Cafe Rio Keto Hidden Menu Options: 26 Diet Friendly Picks, Salads

The Cafe Rio keto hidden menu options aren’t publicly advertised because they’re not clearly labeled as such on their menu. 

Of course, this can be a cause of confusion for those who don’t frequent the restaurant often. 

However, if you know what to order or look for, eating keto at Cafe Rio is possible as seen in the hidden menu and sample order that contains keto approved entrees, sides, sauces and even desserts. 

Is Cafe Rio Keto Friendly? 

Since the ketogenic diet is one of the biggest trending diets in the modern day, many people have questions about ordering keto food from various restaurants.¹ Before it can be ascertained whether Cafe Rio is keto-friendly, the Cafe Rio menu must be understood. 

As aforementioned, the menu offers a lot of similar items to Chipotle’s menu, with meats like fire-grilled steak and chicken, beef, and barbacoa, as well as toppings like rice, beans, and various others. But, these toppings can be packaged in a much wider variety of ways than at Chipotle; at Cafe Rio, a person can get a burrito, salad, tostada, taco, enchilada, quesadilla, or even nachos, which is a huge step up from the boring mix of burrito, bowl, or tacos at Chipotle.

With this in mind, are the options at Cafe Rio keto-friendly? In short, yes; but the vast majority of the menu is segmented off if a person can only eat foods that work on a keto diet.

What Can I Eat At Cafe Rio On a Keto Diet? 

Being on a keto diet is a constant iterative process of determining if the foods one consumes contain a lot of carbohydrates. Most keto enthusiasts try to fall below 15-20 grams of carbs per day to stay in ketosis.² The same principle holds at Cafe Rio: determining which ingredients have too many carbs is key to understanding whether or not an item is safe on the keto diet.

A person on the keto diet may also wonder: can you be in ketosis and still not lose weight; while this is true, understanding the food that a person is eating will allow them to lose weight while in ketosis.

For starters, there are only two out of seven entrees that a person can purchase without a tortilla or tostada of some sort: the salad and the tostada, funnily enough. One 6-inch wheat tortilla contains 29 grams of carbohydrates, meaning even that alone would knock a person out of ketosis. This means that a person on a keto diet can only eat a salad or a tostada without a tortilla at Cafe Rio.

Before going off to pick out what to order to get Cafe Rio keto food, the next section provides information about other various keto-safe options at Cafe Rio.

Cafe Rio Keto Options & Hidden Menu (Cafe Rio Keto Menu & Nutritional Information)

While the menu at Cafe Rio does not necessarily differentiate their different entrees by if they are keto or non-keto, it is quite easy to ascertain whether or not something would work within the keto diet. To make things easy, however, a list of all keto-friendly ingredients has been compiled below, starting with the different types of meats.

Meats

As is common with most meats, the meats at Cafe Rio do not contain many carbs overall. However, a 2-ounce serving of the sweet pork barbacoa does contain 10 grams of carbohydrates. Keto dieters may want to reconsider ordering this type of meat at Cafe Rio; fluctuations in the amount of meat put into an entree could potentially knock a person out of ketosis.

#1 Carne Asada

• Quantity = 2oz
  • Calories = 120
  • Carbohydrates = 1 g
  • Fat = 6 g
  • Protein = 12 g

#2 Chile Roast Beef

• Quantity = 2oz
  • Calories = 90
  • Carbohydrates = 1 g
  • Fat = 6 g
  • Protein = 7 g

#3 Fire-grilled Chicken

• Quantity = 2oz
  • Calories = 80
  • Carbohydrates = 0 g
  • Fat = 2 g
  • Protein = 14 g

#4 Fire-grilled Steak

• Quantity = 2oz
  • Calories = 120
  • Carbohydrates = 1 g
  • Fat = 6 g
  • Protein = 14 g

#5 Pollo asado

• Quantity = 2oz
  • Calories = 110
  • Carbohydrates = 2 g
  • Fat = 4.5 g
  • Protein = 12 g

#6 Shredded Chicken Breast

• Quantity = 2oz
  • Calories = 80
  • Carbohydrates = 1 g
  • Fat = 4.5 g
  • Protein = 8 g

#7 Sweet Pork Barbacoa

• Quantity = 2oz
  • Calories = 70
  • Carbohydrates = 10 g
  • Fat = 2 g
  • Protein = 4 g

Sauces & Dressings

Luckily, like meats, there are very few dressings or sauces at Cafe Rio that do not slot into the keto diet easily. The cilantro lime dressing has a surprising amount of carbs in it, however, so caution should be used when ordering this sauce. Otherwise, feel free to go wild on the variety of dressings!

