Confeitaria Colombo
At the turn of the 20th century, the belle epoque structure that houses Colombo Confectionery was Rio's preeminent café, the site of elaborate balls, afternoon teas for upper-class senhoras, and a center of political intrigue and gossip. Now, visitors stop for arguably the most atmospheric coffee, melt-in-the-mouth sweet treats, and tasty salgados (savory snacks) in town while admiring the elaborate, Old-World interiors—enormous jacaranda-framed mirrors from Belgium, stained glass from France, and tiles from Portugal are among the art nouveau decor's highlights.
