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The food here is nothing if not eclectic. Expect to find sushi bars, Italian restaurants, and German biergartens sitting alongside restaurants selling typical Brazilian cuisine. Coastal towns serve a large selection of fresh seafood, and most have a local specialty that's worth trying. Beachfront restaurants, especially the ubiquitous baracas (kiosks), can be a pleasant surprise and most will bring food and drink right up to your chosen spot on the sands.
Paraty and Búzios have excellent restaurants serving international cuisine. During high season they fill up beginning at 10 pm and may not close until after sunrise. Restaurants in Petrópolis and Teresópolis serve European cuisine and comida mineira, the hearty, meaty fare from Minas Gerais. Generally, dinner starts at seven and restaurants close around midnight.
To be on the safe side, don't buy seafood from venders strolling along the beach. Be especially careful about the oysters in Búzios and Cabo Frio, which may not be as fresh as the vendor claims.
Carefully prepared Tuscan and Sicilian dishes are at the fore at this charming candlelit spot set off Paraty's main square. Evening live-music performances lend a touch of festivity to the proceedings, and the covered outdoor space means that diners can enjoy meals alfresco even when the famously torrential Paraty rains start to pour.
Near the water in a quiet part of town, this seafood restaurant is a great place for a romantic dinner, with candlelit tables and a good wine list. On chilly days, heat lamps warm the café tables out front, while evenings are enlivened by music from local musicians (which comes with an additional cover charge).
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