(Photo: Ana Cecilia Brignol/Courtesy of CT Boucherie)

Rio has never been considered a world-class restaurant city, but a new vanguard of chefs, says Fabio Codeço, restaurant critic for the weekly magazine Veja Rio, take their jobs very seriously indeed.

Oke Ka Baianatem
(Avenida Epitácio Pessoa, kiosk 14; 55-21-8297-9766)

The latest in a string of well-received restaurants from Angélica “Keka” Almeida, whose elevated kiosk offers African-influenced dishes from her home state of Bahia.

CT Boucherie
(Rua Dias Ferreira, 636; 55-21-2529-2329)

A new restaurant (pictured), dedicated to fine cuts of meat, from Claude Troisgros, who is known for masterfully mixing recipes from his native France with Brazilian ingredients.

Roberta Sudbrack
(Rua Lineu de Paula Machado, 916; 55-21-3874-0139)

The former chef to ex–Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Roberta Sudbrack creates three-, five-, and eight-course tasting menus every night; on Tuesdays there’s a less expensive two-course menu.