Rio De Janeiro
You're flying out of Rio De Janeiro Airport, you have 90 minutes to kill, and you'd like to do better than a Pret. Good news: airport drinking has improved more in the last five years than the previous fifty. Pre-flight drinks at Rio De Janeiro Airport range from chain reliability to surprisingly polished hotel-style bars in the airport hotels. This is barsforKings's editor-curated guide to drinking better at Rio De Janeiro's airports.
Leblon · $$
Since 1983, Academia da Cachaça has been the unofficial classroom for anyone serious about Brazil's national spirit. Tucked into a corner of Leblon — Rio's most
Santa Teresa · $$
Adega do Pimenta draws a steady local crowd in Santa Teresa. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
City centre · $$
Santa Teresa is the neighbourhood that Rio dreamed up when it wanted somewhere to put its artists, its anarchists, and its most spectacular hillside views. Apra
Chapeu Mangueira · $$
Bar do David draws a steady local crowd in Chapeu Mangueira. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Want a real drink before flying? The fastest play is to get to airport hotels next door — most run polished bars that beat anything post-security. We list them at the bottom. If you've got 60 spare minutes pre-airport, see our shortlist of bars in Rio De Janeiro proper at the end.
Plays for Rio De Janeiro Airport: post-security, pre-security, lounges, and the airport-hotel cheat code.
Pre-flight drinks, hotel-bar reviews, and the openings we're watching across 200+ cities. Friday mornings, no filler.
Looking beyond Rio de Janeiro? See our guide to the best airport bars worldwide, or compare airport bars city by city.