Mee

Mee is the pan-Asian restaurant of the Copacabana Palace, the historic hotel on Avenida Atlântica, and it holds one Michelin star in the 2026 Michelin Guide Brazil. The kitchen is led by chef Alberto Morisawa, and the Michelin Guide describes the room as elegant, a place where modernity and the exotic sit in harmony.

The cooking is a pan-Asian fusion that draws on several of the region's cuisines. Diners can choose between two tasting menus, one of which is entirely vegan. At the sushi bar, an omakase lets the chef choose a sequence of pieces, and there is also an à la carte selection of nigiri, temaki, sashimi, dumplings and hot dishes. The Michelin Guide singles out the sake list as a strength.

Counter dining at the sushi bar is the place to watch the chefs at work, while the dining room suits couples and small groups celebrating a special occasion. The restaurant is air-conditioned, valet parking is available, credit cards are accepted and pets are not allowed. Reservations are managed by the restaurant itself, through the hotel, and the phone number is +55 21 2548-7070. The hotel offers car parking and valet service for guests arriving by car, and is around 15 minutes' drive from Santos Dumont airport according to Belmond.

The Copacabana Palace opened on 13 August 1923 facing Copacabana Beach and has long been considered a symbol of the city, so dinner at Mee is also a chance to step inside one of Rio's most famous buildings. Its façade was designed by Joseph Gire, it has hosted stars from Brigitte Bardot to Ella Fitzgerald, and it appears in The World's 50 Best Hotels 2026. While the hotel's Michelin-starred Italian restaurant, Cipriani, is closed for renovation, Mee is its flagship restaurant, alongside the Brazilian cooking of the poolside Pérgula.

Mee suits travellers who want a high-end Asian meal in Rio, vegetarians and vegans looking for a tasting menu designed for them, and sushi lovers.

Copacabana Beach and its wave-patterned promenade lie directly across the avenue, so a walk on the calçadão before or after dinner is easy. Churrascaria Palace, also in Copacabana, offers a very different but equally historic meal.