Cafés in Tijuca, Vila Isabel & Maracanã

Rua Conde de Bonfim and Praça Saens Peña

Saens Peña station, on the combined Metro Lines 1 and 4, sits at the square of the same name; Uruguai, São Francisco Xavier and Afonso Pena stations also serve Tijuca.¹² Padelli Tijuca opens 06:00–21:00 every day, and Allegra Caffè, at Rua Conde de Bonfim, 664, opens daily 08:00–22:00. Café do Brasil has a kiosk in the Shopping 344 building at number 344, Banana Tropical is on Praça Saens Peña itself, and Café do Frei is at 1033.

Galpão do Pão opens 06:00–21:30 daily. Madura Coffee, with Wi-Fi, is at Rua Almirante Gavião, 6, Papo de Cafe at Rua São Francisco Xavier, 170, and Café Lunático at Rua General Roca, 539.

Cakes and confeitarias

Fábrica de Bolo da Vó Alzira is at Rua Doutor Alfredo Backer, 143, Nico’s Café e Confeitaria at Rua Barão de Mesquita, 444, and Cafeteria Doce Acássia at Rua Mariz e Barros, 974. Dianna Bakery, at Rua Dona Delfina, 14, works with award-winning roasters; in April 2026 it charged R$13 for a café coado, R$14 for a café com leite and R$17 for an espresso panna (with whipped cream).³

Tijuca is also samba territory: Salgueiro, Império da Tijuca and Unidos da Tijuca are based here and have won 13 titles between them.¹

Vila Isabel and Boulevard 28 de Setembro

Vila Isabel was laid out in 1872 by João Batista Viana Drummond, later Baron of Drummond, as Rio’s first planned neighborhood and named after Princess Isabel. Its main avenue, Boulevard 28 de Setembro, recalls the day the Law of Free Birth was sanctioned.⁴ The zoo that opened here in 1888 is credited as the birthplace of jogo do bicho, the illegal animal lottery.⁴

In the 1920s the neighborhood became a meeting place for samba musicians such as Noel Rosa, whose statue sits at a bar table on the boulevard, and its sidewalks carry musical notes and composers’ names.⁴ Casa do bolo de pão de queijo, at Boulevard 28 de Setembro, 178A, has outdoor tables and opens Monday to Friday 09:00–19:00 and Saturday 09:00–14:00; Mate Café e Lanches is at number 44.

Maracanã

The Maracanã opened on 16 June 1950, and a month later Uruguay beat Brazil 2–1 there in the World Cup decider; today it seats 73,139 and is run by Flamengo and Fluminense.⁵ Maracanã station is on Metro Line 2 and the SuperVia suburban rail.⁵ Café Cultura is at Avenida Maracanã, 987, and Le Cafe Noir at Rua General Canabarro, 810.