Petisco (from the Village)

This sign is part of the Rota do Samba de Vila Isabel – Os Três Apitos circuit. Click here to access the interactive map with all the locations and discover this and other circuits.

Petisco da Vila is one of the most traditional bars in Rio de Janeiro. It opened in the 1960s. It was a popular hangout spot for Rio’s bohemian crowd and several renowned samba musicians, including Martinho da Vila, Arlindo Cruz, Moacyr Luz, Neguinho da Beija-Flor, Jamelão, Dudu Nobre, and João Nogueira. 

Other notable guests included cartoonist Jaguar. Perna was another notable figure who was famous in the neighborhood for hosting an annual Christmas dinner called “Quem Põe, Não Tira” (“Whoever Brings It Doesn’t Take It Away”). He invited the Macaco community to the dinner, which included a samba party. 

This expression is mentioned in the 1994 samba theme song “Muito Prazer! Isabel de Bragança e Drumond Rosa da Silva, Mas Pode Me Chamar de Vila” (Nice to Meet You! Isabel de Bragança and Drumond Rosa da Silva, But You Can Call Me Vila,” which tells the story of the neighborhood. Petisco da Vila was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the bar that sold the most draft beer per hour in Brazil. The original bar closed in 2017, but former employees reopened it under the name Boteco Petisco.