Drinking a freshly-squeezed juice from one of Rio de Janeiro‘s juice bars, known locally as sucos bars is as much of a daily ritual for Cariocas as sipping coconut water beside the beach.
There seems to be a juice bar on every block in Ipanema, their glass counters crammed with stunning displays of fruit and their menus listing countless varieties of sucos, freshly squeezed juices and juice blends, and vitaminas, juice-based smoothies and juices with supplements.
Most sucos at Rio de Janeiro’s juice bars are made straight from the fruit you see on the counters, or with just a little mineral water, if it’s an especially fibrous fruit. As Cariocas are very health conscious, they also love their supplements and vitaminas are hugely popular – these are thick juice-based smoothies that might consist of juice with milk or yoghurt, honey, guarana (Brazilian caffeine berry), and/or clorofila (wheat grass). These smoothies are popular with body-conscious resistance trainers (as most people who lift weights are called these days if they’re not a bodybuilder).
The healthiest and most popular drink at Rio de Janeiro’s juice bars is the vibrant purple-coloured açaí (pronounced ah-sai-eeh), made from Amazon palm fruit that is blended with honey or sugar, banana, and sometimes nuts, and you will see everyone drinking this.
One of the most popular Rio de Janeiro’s juice bars, which also happens to be our local (right on our corner) is Polis Sucos on the corner of Rua Maria Quitéria 70, opposite the Nossa Senhora da Paz or Our Lady of Peace church, and the park of the same name on the opposite block from the church.
Drink a juice at the bar or take it across the road to the park, either way, make sure you drink a juice at least once a day. Just like the Cariocas!
Polis Sucos
Rua Maria Quitéria 70
Cnr Rua Visconde de Piraja
Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro
@HamptonIrving Snacks: prefer carry fruits: apple, banana. Or drink fresh- squeezzed fruit juices at juice bars http://bit.ly/cIrS0e #travel