Rio by Paulo André

An open kitchen faces the square at one end of Praça da República, where the Ave river sets a backdrop that does most of the decorating. This casual modern restaurant is chef Paulo André's project, and the cooking leans hard on local vegetables, fish, and meat, with enough vegetarian options to make that explicit rather than incidental. When the sun cooperates, the terrace earns its place in the decision. Informal enough that nobody's keeping score on your outfit.