Icaro, Rio de Janeiro

Rio is famed for its fantastically varied lunch buffets, and this upmarket spot housed within the expansive Rio Sul shopping center combines delicious Italian food with the traditional Brazilian buffet. Diners can pile their plates as high as their budget will stretch (this is a pay by weight restaurant, and one of the city's more expensive at around BRL5.60 per 100 grams or 3.5 ounces) with everything from imported Italian salami to risotto, canneloni, seafood (the grilled squid in garlic and oil is a favorite with locals) and polenta with gorgonzola cheese. If the idea of a buffet restaurant inside a shopping center sounds less than sophisticated, you may be pleasantly surprised by Icaro. There are several spacious and air-conditioned rooms, and a sushi bar in addition to the Italian offerings. The wine list is impressive too, with some 680 to choose from, including national wines as well as offerings from Chile, Argentina, Spain, Portugal and even Hungary. -Lucy Bryson

Write a Review