In the heart of glitzy Ipanema this classic watering hole is a haven from the top-end bikini stores, posh coffee shops and fancy ice cream parlours. It’s a fortress of heavy, no-nonsense drinking where men slouch in tracksuits and moan about the rising price of feijoada in Rio’s botecos. Brahma Chopp, poured into crisp, iced glasses straight out the fridge, is the drink of choice. Another fridge stands idly by, packed with soft drinks and imported beer, but it may well not have been opened since the bar was founded in 1969.

Football is almost always on, no matter what the time of day, and it’s a good spot to catch games from the European leagues. They also do a pretty mean carne assada (roast beef) sandwich. If you need a place to sit while your partner is shopping then this is it. Just don’t ask if they serve spinach; they either don’t get the joke or they’ve heard it too often before.