Copacabana may be the best known neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. ‘Copa’, in Rio’s South Zone, is home to one of the most famous beaches in the world, totaling four kilometers in length. While laden with many luxury apartments and hotels, it has also seen a t rise in more informal gathering places and botecos (Brazilian pubs), where travellers and Cariocas alike can enjoy some live music, dancing, and many tasty petiscos.
Escape the hot Rio sun and sit in the outdoor shade of this Copacabana boteco. Boteco Cevada is the quintessential neighborhood joint, offering casual fare and small plates to pair with cool draught beer, called chope. Open until late, try the empanadas and pastels, or the pizza to share on your way home from a night out.
For the best beachside kiosk bar in Copacabana, go to Praia Skol 360°. This bar is in fact two bars in one, being connected by a middle table and a large roof. With local bands playing on Saturday nights until late, Praia Skol 360° is the perfect place to bring in the night and grab a bite to eat with friends while visiting Copacabana. Find cheaper beer prices at this kiosk, being the namesake of the popular Skol beer brand.
Bip Bip may not be the biggest bar, with standing room to fit just ten comfortably, and it may not make the best cocktails, with one large refrigerator where customers help themselves to beer, but it has some of the best music in all of Copacobana. With pictures of samba legends adorning the walls, Bip Bip is a favorite of Rio’s musicians for impromptu jam sessions. The owner, Alfredo, is notorious for yelling at patrons who talk during the music, so to avoid a very public scorning, refrain until the songs come to an end.
For a late night meal served fast, a snack to share among friends, or even just a drink, Bar Eclipse in Copacabana is the place to go. Known for their large portions of Brazilian and American fare offered 24 hours a day, try the balinhos de bacalhau, or fried codfish balls, to wind down a night out the local way. Their big screen TV has football on at all hours of the day, making Bar Eclipse a great place to beat the heat and bring on the night while watching your favorite Brazilian club.
If you can foot the bill for a more glamorous outing, consider visiting the Copacabana Piano Bar at the five star Belmond Copacabana Palace. With cover charges that occasionally push R$120, the piano bar is perhaps the most sophisticated option for a drink in Rio. Mix it up with the rich and famous of the metropolis with expertly-crafted aperitifs, the reminiscent sound of a jazz piano, and the refreshing breeze of the South Atlantic. Just steps from the Copacabana Promenade, this legendary hotel offers some of the best views of the city and the sea.
Fosfobox attracts Copacabana’s musically-minded tourists and locals with their eclectic music offerings and wild dance floor. Including everything from underground hip-hop, vintage rock’n’roll, and Brazilian samba or forro, Fosfobox is sure to have a night to suit, whatever your musical tastes. After 1am, the dance floor really begins to pick up, so until then make use of the upstairs bar and outdoor balcony to chat and test your Portuguese with locals.
Bursting at the seams with monstrous portions of earthy Brazilian mezze, French fries and frothy local corn beers, this locally-loved boteco is not to be missed. Drop in to the stripped-down, stylish food truck style venue a couple of streets back from the beach to enjoy a lively atmosphere and some seriously filling plates.
One of the most storied Copacabana bars, Cervantes has been dishing up some of the best sandwich and beer combinations in Brazil since its inception 60 years ago. Offering some of the meatiest, most tender carnivore concoctions in Rio, Cervantes sticks to what it’s good at, which is providing a relaxed ambiance where one can sink their teeth in top-grade Brazilian meat without restraint. Order a chope and enjoy one of their signature sandwiches until 4am each night. Try the sanduiche de pernil com abacaxi (the pork sandwich with pineapple), a truly decadent meal of meat and carbs.
This venerable dancing location has been in Copacabana for more than 30 years, staying relevant by spinning some of the best hip-hop, funk, and techno in Rio de Janeiro. Mariuzinn, located a block away from the promenade, is the perfect club for a fun, yet moderately-priced night out, as people flock here from all over Rio to check out their speciality nights. Be sure to look out for flyers throughout Copa for a discounted cover charge.
For a true day in the life of a Carioca, head to the beach then step into Boteco Belmonte to cool off. Located a block from Av. Atlântica, this neighborhood boteco captures everything required after a day on the beach: wonderful fried snacks, cold chope, great service, and a lively local atmosphere. Be sure to try the shrimp pastel, Brazil’s take on the classic South American empanada, for one of the greatest eats in Copacabana.
