“Comer & Beber”: Rio & São Paulo’s Best Restaurants in 2021

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Brazil’s most popular news magazine, Veja, also produces special editions for Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and both produce and annual guide to the cities bars and restaurants, “Comer & Beber”. The guide has just published its 25th edition for both Rio and São Paulo and have also produced their list of the best in each city for 2021. They are:

RIO DE JANEIRO

  • Contemporary Brazilian: Oteque (Botafogo)
  • Barbecue / Churrascaria Rodizio: Churrascaria Palace (Copacabana)
  • Seafood: Escama (Jardim Botanico)
  • French: L’Etoile – Sheraton Rio (Leblon)
  • Italian: Grado (Jardim Botanico)
  • Pizza: Ferro e Farinha (Catete / Botafogo / Leblon)
  • Portuguese: Gajos D’Ouro (Ipanema)
  • Asian: Spicy Fish (Ipanema)
  • Japanese: San (Leblon)
  • Hamburger: Sabor D.O.C. (Leblon)
  • Veagan: Ganic Lab (Barra)
  • Gastropub: Pope (Ipanema)
  • Botequim / Bar: Bafo da Prainha
  • Cheap & Cheerful: Cantón (Copacabana)
  • Ice Cream: Mil Frutas (Ipanema / Leblon / Jardim Botanico / São Conrado / Barra)
  • Breakfast: Café 18 do Forte (Copacabana)
  • Kiosk: De Lamare (Posto 8 – Ipanema)
  • Best Terrace: Boteco Belmonte (Ipanema)

SÃO PAULO

  • Best Overall Restaurant: Casa do Porco (Centro)
  • Contemporary Brazilian: Maní (Jardim Paulistano)
  • Brazilian: A Baianeira (Masp – Av Paulista))
  • Barbecue / Meat: Rubaiyat (Itaim Bibi)
  • French: Président (Cerqueira César)
  • Italian: Fame (Jardim Paulista)
  • Trattoria: Lido Amici di Amici (Pinheiros)
  • Pizza: A Pizza da Mooca (Mooca)
  • Japanese: Ryo (Itaim Bibi)
  • Arab: Shahiya (Moema)
  • Mixed: Chez Claude (Itaim Bibi) 
  • Newcomer (Asian): Kazuo (Jardim Paulistano)
  • Hamburger: Z Deli Sandwiches (Pinheiros / Centro)
  • Sandwich: Zoe Sandwich Shop (Tatuapé)
  • Botequim / Bar: Esquina do Souza (Perdizes)
  • Cheap & Cheerful: Cuia Café (Edificio Copan – Centro) / Pão com Carne (Itaim Bibi)
  • Ice Cream: Frida & Mina (Pinheiros)
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“Deserto Particular” chosen as Brazil’s selection for the Oscars 2022

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Aly Muritiba’s “Deserto Particular” (Private Desert) has been chosen as Brazil’s official selection in the Best International Film category for the Academy Awards in 2022.

It tells the story of 40-year-old Daniel (Antonio Saboia), who has been suspended from active police work in Curitiba, in the south of Brazil, and is under internal investigation for violence. When Sara, his internet love affair, stops answering his texts he decides to drive north to the interior of Bahia in search of her, starting on what is apparently a fool’s errand. He shows Sara’s picture around, but nobody seems to recognise the woman, until eventually one man says he can put the two in touch but under very specific conditions.

The film premiered and was very well received at the Venice Film Festival in September in Venice Days (Giornate degli Autori). It will open in Brazil on 25 November.

Trade between Brazil and UK bounces back

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According to the latest numbers released by Apex-Brasil, Brazilian exports to, and imports from, the UK have bounced back strongly to pre-pandemic levels in the second quarter of 2021.

The total value of Brazilian exports to the UK increased by 41% year on year, which is 5% more than exported in the same period of 2019. Similarly, Brazilian imports of UK goods soared by 52% in Q2 2021, up 29% on Q2 2019 and the highest value since 2015. This equates to bilateral trade between Brazil and the UK reaching US$1.4bn (£1bn) between Brazil and the UK, a 46% increase on Q2 2020 and 15% above Q2 2019 levels.  

