Eat Rio is about all the things you need to know about Rio. What are the best things to do in Rio? What are the best bars and restaurants in Rio? What are the classic dishes you have to try while you’re here? Is Rio safe? What do you need to know about Rio Carnival?
Eat Rio is also about Brazil. What is Brazilian music like? How hard is Brazilian Portuguese? What about Brazilian history and culture? What are the best things to do in São Paulo? (also Paraty, Búzios, Salvador and even further afield)
But why Eat Rio?
Hmmm, this is awkward. At first this was going to be solely a food blog, but I soon realised there were a million other things to say.
After expanding the site’s focus, I decided that to ‘Eat’ Rio was a pretty good metaphor for embracing and consuming all that is good about this diverse and fascinating city. Also, I had already paid for the domain name…
Then, in 2013, I started running food tours in Rio, and the name totally made sense again! All part of my master plan, honest…
What will you find on this site?
If you’re preparing for a visit (or if you’ve just moved here) I’ve got suggestions for Things to do in Rio, an ever-growing list of what I consider to be the best restaurants in Rio and safety tips. For people learning Brazilian Portuguese, there are regular discussions and insights into the workings and idiosyncrasies of this rich and challenging language. If you’re coming for Carnival, there’s plenty of advice for you too.
For those of you who have fallen in love with the Cidade Maravilhosa but can’t be here in person right now, I write about the everyday aspects of life in Rio – the people I meet, the stories I hear, the street art and street food, the transport system, you name it. All served up with generous helpings of photography, video and discussion (you should also check out Eat Rio on Instagram – you’ll find lots of up-to-date shots of what’s happening in Rio right now).
The Gringo View
Call me what you like – gringo, estrangeiro, expat – one thing I’m not is Brazilian, and I’m OK with that. I came to this country with fresh eyes, an international perspective and a whole lot of curiosity. Many of the everyday things that Brazilians take for granted strike me as extraordinary and I want to tell the world.
Update: As of 2022, I actually am Brazilian now – after all these years I decided it would be a good idea to make things official, so I popped the question and Brazil said yes! <3
About me
Hello, I’m Tom Le Mesurier. Despite the French-sounding surname, I’m actually British, though due to a combination of a geographically mixed-up family history and a geographically mixed-up upbringing, I never felt like my UK roots ran very deep.
Back in 2009, I left my life in London and set off for an adventure in Latin America. There were thrills, spills, and a rather magnificent ending in which I found myself getting married and settling permanently in Rio de Janeiro. As the travelling adventure finished, a new and even more challenging adventure began – building a new life in Brazil.
Today, 12 years later, I live in Santa Teresa, working as a food and travel writer, a culinary guide and the manager of a small food tour company. Life in Rio has been (and continues to be) a wild ride. It’s not 100% stress free, but it’s never dull and the highs easily outweigh the lows. I’m still passionately in love with this joyous city; it’s a constant pleasure to show newcomers the wonders that await.
If you want to contact me, please use the Contact form. Thanks!