Espirito Santa Restaurante: A Must-Visit Restaurant in Rio de Janeiro
Just 15 minutes walk from the Selaron Steps was one of our favourite foodie finds, a must-visit restaurant in Rio de Janeiro.
On our first night in Rio de Janeiro I thanked the travel gods that the neighbourhood we had chosen to stay in was a lot better than the hotel choice (mirrored ceiling, wipe clean mattress… you get the idea).
It wasn’t the beach-side glamour that comes to mind when you think of the city, but looking back I’m quite glad of the heightened FIFA World Cup demand that had narrowed the choices right down. After two weeks of moving cities every few days following the football, I was ready for a week in one place… and what a place.
We quickly dropped our bags, wanting to spend as little time as possible in the hotel room, and started exploring. Steep, winding paths led us further and further uphill, from our base near the Escadaria Selaron (Selaron Steps) and into Santa Teresa.
Santa Teresa Neighbourhood, Rio de Janeiro
My main memories of that first walk through the area is of towering houses piled up the hill as far as I could see, glowing golden in the late afternoon sun. Colourful street art decorated the walls and there was a buzz in the air from the cafes, restaurants and bars that had their doors and windows flung open, with tables spilling into the streets.
We wondered up and down those charming streets working up an appetite and looking for somewhere with space for two. A red house with wooden shutters caught my eye. Inside, tables were laid ready for dinner service and a sight of a well-stocked bar made me realise how thirsty I was. It was a little early for dinner, but we decided to grab a table and take our time. This is how I discovered Espirito Santo.
Espirito Santo Restaurante
The interior had a mis-matched and casual vibe which I really liked – bright walls and a black-and-white checkered floor. We exchanged a mixture of Portuguese and English words with the waitress and ordered their special take on the classic Caipirinha. She returned a few moments later without our drinks and motioned us out of the empty dining room towards a door at the back. Not quite understanding but following her lead, we walked through and were taken aback by a hidden terrace spectacular.
The houses of Santa Teresa were towered up on all sides, and our fellow diners sat as if suspended in the treetops. It was a small space full of people chatting away, except for one table that had been cleared just in time for our arrival.
Frango Santa Teresa
I didn’t have to look up the restaurant to remember the dish I ordered that night… it was the Frango Santa Teresa - a dish that is permanently imprinted in my mind and my tastebuds. Pieces of thinly cut chicken marinated and cooked in a passionfruit sauce, served with coconut rice and grated vegetables. That rich, dark, sticky passionfruit sauce with a slight sour tang is one of my all-time favourite food memories, and just the mention of passionfruit will transport me back to that terrace. The hint of sourness was complemented perfectly with the sweetness of the coconut rice.
As promised, we took our time there; the sky turned a dusty blue as we sipped our way through another cocktail and watched the surrounding houses light up one by one, illuminating the hillside.
My half-eaten Frango Santa Teresa at Espirito Santa Restaurante - unfortunately my 2014 phone was not up to today’s food photography standards.
A must-visit restaurant in Rio de Janeiro
It was the perfect holiday food; one that I enjoyed every bite of but one that I haven’t a clue how I would begin to recreate at home, so there is no chance of ruining the perfect balance of flavours.
I had the internal debate I often have when I enjoy a dish that much: do I go back and have it again before leaving? I didn’t in the end, because had I stepped inside that restaurant again a second debate would have erupted: do I order the same or try something else off the menu? (I hope I’m not the only one who asks these questions of themselves on holiday!)
Hopefully the answers are not too far away. It’s been playing on my mind for 9 years, but I plan be back in Rio within the next 18 months and one thing is for sure: I will be taking Graeme to Espirito Santa and I will enjoy that same chicken again, almost a decade after my first taste.
Espirito Santa Restaurante
Rua Almirante Alexandrino, 264 Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20241-260, Brazil
http://www.espiritosanta.com.br/index.php
Follow them on Instagram @espiritosantarestaurante
Related Content
Pin this blog post to read later…
