Lumio

Discover Lumio, where Executive Chef Nello Cassese opens a new chapter in his interpretation of Italian fine dining in the heart of Rio de Janeiro. Rooted in the culinary traditions of southern Italy and the essence of Cucina Povera, the art of transforming the simple into the extraordinary, the restaurant is born from a poetic connection between the warmth of Mediterranean hillsides and the breeze of Rio.

Lumio forms part of the hotel’s ongoing renewal and reinvention, bringing together the strong culinary journey Nello has built over the past decade with Belmond’s signature approach to hospitality, always deeply connected to its sense of place. Inside, architect Ivan Rezende’s design features pieces created exclusively for the restaurant, crowned by an imposing panel by artist Luiz Zerbini. The space becomes a meeting point between Brazilian and Mediterranean references, two worlds shaped by their relationship with the sea, where fishing, gathering, cooking and serving are all expressions of identity.

Created exclusively around a tasting menu and set within an intimate setting that accommodates just 38 guests per evening, the restaurant retains the exclusive Dom Pérignon Table overlooking the pass, preserving the magnetic intimacy between kitchen and dining room that has become a defining part of Cassese’s signature. He is the only chef in South America to be part of the prestigious Dom Pérignon Society.

When Nello Cassese arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, he found at Ristorante Hotel Cipriani, at Copacabana Palace, the ideal blank canvas on which to shape his contemporary vision of Italian cuisine. What followed was a profound and consistent transformation. Under his leadership, the restaurant not only earned the coveted MICHELIN Star and a place on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list, but also reached the global stage, being named the World’s Best Italian Restaurant Outside Italy by the prestigious 50 Top Italy guide for two consecutive years, in 2025 and 2026. Cassese was also named Chef of the Year by the guide.

When he took on the role of Culinary Director for Belmond’s properties in South America in 2022, Nello found a new and powerful source of inspiration. His daily dialogue with the cultural richness of Brazil and Peru sparked a deeper exploration of place, identity and ancestry. His dishes became more than simply Italian; they became bridges between two worlds. This evocative fusion now finds its definitive expression in the intimate atmosphere of Lumio.