#8 Cilantro Lime Dressing

• Quantity = 1.5 fl oz
  • Calories = 130
  • Carbohydrates = 11 g
  • Fat = 2 g
  • Protein = 0 g

#9 Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

• Quantity = 1.5 fl oz 
  • Calories = 150
  • Carbohydrates = 3 g
  • Fat = 15 g
  • Protein = 1 g

#10 Green Chile Sauce (Hot)

• Quantity = 2 fl oz 
  • Calories = 40
  • Carbohydrates = 9 g
  • Fat = .5 g
  • Protein = 1 g

#11 Red Chile Sauce (Hot)

• Quantity = 2 fl oz 
  • Calories = 45
  • Carbohydrates = 5 g
  • Fat = 2.5 g
  • Protein = 1 g

#12 Habanero (Hottest)

• Quantity = 2 fl oz 
  • Calories = 30
  • Carbohydrates = 5 g
  • Fat = 2 g
  • Protein = 1 g

#13 Tomatillo Sauce (Mild)

• Quantity = 2 fl oz 
  • Calories = 25
  • Carbohydrates = 3 g
  • Fat = 1 g
  • Protein = 0 g

Toppings & Specials

There are quite a few toppings that can be used on the keto diet. Unsurprisingly, things like queso, cheddar jack, and shredded jack are included here. Other things like cabbage, lettuce, and guacamole also create a well-rounded meal.

#14 Cabbage

• Quantity = 1 oz 
  • Calories = 5
  • Carbohydrates = 2 g
  • Fat = 0 g
  • Protein = 0 g

#15 Cheddar Jack Blend

• Quantity = 2 oz 
  • Calories = 220
  • Carbohydrates = 1 g
  • Fat = 18 g
  • Protein = 13 g

#16 Cilantro

• Quantity = .01 oz 
  • Calories = 0
  • Carbohydrates = 0 g
  • Fat = 0 g
  • Protein = 0 g

#17 Cotija Cheese

• Quantity = .25 oz 
  • Calories = 25
  • Carbohydrates = 0 g
  • Fat = 2 g
  • Protein = 1 g

#18 Guacamole

• Quantity = 1 oz 
  • Calories = 40
  • Carbohydrates = 2 g
  • Fat = 3.5 g
  • Protein = 1 g

#19 Lettuce

• Quantity = 1 oz 
  • Calories = 5
  • Carbohydrates = 1 g
  • Fat = 0 g
  • Protein = 0 g

#20 Lime Wedge

• Quantity = 1 ea 
  • Calories = 5
  • Carbohydrates = 1 g
  • Fat = 0 g
  • Protein = 0 g

#21 Pico de Gallo

• Quantity = 1 oz 
  • Calories = 10
  • Carbohydrates = 1 g
  • Fat = 0 g
  • Protein = 0 g

#22 Queso

• Quantity = 3 floz 
  • Calories = 130
  • Carbohydrates = 6 g
  • Fat = 9 g
  • Protein = 5 g

#23 Salsa Fresca

• Quantity = 1 oz 
  • Calories = 5
  • Carbohydrates = 2 g
  • Fat = 0 g
  • Protein = 0 g

#24 Shredded Jack Cheese

• Quantity = 2 oz 
  • Calories = 210
  • Carbohydrates = 0 g
  • Fat = 17 g
  • Protein = 14 g

#25 Sour Cream

• Quantity = 1 oz 
  • Calories = 60
  • Carbohydrates = 1 g
  • Fat = 5 g
  • Protein = 1 g

Desserts & Drinks

Unfortunately, the only dessert or drink that can fit into a keto diet at Cafe Rio is the Mint Limeade, and there’s unfortunately not a hidden menu for more items. Even then, however, only 3 fl oz of the drink provides 12 grams of carbs, meaning drinking an amount equivalent to a small cup of coffee at 8 fl oz provides far over 20 grams of carbs. It may be worth staying away from the desserts & drinks here.

#26 Mint Limeade

• Quantity = 3 fl oz 
  • Calories = 45
  • Carbohydrates = 12 g
  • Fat = 0 g
  • Protein = 0 g

What Foods Should I Avoid When Eating Cafe Rio On a Keto Diet?

Source: Jupiterimages via Canva.com⁴

Luckily, out of all the ingredients on the Cafe Rio menu, there are not that many that would knock a person out of ketosis. Half of them also fall under the ‘Tortillas’ category, meaning that they are not toppings. This means that avoiding them is quite easy: simply get a salad or a tostada without a tortilla to stay keto. 

One important thing to note here is that due to the high carb count, the calorie count is also much higher than most of the keto-friendly items, making it obvious why some people have weight loss rules regarding carbohydrates.

These items are as follows:

#1 12-inch Flour Tortilla

• Quantity = 1ea
  • Calories = 420
  • Carbohydrates = 63 g
  • Fat = 14 g
  • Protein = 9 g

#2 12-inch Wheat Tortilla

• Quantity = 1ea
  • Calories = 390
  • Carbohydrates = 58 g
  • Fat = 14 g
  • Protein = 10 g

#3 6-inch Corn Tortilla

• Quantity = 1ea
  • Calories = 60
  • Carbohydrates = 13 g
  • Fat = .5 g
  • Protein = 1 g

#4 6-inch Flour Tortilla

• Quantity = 1ea
  • Calories = 170
  • Carbohydrates = 25 g
  • Fat = 5 g
  • Protein = 3 g

#5 6-inch Wheat Tortilla

• Quantity = 1ea
  • Calories = 190
  • Carbohydrates = 29 g
  • Fat = 7 g
  • Protein = 5 g

