There you are, hours into a beach session and perfecting doing absolutely nothing, and then suddenly hunger strikes. You can rest easy though as this is the perfect time to test out the Brazilian lei do menor esforço (the law of minimum effort), a rule of thumb that most cariocas swear by. Cue the classic carioca beach hawker; trawling up and down the scalding sands to provide the answers to the questions your hungry stomach is asking you. Known for their eccentricity and creative marketing techniques they have truly become part of the city’s cultural and gastronomic heritage. And if there is anywhere with the most beach hawkers per m² it is going to be Ipanema. Check out our rundown of the best nibbles to be found on Ipanema beach.
This refreshing tipple is best enjoyed chilled to ice-cold levels, when it will refresh every single cell in your body from first sip. In one side, a gallon of Mate tea, in the other, a barrel of lime juice; find the balance of lime-to-mate that works for you. It’s always a good shout to befriend a reputable seller as the quality of some does have a dubious reputation. Ipanema’s most famous seller is Marcelo, easily recognizable from his endearing straw hat and often found around the strip known as Coqueirão, practically opposite Rua Maria Quitéria. For the classic carioca beach snack combination, pair your Mate tea with a traditional biscoito globo.
If you are up to level five on the hunger scale, then sink your teeth into a Hareburger. And you don’t even have to look for them, because sooner or later you will hear the unmistakable “Haaaareeebuuurgerrrr” call in the distance followed by a little trill on a flute. These healthy soy burgers became such a hit that Raphael, their creator, opened his own restaurant in nearby shopping mall Galeria River.
Little packages of fresh frozen fruit pulp, the sucolé has been a staple since the 1980s, and some of the best come from Claudinho, one of the biggest personalities on the beach. At the height of the summer season, he can sell 3000 of these little beauties in around three hours, his team of vendors spread throughout Ipanema and Leblon. Always a sellout is the passion fruit mousse, perfect refreshment for those hot afternoons and just the thing to make life on the beach even sweeter.
Marçal is the go-to guy for your cup of quality açaí that comes blended with banana and sprinkled with granola. His marketing weapon of choice is the classic megaphone, employed with a theatrical flourish and a thunderous call of "Açaí, açaí! With fresh honey!”, in just about every intonation imaginable. Quite where he keeps it ice cold we have no idea, but we couldn't be happier that he does.
Down by Ipanema’s Posto 9 you’ll find Hermano Milton Gonzales’ Barraca do Uruguai and his famed no-nonsense sandwiches. Served in rustic bread rolls, they come filled with a generous helping of grilled sausage, steak or chicken and finished with delicious chimchurri sauce and onions. For those unbothered about calories, these sandwiches will provide the sustenance needed to get you through a day at the beach.
Address
: Avenida Vieira Souto, , Ipanema
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