Anthony Bourdain went here (on TV) not once but twice. His first visit is featured in "A Cook's…read moreTour". His second, 10 years later, on "No Reservations". I went here 3 times in a single week. There's something to be said for the allure of simple food, especially when consumed on one of the world's most fascinating beaches. Barraca do Uruguai is a sand-based stand at Posto 9 on Ipanema Beach. Posto 9, for those not already up on this stuff, is the most desirable stretch of beach in all of Ipanema or Copacabana. It's where the gorgeous people play. It's where my 23-year old son declared he "got whiplash" from turning his head all day to look at the barely covered lasses. As Mr. Bourdain says, it's where you go to "look at women you're never going to sleep with". He also implores one to "run, don't walk, to the ONLY place for sandwiches on this beach". Are you getting the picture? Barraca do Uruguai really does make some delicious sandwiches. They're inexpensive, prepared to order, and are the perfect accompaniment to the Caipirinha or beer you'll no doubt purchase as an accompaniment. The staff here - a mama bear owner who prepares the sandwiches plus gorgeous, friendly, English-speaking Uruguayan men - doesn't hurt. I never quite figured out how the seating thing works on this beach but they invited me to sit in their section and said they'd take care of me and my stuff all day. They rent beach chairs as well and I'm sure it's no accident that half the gorgeous crowd parks themselves in this section of beach. The sandwiches, which consist of meat, sauce, onions (maybe), and roll range in price from BRL $12 - $18 (about $3 - $4.50 US). Their menu says they have meat-based appetizers, for a bit more money, but I never saw the need. These sandwiches (and drinks) are all you need for a perfect day on Ipanema Beach. Simultaneously light but hearty, you won't need to wait 30 minutes after consuming until you can head back into the ocean. There are a ton of things being hawked as you bake on the shores of Ipanema. Indulge in some of those most definitely. But, when you want to experience great sandwiches without leaving the sand, head for the blue-and-white striped Uruguyan flag, like everyone else.

I was very excited to find Barraca do Uruguay on Yelp last year - almost as excited as I was to see…read moreAnthony Bourdain discover them a couple years before that. As I wait in the airport to depart Brasil with a head full of fine memories, I'm giving a well-deserved review that is long overdue. When on my nearly-annual trips to Rio over the past 10 years or so, I've always spent a day or few on the beach at Barraca do Uruguay. In addition to that they occupy the best spot on the best big-city beach on the planet, they make those celebrated sandwiches, and they are a great family to meet. My favorite is the chicken (frango), with grilled onions, that chimichurri sauce, and a dab of the hot pepper sauce. Add a caipirinha or a can of Skol and I am very, very happy, and truly ready to appreciate the entire beautiful Posto 9 scene. Also available is bottled water, sodas, and chilled coconuts, and you should have at least one coconut-full of juice in order to keep your potassium levels up in the Rio heat. Up until a couple years ago, they used to BBQ the meat on site; however, the city no longer allows that. Moving the BBQ-ing off-site has only minimally detracted from the flavors and the heat of the meat. If you want to go in the water, ask and they'll guard your bag in their stand. (Bonus Rio beach tip: bring minimal items to the beach, and what you do bring, put in a plastic shopping bag, which is less likely to tempt theft than your Gucci purse or murse or whatever you usually lug around). A day at the beach with them, including chair and umbrella rental, a couple of sandwiches, and all the beer you can handle will set you back under US$25/pp. Hi to Fabiola, Gonzalo, Tania, and the rest of the family - I hope to see you all again very soon. Saudades :)

One of the coolest things about the beaches in Rio (and most of Brazil) are the many merchants that…read morestop by your blanket to offer you everything from shrimp snacks to nuts and sandwiches. The barracas, however, are like mini beach bars that also happen to rent you the umbrella and chairs (for pretty cheap). Every time I've visited Ipanema beach I station myself in between Posto 8 and 9 at Barraca Da Ana. There, I'll rent 2 chairs and an umbrella and throughout the course of my morning or afternoon there, I'll order a medley of beverages from coconut water (still in it's coconut) to juices, beer, and caipirinhas. Ana or her colleague, also named Ana, frequently walk around making sure to take care of their sunbathing clientele. It's a no frills kind of experience and that's precisely what I love about it.

Truly the best kiosk on the Atlantic ave!! The owner Miguel and his staff are beyond nice!! The…read morefood and drinks are amazing! They are clean and also give such a great service! They have music playing which is the reason why we stopped here!! Go try it!!

Amazing food and drinks right on the beach! Foot steps away from our hotel... we've eaten here…read moretwice since we got here, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Highly recommend the gurjão de price con molho aioli (fish fingers with garlic sauce) with any flavor caipirinha! SO good!

3-min walk from Subway Catete Station. Very clean-looking Food Stand. Seems to be popular among…read morelocals, which is a very good sign. They serve various Tapioca pancakes, savory and sweet, and great hamburger. They are all made-to order so you have to wait a bit, but it's worthwhile!!! Hamburgers include 200g thick burger(about 1/5 lbs), very meaty, and some vegs and cheese. Their are some stools so you can wait and/or eat there. English spoken (a bit), so no trouble communicating. Credit/debit cards taken. Hamburgers are 15 Reals (only one type available), and Tapioca starts from about 7 or 8 Reals. I visited two nights in a row.

We walked the block a couple times trying to find what we thought was a restaurant but was actually…read morea food stand. We each ordered a burger. The burger is sooo good and homemade with love. We each had a cheeseburger with bacon with everything on it. One of the group members had the. Urged with salsa verde and her bun came green. All of the ingredients are fresh. There are no fries or sides. You can order tapioca which is also very, very tasty. We are going to hit this spot up again during this trip. We returned to grab burgers on several days following and each time brought more newcomers. We constantly raved about the burgers and tapioca. We tried to grab burgers during our final two days but the stand was not around as they are closed on Friday and Saturday. Oh lastly, we used google to communicate for the most part because they did not speak English and we did not speak Portuguese but tried to meet in the middle with Spanish. Despite the language barrier, smiles and positive energy still went a long way when communicating with the lady ringing us up and the guys cooking. When we returned they remembered us and it was like a mini reunion. We showed them love and they showed it back.

eles não tinham coxinha, poderiam ter feito melhor e não podiam pagar um restaurante de verdade em…read morevez de um restaurante de verdade no Brasil. Vou lá amanhã e é melhor que tenham coxinha.

What a unique place, just an open space at the end of a hall after taking the escalator up one…read moreflight with an open air balcony and a couple padded benches to sit. There's two stands, one for espresso and another for cappuccino with a sink for washing dishes. One table offers either brown or white sugar containers and spoons for stirring your sugar. Another table has baskets for money, paying (as much or as little as you see fit) and counters so they have a loose estimate of how many people ordered espressos and cappuccinos. This open, exposed, honest business is so novel. There's a level of trust, that people will pay adequately for the services rendered, that's commendable and refreshing. Needless to say, the coffee is excellent and their reputation has grown to make it a busy and popular place. They even offer coffee for sale, should you wish to take some home with you.

Best coffee in Rio! Wonderful staff who are truly passionate and knowledgeable about coffee, high…read morequality beans sourced from local small producers, delicious drinks. Highly recommended!!