 located on the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas near the Cantagalo shortcut, hours 7 pm to 1 am, Sun 1 pm to 1 am. Accepts all credit cards. Mid Range $$

Sushi Garden - Estrada da Gavea 899, loja 206-c (Shopping Fashion Mall) Sao Conrado tel. 3322-4932. Interesting architecture giving one the feeling of a veranda, even though it's in a shopping mall. Accepts Amex and Visa. High range $$$

Madame Butterfly - rua Barao de Torre 472 (Ipanema) tel. 2267-4347, hours noon to 2 am, Accepts Amex, Diners, and Master. One of Rio's favorite Japanese restaurants. Valet parking. High range $$$

Manekineko - well designed restaurants with 4 locations in Rio, known for it's contemporary fusion and a Japan goes tropical ambient. Accepts all credit cards.  high $$$ www.manekineko.com.br/diferente/home.htm

North American

Outback Steakhouse - Avenida das Americas 6101 (Barra da Tijuca) tel. 3326-4306, hours Mon- Fri noon to 3 pm, 5:30 to 1 am, Sat. noon to 1 am, Sun noon to 11 pm, accepts all credit cards. High range $$$ This chain has many restaurants in Rio. Check site for more. www.outback.com.br/script/OutRestaurantesRio.asp

La Louisiane - Estrada da Barra da Tijuca 1636 lj. 1 tel. 2494-2360,  (Itanhanga Center, Barra da Tijuca) hours 7:30 pm to midnight, Sat/Sun noon to midnight. This is Creole food made famous in the bayou state of Louisiana. Accepts Diners and Master. High range $$$

Specialty

Garota de Ipanema - Chain of restaurant/bars that serve traditional Brazilian recipes. The location in Ipanema is known as the place that the legendary Girl from Ipanema was inspired, when Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes observed a beauty walk by the now famous establishment. Known for their draft beer and family atmosphere. www.garotaipanema.com.br

Vegetarian - comida por kilo (food by weight) restaurants will serve the vegetarian quite well, always supplied with plenty of salads and delicious veggie dishes. The system is to load your plate and weigh it at the end of the line, ordering drinks from the wait staff at the table.

Celeiro - rua Dias Ferreira 199 (Leblon) tel. 2274-7843  All ingredients prepared at Celeiro are organic, with a variety of 40 salads offered everyday. One of few restaurants in Rio that has female owners, cooks and wait staff.  Accepts most cards. Medium range $$ www.celeiroculinaria.com.br

Fellini - rua General Urquiza 104 (Leblon) tel. 2511-3600. The menu changes everyday with gourmet plates such as lobster, duck breasts, escargot, funghi secchi and lamb being served. Known for the best quality foods, which includes a large variety of salads and Japanese cuisine. Medium range $$  www.fellini.com.br

Budget conscious - Rio has many good Pizza restaurants, generally serving the thin-crusted variety. Also, a very good option is the comida por kilo restaurants. Lots of good salads, vegetables and meats, quite deliciously prepared.

You may pass small restaurants with the sign stating prato do dia or prato feito, the plate of the day. Set price, usually a meat, beans and rice for a nominal fee of 4 or 5 Reais.