Part of the increase is due to an upsurge in commodity prices, such as metal ores, oil and soy as well as export growth in transport equipment, chemicals and metallurgical products.

Brazil also recorded a large trade surplus with the EU of $911m (€756m, £652.1m), the highest for a quarter since 2011. This is a turnaround on the deficit of $1.4bn (€1.1bn, £1bn) Brazil had with the EU in Q1 2021.

Copa America 2021 in Brazil

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Originally planned for Argentina and Colombia in 2020, and then moved to 2021 due to the pandemic, the Copa America was finally switched to Brazil at the very last moment with games taking place from 13 June to 10 July 2021. Brazil had hosted and won the cup in 2019.

Group games will be played across four stadiums – Nilton Santos (Rio), Olympic (Goiana), Arena Pantanal (Cuiaba) and Mane Garrincha (Brasilia) – with the final to be played at the Maracanã in Rio.

New Pelé documentary premieres on Netflix on 23 February 2021

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23 February will see the premiere on Netflix of “Pelé”, a new original documentary, that chronicles the life of Edson Arantes do Nascimento – or Pelé.
 

The documentary looks back at the extraordinary period that Pelé, the only player to win three World Cup titles, went from a young superstar in 1958 to a national hero, amidst a radical and turbulent era in Brazilian history.

With rare and exclusive filmed access to Pelé himself, the film showcases the star reflecting upon his career. The documentary also includes rare archive and interviews from former legendary team-mates at Santos Futebol Clube and the Brazilian national team, including Zagallo, Amarildo and Jairzinho, as well as testimonials from family members, journalists, artists and other personalities who witnessed the golden age of Brazilian football. that culminated in Brazil winning the 1970 World Cup.

All Brazilian final to the Copa Libertadores: Palmeiras x Santos

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There is to be an all Brazilian final to the Copa Libertadores, South America’s equivalent of the Champions League, when Palmeiras and Santos will play on 30 January having respectively knocked out Argentina’s River Plate and Boca Juniors in the semi-finals.

It is only the third time in the history of the competition that two Brazilian teams have played the final. It means that Brazil will now have had the most finalists in the history of the competition with 38, compared to Argentina’s 37, but even with Brazil’s 21st title in 2021, Argentina still leads with 25 titles.

The current holder of the Copa Libertadores is Brazil’s Flamengo. Santos is a three time winner of the Libertadores (1962, 1963 and 2011, losing one other final) and Palmeiras has won once in 1999 (but has lost three finals).

The final on 30 January is to be played at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro and will kick off at 17.00 (20.00 UK time and should be shown in Britain on the BBC).

Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2020

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Despite all the challenges faced by the hospitality industry, the annual list of “Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants” was announced on 3 December. Bragging rights for the top spot went to Don Julio in Buenos Aires.

Nine restaurants on the list of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants are to be found in Brazil. They are A Casa do Porco, D.O.M., Maní, Evvai, Mocotó and Corrutela in São Paulo; Oteque and Lasai in Rio de Janeiro; and Manu in Curitiba.

The full list to give food for thought is:

