It’s easy to be misled by the hum of chatter as you approach BottaGallo, or by the huddles of people outside, relaxing on the long benches with a beer or standing around chatting. Well-fed diners, you conclude, having a post-meal smoke. But no. They’re waiting; and happily – because the wait is well worth it. Kick off with one of the no-fuss house cocktails to get things going – the Vesper martini, with a hint of lemon, is a good call, whether piccolo (R$18) or regular (R$23). Once inside and settled at one of the rustic wooden tables, just let the efficient, friendly waiters keep the cold chope coming.

But it's as much about the food here as anything else – despite being relatively new in town, Bottagallo consistently wins prizes for its food. So don't miss the chance to order a plate or two of the delicious, made-for-sharing tapas; and if you choose have one, take our advice and go straight for the (batatas rústicas) – golden brown and perfectly crunchy, they're scattered with shards of fried parma ham and topped with an orange-yolked egg. Heavenly.