Pousada Santa Rita

Awful. We waited what felt like two hours for a shrimp soup, with the waiter blaming the delay on how much care went into it. Our dishes arrived one at a time, so we ate separately, and even getting a fork, knife, or napkin meant asking again. By then the wine was gone, so I ate without a drink, and the kids were exhausted. The service etiquette was practically nonexistent. The bathroom was filthy and had no toilet paper. There was even a bucket of dirty water outside. They still wanted to charge 10% for service.

Set in Paraty’s historic center, this restaurant has a refined feel and plenty of history. Service can take a while, but I still think the visit is worth it.

The room is cute and has a really nice atmosphere, and the service was excellent. Our food took quite a while, though, and there were other problems too. My shrimp sauce smelled burnt and had a burnt taste underneath. I also found two bones in my fish. I’d been looking forward to the food because the other people’s dishes coming out smelled so good, which made the burnt smell from mine stand out as soon as it arrived.

We liked lunch so much that we came back for dinner. The chef, who used to work at Casa do Fogo before it closed in 2021 because of COVID, is fantastic and very friendly. We tried the orange-flambéed octopus, which was the chef’s suggestion and not on the menu, and the Gabriela chicken. Both came with good vegetables, which is rare, and two kinds of rice cooked really well. It’s right by Sainte Rita Church, and well worth the walk. One of our best meals since we started our stay in Brazil. I’d ignore the negative reviews from before February 2023.