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15 Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 2016
Olympics |
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With the 2016 Olympics,
the world's biggest sporting event
being hosted in Rio, comes many challenges.
From crime and safety, to viruses and health,
there are many things that Brazil will have
to overcome.
Being there with family I watched on TV as
a series of tragic events unfolded. From the
bike lane crash ing into the ocean, to the
olympic athlete getting shot as thieves attempted
to steal her car, it felt like one bad event
after another... not to mention the daily
(almost hourly) crimes on tv.
So if you are going to Brazil, you must know
some basic rules (which many tourists don't
follow):
- Don't walk around holding your iPhone
too often.
- Don't wear flashy jewelry or gold watches
around town.
- Wear your backpack on the front of your
body (unless you have a theft resistant
backpack).
- Ideally, carry a dummy wallet
with some money, in addition to a hidden
wallet.
But beyond these basics, vegans will also
have other challenges in Brazil, like:
Where do I find some good food?
- Problem #1 was: The
flight itself was tricky since they offer
vegetarian meals by request, but not vegan
meals. So if flying to Brazil make sure
to bring some nuts and snacks. I didn't
know, and landed very hungry!
So, after landing at the airport, my first
thought was to find a nutritious vegan
smoothie (in Portuguese, smoothies
are actually called "Vitaminas").
On
"The Vegan Survival Guide" I
talk about the importance of combining ingredients,
getting your protein, and optimizing nutrition
(which you can do with our nutrient
charts).
So as soon as I got home,
my mom, sister, and niece greeted me with
some yummy local foods! Fruits,
granola, and some tea.
Now
let's take a look at some vegan and vegetarian
restaurants in Rio.
Vegan restraurants in Rio
are actually something super new! When I
was a kid, let me tell you... as
I share on the VSG, there were no
vegan restaurants at all!
This cuisine gained its force around 2005
to 2010. I then saw local university students
hosting vegan cooking events, as well as
families hosting vegan cooking courses.
Everyone starting to combine fresh local
ingredients into tasty and nutritional recipes.
Did you know? Before
the vegan movement in Brazil started, vegetarians
often got food from local Buddhist groups
and events. This was their only choice since
no vegetarians or vegan menus were available
at local restaurants in Rio back then.
But things
have changed... So here are 15 Awesome Vegan
and Vegetarian Restaurants in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil:
-
Verdin:
Local produce, seasonal, organic when
possible, made fresh! Vegan
and vegetarian salads, sandwiches,
soups and juices. Also vegetarian corn,
chocolate and banana cakes.
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LovSaude:
More than just juice... Love. Functional,
organic juices, using the process of
cold pressing, and without preservatives
for you! Vegetarian and some
vegan options.
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Refeitório
Orgânico: Vegetarian
spot with charming wooden décor
& Buddhist art, offering buffet
or à-la-carte options.
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Bardana:
Large dining area where you can eat
your food by the pound (kilo actually),
with hot vegetarian dishes, salads &
lactose-free desserts.
-
Org
Bistrô: Organic modern,
vegetarian & organic
dishes in a cozy space with a shop that
sells natural products.
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Gouranga
Veggie: Vegetarian & vegan
restaurant serving varied à la
carte lunch & desserts, with modern
Indian decor.
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Vegecoop:
Vegetarian buffet restaurant
founded in 1962 in a 2-story townhouse,
with on-site health-food store.
-
Dona
Vegana: Vegan
breakfast, snacks, lunch & pastries,
all without any animal products, at
an eco-friendly restaurant.
-
Green:
A laid-back eatery with an array of
dishes, including vegetarian
fare & juices.
-
Reino
Vegetal: This spot serves
a vegetarian & vegan
menu featuring soy versions of traditional
Brazilian dishes like feijoada, palm
heart bobó & vegan acarajé.
Also look for Indian,
Japanese and Chinese restaurants
around town as they often have great vegan
dishes too. :)
Plus... while
the number of locations in Rio are constantly
growing, if visiting São
Paulo you will find many more delicious
vegan restaurants!
How
about some vegan desserts?
Well, ask my sister and she
can make you a beautiful artistic cake!
lol. She is a cake designer! You can check
out her work here: facebook.com/Bonitabolos
Are her cakes vegan
though? Please note, her delicious
cakes are usually vegetarian... NOT vegan.
But just ask and she will make a special
one for you.
Even the USA staff from the
Rio 2016 Olympics have
already asked my sister to design some cakes
for them. So you will see the athletes,
their medals, plus "Bonita
Bolos" Beautiful Cakes on
TV. ;)
[Aug 6, 2016 update]
Did u guys watch the Rio 2016 opening ceremony
last night? :) As I mentioned above my sister
in Rio is making everyone some cakes. Here
are some behind the scene photos:
How about you...? Have
you visited Brazil? What's your favorite
Brazilian vegan recipe?
Be sure to share with all
of us below!
Let
us know what you think...
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The
Vegan and Vegetarian Survival
Guide to Brazilian Grocery Stores
A
look at 12 unique products
Plus at trip to Mercado Central,
Belo Horizonte, Br
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| What's
The VSG difference? Learn how to maximize
your meals with everyday plant based
ingredients to feed your BRAIN, IMMUNE,
BODY, DETOX and SOUL. As Hippocrates
once said: "Let food be thy medicine
and medicine be thy food."
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The VSG Newsletter Today!
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Fabulous!!!! Easy
to read, well organized, FULL
of beneficial information
that will keep you wanting
to learn more :-)
Unique addition to
my vegan cookbook
collection.
Good guide for your health
if you're vegan or not.
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Are
you or a loved one fighting cancer? Here are big lessons I learned from german scientist Dr. Johanna Budwig plus anti-cancer Dr. Gene Wei. Tip: Vegans can learn anti-cancer recipes and simply
replace the cottage cheese for
organic vegan yogurt.
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