Bars

Salvador, Bahia

Salvador's bar scene in the historic Pelourinho and Santo Antônio neighborhoods represents the cultural heart of Afro-Brazilian civilization — a city founded in 1549 that served as the capital of colonial Brazil for over two centuries and remains the most African city outside of Africa, where the capoeira, candomblé, and Carnival traditions create an extraordinary backdrop for bar culture of immense historical and cultural significance. Salvador's remarkable Afro-Brazilian heritage and its outstanding traditional music create bars of exceptional cultural depth.

Largo do Santo Antônio, Salvador, BA 40301-330

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro

Bar Veloso in Ipanema occupies a legendary spot in Rio de Janeiro history — its predecessor establishment was the original haunt of Vinícius de Moraes and João Gilberto, the creators of bossa nova, who developed and refined the genre that would transform global music at this very corner in the 1950s. Today's Bar Veloso honors this extraordinary musical heritage with live bossa nova performances in Ipanema, one of the world's most beautiful and culturally significant beach neighborhoods.

R. Prudente de Moraes, 129, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22420-041

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro

Bar do Mineiro in Santa Teresa is Rio de Janeiro's most legendary neighborhood botequim — a simple, authentic bar in the hillside bohemian district of Santa Teresa that represents everything that makes the classic Brazilian neighborhood bar great: cold beer, feijoada on Saturdays, and the warmth of Carioca community. Santa Teresa's extraordinary artistic character (it has attracted Rio's artists, intellectuals, and bohemians for over a century) and Bar do Mineiro's unpretentious perfection create a bar of genuine Rio de Janeiro cultural significance.

R. Paschoal Carlos Magno, 99, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20241-050

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro's botequim bar tradition is one of Brazil's most beloved cultural institutions — informal neighborhood bars where ice-cold chopp (draft beer), petiscos (bar snacks), and the irresistible Carioca sociability combine to create a form of social life uniquely Brazilian and uniquely Rio. The city's extraordinary neighborhood botequim culture in Ipanema, Leblon, and Santa Teresa represents an entire philosophy of pleasure and community that defines what it means to be Carioca.

R. Visconde de Pirajá, 595, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22410-003

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro

Bracarense in Leblon is one of Rio de Janeiro's most beloved and enduring neighborhood bars — a simple but extraordinary botequim where the ultra-cold chopp, the excellent pastel, and the warm Carioca atmosphere have made it a local institution and a pilgrimage site for lovers of authentic Rio bar culture for over 70 years. The bar's remarkable longevity and its embodiment of everything that is genuinely excellent about the Rio botequim tradition create a bar of considerable Carioca cultural heritage significance.

R. José Linhares, 85B, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22430-220

São Paulo, São Paulo

Bar Astor in Vila Madalena is one of São Paulo's most acclaimed cocktail bars — a Brazilian speakeasy-inspired venue consistently recognized in Latin America's 50 Best Bars for its exceptional cocktail craftsmanship and its stylish 1950s interior. The bar's remarkable contributions to elevating Brazilian cocktail culture and its extraordinary atmosphere of casual sophistication have made it a landmark destination for discerning drinkers across São Paulo.

R. Delfina, 163, São Paulo, SP 05443-010

São Paulo, São Paulo

Bar Brahma is the most historically significant bar in São Paulo — a 1948 Art Nouveau institution on Avenida São João where Brazilian musical legends, writers, poets, and politicians have congregated for over 75 years, and where live samba and choro performances have continued without interruption as one of the most authentic Brazilian cultural experiences available in any city. The bar's extraordinary interior (all original 1940s tiles, ornate bar counter, and painted mirrors) and its remarkable musical heritage create a bar of genuine Brazilian cultural monument significance.

Av. São João, 677, São Paulo, SP 01035-001

São Paulo, São Paulo

Bar Original in Pinheiros is a São Paulo craft beer and cocktail institution that pioneered the craft beer revolution in Brazil — a beloved neighborhood bar consistently recognized for its excellent rotating selection of Brazilian craft beers and its role in developing the sophisticated beer culture that has transformed Brazilian bar culture over the last two decades. The bar's extraordinary contribution to Brazilian craft beer literacy and its excellent Pinheiros neighborhood atmosphere create a bar of genuine São Paulo drinking culture significance.

R. Cardeal Arcoverde, 1610, São Paulo, SP 05408-001

São Paulo, São Paulo

Empório is one of Vila Madalena's most beloved bar institutions — a cornerstone of São Paulo's most vibrant bohemian neighborhood that has served as a social hub for the city's creative class for decades with its unpretentious atmosphere, excellent chopp, and extraordinary location at the heart of one of the best nightlife streets in Brazil. The bar's remarkable role in the community fabric of Vila Madalena and its consistent quality create a neighborhood bar of genuine São Paulo cultural significance.

R. Aspicuelta, 47, São Paulo, SP 05433-010

São Paulo, São Paulo

Skye Bar on the rooftop of Hotel Unique is São Paulo's most design-iconic rooftop bar — a watermelon-slice-shaped rooftop pool bar designed by Ruy Ohtake with extraordinary 360-degree views over the city that have made it one of the most photographed bar spaces in Latin America. The Hotel Unique's extraordinary curved concrete architecture and the Skye Bar's sophisticated cocktail program create a rooftop bar experience of genuine Brazilian architectural and lifestyle significance.

Av. Brigadeiro Luís Antônio, 4700, São Paulo, SP 01402-002