A boteco is Brazil’s answer to a traditional Spanish taberna, a cousin of the pintxo bar, and an integral part of Brazilian culinary heritage. These are informal social hubs, a cross between a bar and a restaurant, and where Brazilians gather for cheap food and ice-cold 600ml beers made for sharing, at any time of day.
Envision a bar with a simple façade, populated by a smattering of locals who perch on chairs that spill into the street, often alone. As they natter with their neighbours and set the world to rights, they will undoubtedly consume large bottles of beer via those iconic copo americano beer glasses and perhaps snack on some traditional deep-fried delicacies. Traditional snacks are usually served throughout the day, such as torresmos with a slice of lime (crispy pork rinds, the Brazilian chicharrón or pork scratching) and any number of pastel varieties, cassava, provolone or coxinhas (traditional pear shaped croquettes). If you’re at an established boteco, you may find an extended menu that features all manner of meats and fish; of course, as with any meal in Brazil, most of these dishes will be accompanied by a vinaigrette sauce, a homemade chilli sauce, beans and farofa. For those who aren’t familiar with farofa – often referred to by foreigners as ‘dust’ – this accompaniment is a proud staple on any Brazilian plate of food: toasted cassava flour flavoured with your ingredients of choice, which could be garlic and butter, bacon or even banana, especially popular in the north of the country. In any great boteco, portions will be extreme, so don’t be fooled into ordering one plate per person. One plate should easily feed three, and you may still have leftovers.
Born and raised on streets across the country, botecos represent the essence of Brazilian familiarity and hospitality
Focusing on Rio de Janeiro, most of the city’s historic botecos can be found in the North Zone, as well as Tijuca and the city centre. This is where the old city was established, before the touristy, picture-perfect South Zone had been developed in the twentieth century. If you’re staying in Rio, it’s likely that you’ll be in the Copacabana, Ipanema or Leblon areas in the South Zone. This is where the vast majority of hotels and Airbnbs can be found, and a more modern selection of restaurants and bars. Here, however, as with anywhere in the city, botecos still abound, and you will be able to sample botecos from the most humble to the elevated and modern.
Bar do David pork ribs
Cervantes
Torresmos
My favourite boteco in Ipanema is Zig Zag. This small bar can be found one street away from Ipanema beach, on a pavement lined with lush tropical vegetation that immerses customers in a mini urban jungle. Zig Zag’s best feature is its service; there is a reason that each time I’ve been (I won’t state how many times), tables are dominated by regulars and locals, who instantly strike up familiar conversation with the staff and with each other. If you do pop by, send my love to Juninho, perhaps Rio’s friendliest waiter, and ask him to fetch you an “Original, bem gelada”. A 600ml bottle of Original, arguably Brazil’s tastiest lager, protected by a coat in typical Brazilian style to keep it cold, will arrive at your table. Juninho will pour what must be one of Rio’s coldest beers, still 90% frozen at this stage, into a small glass cup, and your day will go from strength to strength from this point. Zig Zag serves boteco food exactly as it should be; for a table of three, a portion of deep fried cassava and sautéed chicken and onions will more than suffice, served with that essential bowl of farofa and a vinaigrette sauce to wash it down.
In Copacabana, Pavão Azul is a local favourite, and so popular that the bar had to be split across the main road, into three venues on separate corners of the street, to accommodate its vast quantities of customers. During peak season, you’ll still have to queue, but their pastels, caipirinhas and prices are worth the wait. Then there are botecos that have evolved into something far fancier: take Boteco Princesa in Leblon, for example. Boteco by name, Princesa still serves a menu of simple bar snacks and beers; their prawn and catupiry (cream cheese) pastels are exemplary. However, their full menu will give you a taste of traditional Brazilian food at its full potential. Their ‘club’ beef platter for two features two great slabs of butter-soft beef, perfectly salty and juicy and dripping in a rich gravy, served with sautéed peppers, onions, two fried eggs, rice, butter farofa, black beans and chips. After sampling this feast, forget about branching out; you’ll be practically begging to come back again the next day. This is simple food, done to perfection, with a higher price tag to match the quality. Their wine menu is also excellent – a rarity among Rio restaurants, and certainly among botecos – and spotlights a range of Brazilian and South American wines.
Boteco Princesa
Capiau beef and chips
Zig Zag food
Jobi in Leblon is another boteco that has been taken to the next level of sophistication; this bustling local hole in the wall serves up some of the tastiest caipirinhas and pastels I’ve tried. Capiau in the centre is Rio’s first and only boteco to cook all of their food over a wood-fired grill. Their thinly sliced beef, served rare, beautifully seasoned and topped with Dijon mustard, oozes with that chargrilled flavour, and is served alongside Parisian-style string fries. More adventurous is their pork taco; the taco itself is made from rolled out pão de queijo (Brazil’s most traditional snack, cheese bread balls) dough that is then flame-grilled and topped with a melt-in-mouth pork cheek, cheese, herbs and a spicy house sauce. This is Brazilian boteco food reimagined in a trendy urban setting.
Some botecos are famous for serving particular dishes that have won them a fan base. The famous country-wide Comida di Buteco competition commends botecos for ‘simplicity and authenticity’. These annual awards encourage the evolution of botecos, recognise the best-in-class, and ultimately champion boteco gastronomy. Some of the most commended Rio botecos include Bar do David, Galeto Sat’s and Cervantes in Copacabana. This trio of iconic botecos are neighbours on Rua Barato Ribeira and make for a fantastic boteco ‘crawl’ if you’re in the area and wishing only to roll between venues. Galeto Sats specialises in barbecued meat; chicken hearts are the most famous dish here, along with its eye-watering garlic bread. Bar do David’s Star of David pork ribs have won awards for good reason, while Cervantes serves enormous sandwiches and ice cold chopps (half pints of beer).
The line between bar, restaurant and boteco can be blurred when the modern botecos come into play. Indeed, new and innovative botecos are popping up all around Rio. In the centre of the city, new botecos such as Suru and Jurema are modern favourites, frequented by a young, cool crowd. Suru experiments with vegetarian options, and Jurema’s funky cocktail menu is famous throughout the city. Chanchada Bar in Botafogo serves excellent tapas-style boteco food, and draws a similar crowd of trendies. Inspired by the sharing culture that is at the heart of boteco dining, this new generation of botecos represent the progression of Brazilian bar culture, and a turning point in tradition. Whether that’s a good or bad thing, only time will tell.
To conclude, Brazil’s botecos could and should be considered a cultural patrimony. Born and raised on streets across the country, botecos represent the essence of Brazilian familiarity and hospitality. While modern interpretations that challenge the boundaries of what could be considered a boteco and evolve their menus to cater for international tastes are on the rise, there is a strong sense that the classic boteco will always exist. Not only will there always be a need and a demand for cheap, cheerful food and drink, but as long as Brazilians retain their sociable, caring and fun-loving spirit, there will always be a place for these little bars that serve as essential meeting points for the local community.
All of the botecos mentioned in this article are the author’s own personal recommendations; none of them have paid anything to be included.
Cover photo licensed by Adobe Stock. All other photos by Vicky Morrison.
June 2025
