3 Best Bars in Santa Teresa and Lapa, Rio de Janeiro

Officially Armazem São Thiago, this neighborhood institution is universally referred to by its nickname, Bar do Gomez, in honor of the late owner whose family has run the business for close to 100 years. Pictures documenting the bar's history adorn the high wooden walls, and surveying the scene in the present, you get the pleasant impression that little has changed over the years. The draft beer flows like water, locals swap stories at the long wooden bar, and new friendships are forged at the outdoor drinking posts. Favorites among the bar snacks include the giant olives, a pastrami sandwich, and the shrimp plate. Early on a Friday night, this is a good place to strike up a conversation with locals before heading down the hill to Lapa.

The liveliest of Santa Teresa's many drinking dens and the hub of much social activity, this enduringly popular boteco anchors one end of the neighborhood's main drinking and dining strip. Some excellent snacks are served here—the pasteis de feijão (fried pastries filled with black beans) being a firm favorite with locals—as well as hearty plates of meat-based comida mineira (cuisine from Minas Gerais State). A street party atmosphere prevails on Sunday afternoon, when the bar is standing room only and revelers spill out onto the road outside.

Specializing in some of Brazil's finest institutions—strong and fine-tasting cachaças (Brazilian rum), mouthwatering moquecas (stews), and, of course, live samba—Mangue Seco's location on the popular Rua do Lavradio makes it a perfect place to start a night out. Arrive at sundown, grab one of the sidewalk tables, and watch Lapa life unfold as you sip a caipirinha and browse the menu.