Rooftop bar · top of the hillBar da Laje
Bar da Laje opened in May 2014 on a stack of terraces at the very top of Vidigal. The view runs from the houses below out over Leblon and Ipanema, which is why the tables along the edge fill up first, especially toward sunset.
The kitchen serves feijoada, Carioca bar snacks, plates to share, burgers and desserts. In October 2024 the bar published a weekly program of voice-and-guitar on Mondays, sertanejo on Fridays from 3 pm and samba and pagode on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. A new top-floor deck with its own bar opened in September 2024.
On some days there is an entry charge that depends on who is playing. In 2019 a city law added Bar da Laje to Rio's official tourist itinerary. Its old website no longer works, so use its Instagram for hours and the week's music.
- Where
- Rua Armando de Almeida Lima 8, next to Mirante do Arvrão
- When
- Afternoons and evenings; weekends are busiest. Hours change, so check @bardalaje first.
- Getting there
- Moto-taxi or kombi to the top, or a steep walk of about 2 km
Wilfredor, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Restaurant and bar with a viewMirante do Arvrão
Mirante do Arvrão is a hotel, bar and restaurant next door to Bar da Laje, at the point where the main road reaches the top of the hill. The restaurant terrace looks over the South Zone beaches, and weekends bring samba and pagode.
The menu covers feijoada, bar food, seafood and pasta. Because it sits a short walk from the Dois Irmãos trailhead, it is an easy place for lunch after the hike.
Hours are not published consistently online, so check its Instagram before you make the trip up.
- Where
- Rua Armando de Almeida Lima 8, at the Arvrão, the top of the main road
- When
- Check @mirantedoarvrao for current hours
- Getting there
- Moto-taxi or kombi to the top
Alto Vidigalparties and events with a view
Parties and events with a viewAlto Vidigal
Alto Vidigal is a bar, lounge and event space near the top of the hill, known for its parties and its view over the South Zone. Its 2026 listings show daytime samba events from midday, night parties from 10 pm, lunch and dinner service on event days, and a New Year's Eve party that advertises a view of the Copacabana fireworks.
It is also a hostel, but this guide covers the bar and the events only. Entry and prices change from event to event, and the program is on its Instagram.
- Where
- Rua Armando de Almeida Lima 2, on the same street as Bar da Laje
- When
- Event days only; the programme is on @altovidigalbrasil
- Note
- The pin marks the street, not the door
Wilfredor, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Snack counters, bakeries and small barsThe main road
Avenida Presidente João Goulart, the road that climbs from Avenida Niemeyer to the top of the hill, is lined with the places residents use every day: bakeries, snack counters selling pastel and savory pastries, açaí, small markets and neighborhood bars with plastic tables on the pavement.
Most have no website, and their hours and even their names change. Walk up or down the road and stop where it looks busy, or ask Bruno which ones he rates this month.
