Are you spending your vacations in Rio? Use this unique opportunity to visit the Marvelous City’s coffee shops
Did you decide to spend January in Rio and you are tired of the rainy weather? There’s else nothing to do? How about to get to acquainted to some of the coolest coffee shops in the city, which, by the way, will hold from 26 to 28, the Brazilian Barista Championship, at Casa Camolese in Botafogo.
Even if the sun shines again in its full splendor, use the time after enjoying the beach to fancy a cold brew or an Espresso Tonic. The special coffee gang still turns their noses up when you are talking about the city. They use to say that it does not have the same dynamism and quality of Brasilia and Belo Horizonte, or the innumerable options of São Paulo. But the Cariocas, in recent times, have been hard at work and you can have a good special coffee, at a fair price. Even with a small invasion of São Paulo entrepreneurs in the area. An evidence of such thing is the Sofá Café, in Copacabana, and Il Barista, in Ipanema, already well-known networks in São Paulo.
So, let’s visit the beaches, or even better, the cafes:
Leme – Gaia Art & Café – Right next to Copacabana, Gaia is a charming bistro, whose focus is the natural cuisine, all its dishes are made of organic products. And as the name says, it promotes cultural and artistic encounters. On Sundays, the house promotes samba and chorinho shows. The cafes also follow this natural and the lactose intolerant trend, you can enjoy a capuccino made of chestnut milk. The house works with coffee grains from organic coffee farms.
Copacabana – if you are there having a good time in the Little Princess of the Sea, you might give the sand some rest and walk only two blocks to the Rio’s branch coffee shop from the São Paulo’s network, Sofá Café. As in the other franchise stores, there are the iconic sofas and armchairs that give a warm tone to the place. Attended by locals as well as tourists, it is possible to try a traditional espresso and cappuccino, a more refreshing option: The Espresso Tonic, made of coffee, tonic water and ice cubes. The Cold Brew of the house is also another great request, always prepared with special coffees from the Cerrado Mineiro and Carmo de Minas regions. “As we have a large clientele of foreign tourists, about 95% of those who come here end up trying and buying our coffees”, says one of three partners, Carmen Ururahy. (the other two are Tânia Campos and Anna Moreira)
Ipanema – Il Barista Cafés Especiais – Ipanema, the most sung-about beach in verse and prose in the world, won a branch of the São Paulo’s franchise led by the entrepreneur Gelma Franco, which has established eight stores so far. Try their Cold Brew Coffee with milk, the coffee is infused in cold water for up to 24 hours and then is slowly cooked and served cold with milk.
Leblon – one of the most laid-back beaches of Rio is home to a coffee shops network in Niterói, Coffeetown. Their flagship and best thing to have is the espresso, accompanied by their famous red velvet cake.
Botanical Garden – Bastarda – It is not exactly near the beaches, nor is it far from Copacabana. Bastarda was named Rio’s best cafeteria in 2017. It became a cycling destination, since it has a small bikes accessory store. It is possible to fancy special coffees brewed in the Hario, Aeropress, Chemex, French Press and siphon methods. The most requested coffee in the establishment is the iced coffee flavored with vanilla and a dose of orange juice.
Largo do Machado – Flamengo – Café Secreto – This coffee shop is a little far from the beach, but it’s worth it. Vila do Largo was an old village of traveling salesmen that now houses shops and workshops. It is possible to find excellent grains, which vary greatly. The coffee grains are roasted by Hugo Wolff, from São Paulo, and Isabela Raposeiras. The coffees are prepared by the owner, Gabriela Ribeiro. One of her own recipes is an espresso mixed with coconut water.
Laranjeiras – Maya Café – Over here they bet on the combination of chorinho and coffee that, let’s face it, is invincible. We from Grão Especial always believed that Brazilian music has high quality standards and, allied to our special coffees, are a dynamic double team just like Batman and Robin. There is no match for such teamwork! It is one of the best options before going to beach on Saturday.
Cafes in the Center of Rio de Janeiro
Are you going to visit the Candelaria Church, the Museum of Tomorrow or the port area? So, enjoy it and use some of your time to visit Curto Café. Do not be surprised by the lack of waiters, nor cashier. Here, the one who does everything is the customer. Try the good old cappuccino.
Centro – Rua dos Inválidos- It is really far from the beach. But the Fazenda Paradiso Café is worth the visit. The owners also own a specialty coffee farm in Santo Antônio do Amparo, Minas Gerais, acquired in 2013, which supplies the beans to the coffee shop. Installed in an old 19th century mansion, one of the good options is the cup challenge: two espressos of the same variety served in containers with different volumes. They brew using five extraction methods, including Hario.
Addresses:
Gaia Art & Café – Rua Gustavo Sampaio, 323, Loja A, Leme, RJ +55 21 22443306 www.gaiaartcafe.com;
Sofá Café – Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, 300 –A+55 21 25439107 www.sofacafe.com.br;
Il Barista –Rua Visconde de Pirajá 459 A- Ipanema +55 21 35414706 www.ilbarista.com.br
Coffeetown – Avenida Bartolomeu Mitre, 297, loja C – Leblon +55 21 37984484 www.coffeetown.com.br;
Bastarda – Rua Von Martius, 325 – loja F e G – Jardim Botânico – +55 21 35778142 www.bastarda.com.br;
Café Secreto – Rua Gago Coutinho, 6 – Vila do Largo, casa 8, Laranjeiras -www.cafesecreto.com.br;
Maya Café – Rua Professor Ortiz Monteiro, 15/B – Laranjeiras – +55 21 3172 5125 www.mayacafe.com.br;
Paradiso Café – Rua dos Inválidos, 126 – Centro – +55 21 38523082 www.fazendaparadisocafe.com.br;
Curto Café – Edifício Garagem Menezes Cortes – Avenida Erasmo Braga, 278- quiosque 47- Centro – +55 21 98176 2582 www.curtocafe.com.br
