ORO AND THE ART OF RIO DINING

There’s something very disarming about Oro. Two Michelin stars, 15 years deep, and yet it doesn’t feel ceremonial or overly reverent. Tucked a block from Leblon beach with just 35 seats, it carries that particular Rio duality of precision with pulse and refinement without stiffness.

all images courtesy of ORO

Felipe Bronze describes the cuisine as avant-garde Brazilian, but what lands on the table feels more emotional than conceptual. The tasting menus — Creativity and Affection — unfold in chapters: With the hands, With cutlery, Let it be sweet and Treats. It sounds theatrical, but the experience is surprisingly grounded. Eleven opening bites set the rhythm. Oyster with guava is briny and bright, sweet but sharp. Shrimp with pumpkin leans nostalgic, almost comforting, yet technically exact. There’s cheese bread, temaki, a dish called “Cervantes.” The tone shifts between playful and restrained without losing lightness.

Then the mains settle into something deeper. Mushroom with barley feels earthy and composed. Beef with Brazil nut is rich but balanced. Fish with pamonha and toasted corn broth brings sweetness and smoke into soft tension. Fire runs through the kitchen’s DNA as a way of building flavour and memory.

Cecilia Aldaz’s wine pairings mirror that same curiosity. Brazilian sparkling to start, then France, Italy, Slovenia, Lebanon, they are all wines that enhance the dishes, never compete with them.

What makes Oro compelling isn’t just technical polish. It’s the mood, the intimacy, and the sense that you’re somewhere special enough not to overstate itself. It’s serious cooking, yes — but delivered with that subtle carioca ease that makes you lean back, exhale, and want to stay a little longer.