Fodor's Expert Review Gula Gula

The salads at the upscale café chain Gula Gula are anything but boring. Beyond classics such as Caesar and chicken pesto, fresh local fruits and veggies are mixed into curried quinoa with tomatoes and marinated eggplant and bean sprouts, and the organic palm-heart salad comes with tomatoes, watercress, and raisins. Grilled fish or steak, baked potatoes, and soups are good nonsalad options, and there are some very fine desserts. A carioca favorite for over 30 years, Gula Gula operates a dozen restaurants in Rio, plus one in Niterói, but its location a few blocks from the beach makes the Ipanema branch an excellent choice.