Guarany

Frommer's Review

During the heyday of Portugal's overseas empire, the Guarany Indians constituted the largest population of the then-Portuguese colony of Brazil. Their exotic costumes and the then-popular notion of "the noble savage," influenced Brazilian novelist José de Alencar, who in 1857, published his story "The Guarani," about the forbidden romance of a Portuguese noblewoman with Pery, the chief of a Guarany tribe. Later the motif was transmuted into an opera Il Garany by Carlos Gomes. Trading on all these references to heroic Indians in faraway Brazil, this cafe opened in 1933, and still retains friezes and murals depicting Amazonia in all its romantic glory. It's also a popular cafe and brasserie, packing in diners at lunch and dinner, thanks to fair prices and uncomplicated food that, while not the top of its category, is nonetheless filling and flavorful. Examples include grilled codfish with eggs and potatoes; magret of duckling with port-wine sauce; sandwiches, soups, and salads. The cafe is sometimes the venue for concerts and poetry readings, some of which are broadcast by TV or radio over the rest of Portugal.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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