Taking the idea of the juice stop and running with it, Balada Mix has become more of a Rio staple than its owners could have first imagined upon opening in 2002. The restaurants are now found across the city, all with the signature bright stripes and palm-filled interiors that lend themselves to a bit of tropical food and drink. In this case that means a wide variety of salads, sandwiches and grilled meats plus an excellent house burger (and mushroom-laden veggie equivalent). With four outlets in Barra alone, Balada captured the essence of what the beach neighbourhood was lacking, and now packs them in with a rotating weekly menu of executive lunch specials (available in advance on the website so you know what lies in store).