The clean lines inside and out at the inviting, wood-panelled Zuka on Leblon’s foodie favourite Rua Dias Ferreira are echoed in the carefully prepared dishes emerging from chef Ludmilla Soeiro's kitchen. Marking its ten-year anniversary in 2012 with a new menu, the large, coal grill remains the centrepiece of the contemporary cuisine, perfectly charring the tuna (with pupunha tagliatelle and horseradish infusion, R$64) and making the house burger well worthy of its place on the menu (R$31).

The Bife de chorizo with ‘rustic’ potatoes and truffled cream (R$72) is similarly well handled and rare as they can go, but that’s not to say it feels like a grill-heavy churrascaria, however. Simply sample the texture-perfect ceviche, excellent wine selection and the refined air to proceedings in which Soeiro playfully combines flavours to award-winning results. The namorado fish works magnificently in a broth of foie gras, and the cooked Philadelphia and red fruit cheesecake (R$20) is as good a wanton finale as you could wish for.

Further location: 

- Barra Shopping, Avenida das Americas 4666, shop 147 (21 2512 8545)