Theres’s a new phenomenon in Rio’s botequim scene. Until some years ago, running one of these small bars was something done exclusively by immigrants from Portugal, Spain and Brazil’s northeast. But ever since botequims became extremely popular among the carioca middle class, new players have gotten into the business: the customers themselves.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, it has become more and more common to hear about botequim customers who decided to buy the bars they used to frequent. Initially, it might be to help the former owners and to keep the bar from closing due to financial problems. But then they might notice that running a botequim in Rio can be enjoyable –and also good business, if the job is well done.
That was ultimately the case for Fernando and Romulo Torres. In 2013, these two young cousins who always loved the carioca eating and drinking scene decided to buy an old, rundown botequim just a few meters away from the sands of Copacabana Beach.
“My cousin and I always loved parties, ever since we were kids. We used to organize all the family events, making the food, preparing the drinks and then working as waiters,” Romulo told us. “In college, I decided to become a nutritionist. Fernando worked some years at a hotel and at a restaurant, as manager. Then, in 2012, we finally were able to fulfill our dream: having our own botequim.”
“We picked this old Copacabana bar and decided to renovate it – but without making it lose its bohemian soul,” said Fernando. “We created a modern and cultural look, but neither fancy nor upscale. This way, we were able to keep the old customers as well as get new clients, especially young bohemians.”
The name, Os Imortais, means “The Immortals” in Portuguese. In this case, it refers to unforgettable pop-culture personalities and characters – from American movie stars to popular Brazilian composers. The walls of the bar are crowded with pictures of famous people, which lend the place a cosmopolitan air.
But that’s not what has kept this place alive; the food here is cleverly conceived. Typical Brazilian, of course, but with international touches made to please the many, many gringos who pass by. The best examples are the arancini, Italian-style stuffed rice balls, and Os Imortais’s Brazilian version, which are made with beans instead of rice so that they’re exotic enough to be embraced by foreigners while also remaining recognizable to cariocas. Both kinds come with numerous fillings, including dried meat, pumpkin, shrimp, heart of palm and the must-try jiló, a kind of eggplant from Africa and Brazil that is a symbol of botequim gastronomy.
Os Imortais is also a great place to have good beer, with more than 100 kinds on offer, including the bar’s own draft beer, the Imortais, offered in three different kinds of fermentation.
At this botequim, the music is always at top volume and soccer games are the priority on the TV during weekends and Wednesday nights. It’s a bar for the young, the young-at-heart and for food and beer lovers of all ages.
Editor’s note: Since the temperatures are rising and the days are getting longer in Rio, we thought it was worthwhile to rerun this 2016 story on a renovated Copacabana bar.
- April 26, 2017 Tasca Carvalho
Portuguese gastronomy is at the core of Rio's botequins, the small, often family-run […] Posted in Rio - March 1, 2017 Salve Simpatia
Cariocas don’t give much love to Niterói, joking that the only reason to go to this city […] Posted in Rio - December 27, 2016 Hocus Pocus DNA
In Rio, only specialty beer bars usually have a touch of sophistication, and generally, […] Posted in Rio
Published on November 15, 2017
Related stories
April 26, 2017
RioPortuguese gastronomy is at the core of Rio's botequins, the small, often family-run gastrobars spread all over the city. Traditional botequins offer European food and some unique aspects of Brazilian culture – mix you’ll find only in Rio. That being said, it’s hard to say whether Tasca Carvalho, the brand new Portuguese gastrobar in Copacabana,…
March 1, 2017
RioCariocas don’t give much love to Niterói, joking that the only reason to go to this city across Guanabara Bay is for its spectacular view of Rio de Janeiro. But while less busy and far less popular than Rio, Niterói is full of lovely beaches, great museums, excellent restaurants and hundreds of bars. Among the…
Learn to quaff like a carioca on our gastropub crawl!
December 27, 2016
RioIn Rio, only specialty beer bars usually have a touch of sophistication, and generally, the beer there is much more expensive (mainly because of the high tariff on imported hops), the regulars are more demanding and the food is made by a “chef.” This in contrast to the humble botequim, the traditional family-run bars that…