Must-see nightlife in Brazil

  • Bar do Oswaldo

    Rio de Janeiro

    Going strong since 1946, this Barra classic serves some of Rio's best batidas (icy cocktails of cachaça and fruit juice). On weekends there's often live…

  • Cafe 18 do Forte

    Rio de Janeiro

    The best place for a coffee or a microbrew in the Forte de Copacabana, this outdoor cafe serves a fine array of craft beers from Rio (Hocus Pocus, Three…

  • Café e Charutaria Lolló

    Rio de Janeiro

    This standing-only coffee counter serves one of the most authentic cafezinhos (small cup of black Brazilian coffee) in town. Drinkers exchange R$2 at the…

  • Amarelinho

    Rio de Janeiro

    Easy to spot by its bright amarelo (yellow) awning, Amarelinho has a splendid setting on the Praça Floriano, with the Theatro Municipal in the background…

  • Clube VU

    São Paulo

    A homage to the Velvet Underground started by well-pedigreed alternative nightlife empresarios in Sampa, this 2017 newcomer on the club scene skews retro,…

  • O Cravinho

    Salvador

    This friendly neighborhood bar specializes in flavored shots of cachaça (sugarcane alcohol), including its trademark clove-infused variety. Decorated with…

  • Vila St Gallen

    Rio de Janeiro State

    Brazilian waitstaff in faux Swiss-German attire sling the city's famed Therezópolis beer at this cavernous beer hall, built to celebrate the brewery's…

  • Copacabana Chopperia

    Manaus

    Rio-style bar and dance club, with a semi-open-air bar, performance stage and dance floor, with room for 7000 revelers! DJs spin everything from samba and…

  • Selva

    São Paulo

    Rua Augusta's hottest club, and one of the city's newest, Selva makes no commitment to any one genre – you get funk, electronica, pop, reggaeton – and the…

  • As Melhores Cervejas do Mundo

    Rio de Janeiro

    More bottle shop than bar, this friendly space is nevertheless a must-visit for any self-respecting beer lover. You'll find an impressive selection of…

  • Cervejaria Blumenau

    Santa Catarina

    Cervejaria Blumenau's brewery in Itoupavazinha, 16km north of Centro, features 15 taps, the majority of which feature some of the city's best craft beer,…

  • Barra Beer Conveniências

    Bahia

    Barra Beer offers a nice reprieve from the beachy cocktail-soaked nightlife in Barra Grande. It has an exciting selection of craft beers – everything from…

  • Club Yacht

    São Paulo

    This maritime-themed gay/straight nightclub mixes mirror balls and blue walls with nautical overload. Two large mezzanines stand sentinel above the large…

  • Ilha dos Aquários

    Porto Seguro

    Ilha dos Aquários is traditionally a good party, probably because of the novelty of the aquariums and its river-island setting (reachable by boats from…

  • Alphaiate

    Recife

    The most happening of several bistros in this middle section of Boa Viagem, Alphaiate is a bit hectic for a meal but is a good place for a drink. It has…

  • Metrópole

    Recife

    Recife’s best gay (and GLS – Gay, Lesbian and Sympathetics) club has multiple spaces, from its main DJ-ruled 'NY Street' dance area to an outdoor area…

  • Ponto da Bossa Nova

    Rio de Janeiro

    On a lively street sprinkled with bars, this boxy, wood-lined space has a tiny outdoor patio that makes a peaceful spot for sampling appetizers such as…

  • Soul Café

    São Paulo

    This little-cafe-that-could brews some of the city's most sought-after 'third wave' coffee from a bright blue La Marzocco espresso machine that barely…

  • Café com Letras – Centro Cultural

    Belo Horizonte

    Decorated with vintage artwork and exuding the same cool but relaxed ambience as the original Café com Letras in Savassi, this bohemian cafe enjoys a…

  • Villa Koa Café

    Minas Gerais

    This back-alley cafe is perfect for chilling out between church and museum visits. The ample menu ranges from teas, espresso drinks and hot chocolate to…

