Founded in 1955 and one of the main symbols of bohemia in Rio, the Cervantes from Copacabana it was one of the most felt casualties in the pandemic. It left its clientele orphaned of the legendary sandwiches, hearty and nostalgic dishes and, above all, one of the most classic late night dishes in Rio de Janeiro.
It was up to the entrepreneur Antonio Rodrigues from the Web Boteco Belmonte , the task of putting Cervantes back on his feet. Before that, he had already injected life into two other centenary addresses in Rio that were failing — the yellowish in Cinelandia, and the New Chapel in Lapa.
Closed in March 2021, Cervantes de Copa reopened its doors at the end of November, happily without changes to the original configuration.
The nocturnal counter facing the sidewalk on Rua Barata Ribeiro and the restaurant’s lounge, with entrance on Avenida Prado Júnior, around the corner, which gained a handful of tables on the sidewalk, remained almost intact.
The ham sandwich has gained new versions and a different bread, but it remains as tempting as in the past, with the succulent meat and the indispensable slices of pineapple in syrup. Now, it is possible to increase it with soft cheese (R$ 39) and sheep cheese (R$ 52) and with brie cheese, arugula and caramelized onion (R$ 45), which some may characterize as a “gourmet ray”.
To rival the sandwiches, Belmonte’s already famous open pies (R$ 23 each) also arrived at the counter, stuffed with shrimp with catupiry, dried meat with catupiry and shredded crab.
At the restaurant, the clientele enjoys those old and good recipes, such as the filet à oswaldo Aranha (topped with fried garlic; R$159, for two) and the crispy filet (breaded) accompanied by crazy rice (R$49, individual).
For the general happiness of the nation, the opening hours of the Cervantes Copacabana maintained its nocturnal DNA. At late nights are packed with the best draft beer (Brahma, R$10) and, thanks to the neighboring Galeto Sat’s and Bar do David, the buzz doesn’t stop before sunrise on Fridays and Saturdays.
Cervantes Copacabana: Av. Prado Júnior, 335, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro – RJ / Phones: (21) 3085-6065 and (21) 3085-6045 / WhatsApp: (21) 97075-1490 / Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, from 11am to 5am .
*The texts published by Insiders and Columnists do not necessarily reflect the opinion of CNN Viagem & Gastronomia.
About Fabio Wright
Journalist from São Paulo who commutes weekly between São Paulo and Rio, he has written about gastronomy for major vehicles, such as Veja São Paulo, O Estado de S. Paulo and Época São Paulo. Over the past ten years, he has visited eighteen countries in search of good places to eat, drink, party and exercise bohemia. He also shares his discoveries on the site and Instagram Taste and Fly.
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
