Remember, these are only the places I managed to get to, representing not a splash in the ocean, a fart in a hot tub, a mullet in a trailer park, a...you get the idea. Consult your Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, Lets Go, Fodors, Local Shaman for dozens of other options. Sometimes, I wish I had.
Foz do Iguazu
Buffalo Branca - In Argentina, they cook you meat. In Brazil, they drown you in it. Although this was a little pricey, the salad and buffet bar was amazing, and the guys walking around every three minutes with choice cuts of spiced meat is too tempting to resist. Rua Reboucas 530.
Rio
Kilogramo- Here you weigh your food, chosen from a large buffet selection (including sushi, meats, salads etc) and pay your weight. There are various chains, and this one is a bit more upmarket, but the quality was excellent. Various locations, I ate at the one in Ipanema.
Monchique Churrascaria - So you want to experience the authentic Brazilian churrasco, where men in uniform come by your table dropping slabs of meat, accompanied by a large salad bar and buffet, until you stop or you pop. But you can't layout the $R30 ($15US) it normally costs. Monchique is your daddy. On Monday to Wednesdays, its only $R12 ($6), from Thursday to Sunday its $R17. Eat yourself into a stupor. On the main street, one block from the beach in Copacabana. Ave Nossa Sehnora de Copacabana, 796.
Jericoacoara
Tempero da Terra - Restaurants are quite expensive in Jeri, unless you find the gems like Tempero, which serve up large plates of fish, chicken or beef for $2US. Tell Amanda the crazy gringo sent you...she's only 11 but she serves like gray-haired diner waitress. Other budget options are eating chicken kebabs off the street (yummy), the bakery (open 24hours, great pies and pizza) and the other $2 joint whose name I can't recall.
Restaurante Carcara - If you feel like spending a little more, Carcara serves up the yummies with delicious steaks, pastas, fresh bread, seafood and probably the best fresh juice I had all week, which is saying a lot. Rua do Forro 530.
Olinda
Street Food - While it could benefit greatly from a few buns or starchy equivalent, the chicken and beef kebabs we ate off the street for R$1.50 each, dipped in tapioca flour, were delicious, especially with a few drops of Ingles sauce (Worcester sauce)
Tacaruna Food Court - I love food courts. Always have, always will. Obviously it's not about the food, it's about the choice, the sheer selection available, from different countries, different cultures. Tacaruna has two courts, one more expensive than the other. The Chinese was pretty bad, the buffet was pretty good. Naturally, I stayed clear of the MacDonalds.
Rio
Che Lagarto - Well run, clean, modern and slightly sterile youth hostel in Ipanema, the one in Copacabana has more of a vibe. This chain has hostels in Chile and Argentina too. I stayed in the Ipanema hostel, where the staff are really friendly and the bar provides a neato meeting point. Be warned though, at $20US for a dorm bed, it's not the cheapest option, even if it is the (supposed) safest one. http://www.chelagarto.com
Mellow Yellow - The Milhouse of Rio, with all the amenities one would expect from a party hostel: bar, pool table, foozball, DVD library, daily activity board, club guide, cheap, good food, nice breakfast, attractive staff, jacuzzi?! Somewhat pricey, but "this is Rio" justifies everything. The speakers playing tunes in the bathrooms is a nice touch, but the cold showers and stairs weren't. If you're looking for the vibe hostel in Rio, this is it. Rua General Barbosa Lima 57, Copacabana.
Jericoacoara
Chalet das Dunes - I looked at several options for accommodation, and in Jeri my feeling is the people you meet will determine the success of your stay. Das Dunes has air con, friendly staff (even if noone speaks English), fresh sheets, great hammocks, and truly chilled out vibe. There are only 4 cabins, and it is a few minutes from town, but this is beach living as it is meant to be. Costs about $10US a night. A really good vibe.
Isalana Praia Hotel - Although I didn't stay here, all the cool people we met did, so in effect, it became a trail between our two hostels. This is more of a hostel than a beach vibe, but the staff are friendly, they take VISA, the rooms have air con, and it's right on the main strip, a few steps from where the bus drops you off.
Olinda
Pousada d'Olinda - We loved the swimming pool, and the swooping bats, and the great breakfasts, and the funky fellow travelers, and the central location. We hated the damn mosquitos. Splat! Praca Jaoa Alfredo, 178 (089) 3494-2559
Salvador
Nega Maluca - Astrid took my book in Rio and wrote "The Best Hostel in the World", which is quite a compliment. Owned by Inbal (Israeli) and Natalia (Columbian) and determined to remain out the Lonely Planet, Nega is funky and friendly and homely. Free Internet, in Pelourinho, word of mouth attracts the right kind of people. Cats and dogs (who hump pillows), dorms and doubles. http://www.negamaluca.com
Sao Paulo
Praca de Avore Hostel - The HIN in a safe neighbourhood with a traveler family-ish atmosphere. Quite a few young Brazilians stay here as they learn English in the city, and long-term foreigners too. It's all very relaxed and homely which is just the ticket for the bustle in Sao Paulo. A 10 minute walk to the Santa Cruz mall and Praca de Avore subway. Rua Pageu 266.
Rio
Lapa - This is a neighbourhood which explodes at night into one big street party. Makeshift bars line the streets selling cheapo caprihineas, it's hot, sweaty and sexy and typifies Rio. A few steps past the arch are a number of bars featuring live Brazilian music, all of them packed and pumping.
Estrela da Lapa - I went to this new, modern live music bar on two seperate occasions and had a great time at both. First it was a 9 piece samba band, the second was a great band playing an acoustic tribute to Dave Matthews. I love the way the bar staff totally are into the music! Definitely a local yuppie vibe, but a friendly one at that. Tell Adriana at the door the gringo journalist sent you, and check out the website for upcoming shows. Rua Mem de Sa 69, Lapa. http://www.estreladalapa.com.br
Help- Don't go here. It's a whorehouse. But its an institution, so I thought I would mention it. On Copacabana.
Jericoacoara
Skybar- On the beach, where everyone gathers, take a drink outside and look at the star shine for you. Inside they play Forrho, a cheesy, sexy Brazilian dance music. It's cheaper to drink from the street bars though.
Planet Jeri - Next to Skybar, Planet Jeri hosts nightly parties that pump until dawn. Itamar always has a smile, and the music ranges from techno to techno to techno. Get up on the low tables in the middle of the dance floor and show the locals what you've got.
Olinda
Street Party - We looked for places to go for a few nights before discovering the best vibe was right under our noses. At the church on the hill, there is a massive street party every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sunday is meant to be the best, and it was. Reggae, capaoera , drumming, street bars, and loads of people.
Salvador
Street Party - Tuesday nights is a mini-Carnival in Salvador, with bands and drums on every corner, tons of people, bars overflowing. We found some traditional fohro dancing in a couple of squares on Thursday, jammed with locals and tourists. For the more daring, the Fashion Club in town is the place to go on Saturday.
Lugalegal - A live music/salsa bar with a small cover that keeps the chaos from the streets away. Popular with locals (who know how to bust a move), the band was awesome, keeping Tuesday night going with your sanity intact. Rua Frei Vicente 07, Pelourinho.