  • Barouche

    São Paulo

    You could barely fit the Village People into this tiny cocktail bar, the trendy anchor of Largo do Arouche's gay scene. Though a 2016 opener, it screams…

  • Bar Bukowski

    Rio de Janeiro

    Paying homage to the eponymous bohemian American writer, this club has a downstairs dance floor and bar, and an upstairs level for live bands playing rock…

  • Pórtico Opa Bier

    Santa Catarina

    Joinville's most well-known brewery runs this fabulous beer garden at the town Pórtico (entrance). Featuring a rotating list of 18 or so beers (several…

  • Bar do Cachorro

    Fernando de Noronha

    The famous open-air 'Dog Bar' is the hub – in fact the only locale – of Noronha nightlife. It's busy every night but really packed from Thursdays through…

  • Wäls Gastropub

    Belo Horizonte

    Locals flock to this retail branch of Belo Horizonte's popular Wäls microbrewery for weekday lunch specials (R$20 to R$30) and late-night weekend…

  • Marujos Grill

    Belém

    Outdoor tables have river views at this lively but low-key bar-restaurant. There's the Torre de Chope (Tower of Beer), a 2.5-liter silo of suds for just R…

  • Loca Como Tu Madre

    Brasília

    'Crazy Like Your Mama' has a great outdoor space that caters to well-heeled brasiliense imbibing to the sounds of nightly DJs spinning pop and MPB at…

  • Escondido

    Rio de Janeiro

    One of the top beer bars in Copacabana, Escondido has a rotating selection of microbrews such as American pale ales (IPAs), stouts and ciders, including…

  • Capital Lounge Bar

    Belém

    A huge Union Jack and other flags from around the world suggest an old-school English pub, but the sleek booths, creative cocktails and pulsing DJ-mixed…

  • Gato Mamado

    Centro & the Mainland

    Revelers spill out onto the sidewalk at this tiny bar – the 'Fucked Up Cat!' – that is Centro's happy hour king. Rarely seen craft beers (Itajahy,…

  • Grota Bier Gastro Pub

    Santa Catarina

    In a cinematic stone-and-brick home, this brew pub is the domain of the canyon's own craft suds, made with water from its own backyard. There are four…

  • Skye

    São Paulo

    Dress up a little for the rooftop bar on the top floor of the Hotel Unique, whose sleek design and unparalleled views make it the perennially perfect…

  • Beleza Pura - Cosmic Bar

    Santa Catarina

    A top see-and-be-seen refuge in Praia do Rosa, with DJs, live music and miles and miles of beautiful people. The owners have lived in Rio de Janeiro,…

  • Bar Mirador

    Amazonas

    A dead-simple Brazilian drinking den that is a spectacular spot for a cold sunset beer overlooking the Amazon. It's about 50m up the hill from the Posto…

  • We Are Bastards

    Curitiba

    There's no better way to introduce yourself, or your beer, than shooting straight from the hip: we are bastards! One of Curitiba's best breweries, the bar…

  • Santuário Casa de Cerveja

    Brasília

    Craft beer fiends flock to this bar and shop on the wingtip of Asa Norte for 12 rotating drafts of domestic and international microbrews, cool music and…

  • Cine Botequim

    Rio de Janeiro

    Vintage film posters and the odd Star Wars figurine adorn the old stone walls at this atmospherically lit space at the north end of Centro. The after-work…

  • Boteco Belmonte

    Rio de Janeiro

    With a peaceful beachfront location, this casual, breezy bar is a relaxing and largely local spot to enjoy a draft or a filling meal. Like the other…

  • Bahamas

    Porto Alegre

    This down-to-earth, almost divey boteco (neighborhood bar) is the epicenter of Rua da República's GLS (Gays, Lesbians and Sympathetics) scene, a great…

  • Amigão

    Brasília

    Amiable and no-frills, this neighborhood bar occupies twin garage-like spaces and is a prime spot for a casual beer or three. There's a menu of steaks,…

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