#6 Tortilla Chips

• Quantity = 2oz
  • Calories = 190
  • Carbohydrates = 19 g
  • Fat = 7 g
  • Protein = 4 g

#7 Tortilla Strips

• Quantity = 1oz
  • Calories = 100
  • Carbohydrates = 15 g
  • Fat = 3.5 g
  • Protein = 2 g

#8 Tostada Shell

• Quantity = 1ea
  • Calories = 90
  • Carbohydrates = 15 g
  • Fat = 3.5 g
  • Protein = 2 g

#9 Black Beans

• Quantity = 4.5oz
  • Calories = 180
  • Carbohydrates = 28 g
  • Fat = 1 g
  • Protein = 10 g

#10 Cilantro Lime Rice

• Quantity = 4oz
  • Calories = 110
  • Carbohydrates = 21 g
  • Fat = 2 g
  • Protein = 3 g

#11 Pinto Beans

• Quantity = 4.5oz
  • Calories = 190
  • Carbohydrates = 31 g
  • Fat = 1.5 g
  • Protein = 10 g

#12 Tortilla Soup w/ Tortilla Strips

• Quantity = 1ea
  • Calories = 380
  • Carbohydrates = 30 g
  • Fat = 18 g
  • Protein = 24 g

#13 Fresh Lime Pie

• Quantity = 1ea
  • Calories = 870
  • Carbohydrates = 137 g
  • Fat = 29 g
  • Protein = 20 g

#14 Horchata

• Quantity = 3floz
  • Calories = 80
  • Carbohydrates = 15 g
  • Fat = 1.5 g
  • Protein = 2 g

#15 Tres leches

• Quantity = 1ea
  • Calories = 240
  • Carbohydrates = 47 g
  • Fat = 3.5 g
  • Protein = 6 g

3 Sample Order When Eating Keto at Cafe Rio

Source: photohaydar via Canva.com⁵

As has been discussed, there are quite a few different things that can be ordered at Cafe Rio that would be considered part of the ‘Cafe Rio keto menu’, although there is not really a hidden menu (just one that takes some thinking about). However, included below are a few sample orders to help customers get started with potential keto entrees.

Avocado Chicken Salad

The avocado chicken salad is exactly what it sounds like, coming with no tortilla, fire-grilled chicken, no rice or beans, a cilantro-lime vinaigrette, and guacamole. While it is quite simple and likely does not sound that tasty, this salad can kill any cravings a person might have for a decadent, carb-rich meal.

But if you’re a salad enthusiast, you may consider Zoe’s Kitchen keto options as well since they’re notorious for their fresh and tasty salad dishes. 

Barbacoa Tostada-Less Tostada

As the name implies, the barbacoa tostada comes without a tostada to lock into ketosis, with sweet pork barbacoa, no rice or beans, a creamy tomatillo dressing, guacamole, and salsa Fresca. The creaminess of the guac and tomatillo dressing interplay well with the spiciness of the barbacoa; if a person is looking for big amounts of flavor, this is the meal to go for.

Lime Steak Tostada-Less Tostada

Similar to the previous order, this tostada comes without the tostada but with double the flavor, including fire-grilled steak, no rice or beans (obviously), a cilantro-lime vinaigrette, shredded cheese, and jalapeno for max flavor.

How To Make Your Own Cafe Rio Style Keto Bowl at Home

Making a Cafe Rio keto bowl at home is super simple. All it requires is a meat of the customer’s choosing, healthy fat like cheese or guacamole, and any other keto toppings, like lettuce, salsa, or jalapeno.³

A sample version of this could be a version of the avocado chicken salad, with chicken breast, avocados, corn, red onion, cilantro, lime, and olive oil. Check out the macros for each serving of the salad below, though do note that a person working on manifesting weight loss may want to be wary of the calorie count here.

Chicken Breast

• Quantity = 2 
  • Calories = 130
  • Carbs = 0g per serving
  • Fat = 7g per serving
  • Protein = 16g per serving

Avocado

• Quantity = 2 
  • Calories = 60
  • Carbs = 3g per serving
  • Fat = 6g per serving
  • Protein = 1g per serving

Corn

• Quantity = ½ cup
  • Calories = 14
  • Carbs = 3g per serving
  • Fat = 0g per serving
  • Protein = 1g per serving

Red Onion

• Quantity = ¼ cup
  • Calories = 2
  • Carbs = 1g per serving
  • Fat = 0g per serving
  • Protein = 0g per serving

Cilantro

• Quantity = 2 tbsp
  • Calories = 0
  • Carbs = 0g per serving
  • Fat = 0g per serving
  • Protein = 0g per serving

Lime

• Quantity = 2 tbsp
  • Calories = 1
  • Carbs = 1g per serving
  • Fat = 0g per serving
  • Protein = 0g per serving

Olive Oil

• Quantity = 2 tbsp
  • Calories = 42
  • Carbs = 0g per serving
  • Fat = 5g per serving
  • Protein = 0g per serving

With a little bit of effort to understand what ingredients are acceptable, ordering at a Cafe Rio keto meal is fairly intuitive.