St. George’s Day in Rio de Janeiro: feijoada feasts and more events to celebrate the occasion!

The Quintino neighborhood is home to the São Jorge Mother Church, and anyone from Rio de Janeiro knows that the celebration starts there first!

So, in the early hours of April 23, amid a spectacular fireworks display, thousands of devotees take part in a procession to the church for the mass that begins at 5 a.m.

Throughout the day, the surrounding streets and bars keep the party going, with plenty of samba, feijoada, and beer until the end of the day!

In the heart of Lapa, the classic and historic mansion of Carioca da Gema brings together the greatest passions of the day: plenty of food and live samba. The main dish is a hearty feijoada, perfect for celebrating the holiday at one of the city’s most traditional venues for Brazilian music.

On stage, the Samba de Lei Group leads a circle dance in honor of Saint George. And here’s a golden tip: the first 15 customers to arrive get feijoada on the house!

On this St. George’s Day,Terra Brasilis, with a view of Sugarloaf Mountain, will serve a special and sophisticated version of feijoada, created by chef Clerton Neves.

The “Feijuca” comes with all the classic sides, such as crispy pork rinds and breaded plantains, and is available in individual portions or as a shared dish for two.

The Santa Teresa food scene has come together to extend the tributes to the warrior saint for nearly a whole week!

There are 15 restaurants participating in the circuit, offering everything from classic feijoada to unusual options, such as German and vegan versions, and even bean pastries for dessert!

The event on the hills of Santa also features beer pairings, exclusive giveaways, and various samba circles scattered throughout the neighborhood’s cultural centers.

For those who want to celebrate the holiday by the water, the CDesign Hotel has organized a party overlooking the Recreio beachfront. The event features an all-you-can-eat feijoada buffet, unlimited Amstel draft beer and caipirinhas, plus an irresistible dessert table to round out lunch.

The entertainment is provided by Roda de Samba with Pagode do Cezinha and hits by singer Marquinhos Sensação.

On St. George’s Day, Teva Bistrô is hosting a super special edition of its 100% plant-based feijoada, prepared with fresh ingredients like mushrooms, smoked tofu, and vegetable sausage, all seasoned to perfection by Chef Daniel Biron.

For the soundtrack, the venue hosts a samba circle with Raoni and Dandara, Martinho da Vila’s grandchildren.

A lively, social atmosphere will take over the three Boa Praça locations during the holiday. The venues will offer an all-you-can-eat feijoada buffet in the afternoon, perfect for gathering friends and enjoying a leisurely time.

Each venue will have its own musical vibe: the Ipanema rooftop hosts a samba circle with a view of the beach, Barra da Tijuca will feature shows by Canta Pedro and Samba Vicente, and Leblon wraps up the night with a live band.

The party is guaranteed there between Glória and Lapa! Jurema Bar and Jurema Brasa are going all out for the celebration, serving a full-course feijoada, complete with ribs, pork rinds, and everything the dish calls for.

The group Pagode do Quirino provides the soundtrack, setting the mood for lunch in true Rio style.

Bonus tip: if you order your feijoada in advance via the restaurant’s Instagram link, you’ll also get a complimentary caipirinha to toast with.

Enchendo Linguiça, in Grajaú, is a must-visit for anyone who loves artisanal sausages. The house feijoada is enhanced by their famous artisanal pure ham sausage, available in both thin and thick cuts , served with bacon farofa and pork rinds.

To honor the holiday, all customers who order the dish on the 23rd will receive a shot of cachaça on the house.

RaizNutéla, in Maracanã, will be open exceptionally for lunch on St. George’s Day, serving a feijoada in the true “raiz” style, with select cuts of meat, including trotters, ears, and tail.

When ordering the dish, customers also get a complimentary refreshing lemon-ginger drink. The atmosphere is super laid-back and there’s even a kids’ area.

At Al Farabi, a bar and used bookstore in downtown Rio, there’s also a celebration on St. George’s Day.

So, on April 23, starting at 2 p.m., there will be samba and choro with Chico Alves, featuring a special appearance by Ronaldo do Bandolim.

To go with it, Al Farabi serves a full feijoada, which comes as separate courses and includes black beans with dried beef, tenderloin, oxtail, paio sausage, and linguiça, accompanied by white rice, collard greens, and orange.