  • 1. Don Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 2. Maido, Lima, Peru
  • 3. Central, Lima, Peru
  • 4. A Casa do Porco, São Paulo, Brazil
  • 5. Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico
  • 6. Boragó, Santiago, Chile
  • 7. El Chato, Bogotá, Colombia
  • 8. Mishiguene, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 9. Rosetta, Mexico City, Mexico
  • 10. Osso Lima, Peru
  • 11. Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico
  • 12. Oteque, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 13. D.O.M., São Paulo, Brazil
  • 14. Pangea, Monterrey, Mexico
  • 15. Alcalde, Guadalajara, Mexico
  • 16. Tegui, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 17. Sud 777, Mexico City, Mexico
  • 18. Kjolle, Lima, Peru
  • 19. Chila, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 20. Isolina, Lima, Peru
  • 21. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 22. Astrid y Gastón, Lima, Peru
  • 23. Maní, São Paulo, Brazil
  • 24. Mayta, Lima, Peru
  • 25. Harry Sasson, Bogotá, Colombia
  • 26. Evvai, São Paulo, Brazil
  • 27. Leo, Bogotá, Colombia
  • 28. Parador La Huella, José Ignacio, Uruguay
  • 29. Rafael, Lima, Peru
  • 30. Le Chique, Cancún, Mexico
  • 31. Nicos, Mexico City, Mexico
  • 32. De Patio, Santiago, Chile
  • 33., Mocotó, São Paulo, Brazil
  • 34. Gran Dabbang, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 35. Mil, Cusco, Peru
  • 36. Máximo Bistrot, Mexico City, Mexico
  • 37. Mérito, Lima, Peru
  • 38. Osaka, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 39. El Baqueano, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 40, Narda Comedor, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 41. Restaurante 040, Santiago, Chile
  • 42. Maito, Panama City, Panama
  • 43. Aramburu, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 44. Manu, Curitiba, Brazil
  • 45. La Mar, Lima, Peru
  • 46. Ambrosía, Santiago, Chile
  • 47. El Preferido de Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • 48. Nuema, Quito, Ecuador
  • 49. Celele, Cartagena, Colombia
  • 50. Corrutela, São Paulo, Brazil

Veja Rio picks best restaurants for 2020

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Despite Covid-19 and lockdown Veja Rio has still managed to produce its annual guide to Rio’s bars and restaurants and pick its best in a number of categories.

As a taster the top three for Brazilian cuisine are Maria e o Boi, Sabores de Gabriela and Capim Santo; for contemporary it is Oteque (photo), Lasai and Iraja Redux; for meat,Malta Beef Club, Esplanada Grill and Corrientes 348; for French, Emile, Didier and Chez Claude; for Italian, Cipriani, Grado and Anna; for Portuguese, Gajos d’Ouro, Rancho Portugues and Adegão Portugues; for seafood, Venga Chiringuito, Satyricon and Posi Mozza & Mare; for Pizza, Ferro e Farinha, Ella and Braz; for Japanese, Naga, Mitsuba and Haru Sushi Bar; and for vegetarian, Org Bistro, Naturalie Bistro and Prana Vegetarian. 

Veja São Paulo picks best restaurants for 2020

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Despite Covid-19 and lockdown Veja São Paulo has still managed to produce its annual guide to São Paulo’s bars and restaurants and pick its best in a number of categories.

As a taster the top three for Brazilian cuisine in São Paulo are Jiquitaia, Tordesilhas and Banzeiro; for contemporary it is D.O.M., Maní and Corrutela; for meat, Varanda (photo), Rubaiyat and Templo da Carne Marcos Bassi; for French, Bistrot Parigi, Chef Rouge and Président; for Italian, Evvai, Picchi and Fasano; for Trattoria, Lido Amici, di Amici, Moma (Modern Mamma Osteria) and Antonietta Cucina; for Pizza, Deveras Pizza, Carlos and Leggera; for Japanese, Kan Suke, Shin-Zushi and Murakami; for Portuguese, Tasca da Esquina, Costa Nova and Quinta de Santa Maria; and for Arab, Monte Líbano, Miski and Farabbud.

Brazil picks Babenco doc for 93rd Academy Awards

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For the first time Brazil has chosen a documentary to represent it in the International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards. The film chosen by the Brazilian Academy (Academia Brasileira de Cinema) is Barbara Paz’s “Babenco: Tell Me When I Die” (“Babenco: Alguém Tem que Ouvir o Coração e Dizer Parou”).

The film premiered at the 2019 Venice Filme Festival where it won Best Documentary on Cinema. The film focuses on the last years of the life of filmmaker Hector Babenco who died of cancer in 2016. Paz was Babenco’s partner.

Babenco’s credits include “Pixote”, “Kiss of the Spider Woman” (for which he was nominated for an Oscar), “Ironweed”, “At Play in the Fields of the Lord”, “Coração Iluminado” and “Carandiru”. Three of his film screened in competition in Cannes and he was also a member of the jury in 1989.

The 93rd Academy Awards is scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 25 2021.