Café
Confeitaria Colombo
A Belle Époque café founded in 1894, with Antwerp mirrors, carved furniture and a stained-glass skylight above its upstairs tea room.
La Bicyclette
A French-style bakery, grocery and bistro in Jardim Botânico, open since 2010 and a meeting point for cyclists heading up to the Vista Chinesa.
At a glance
- Type
- French bakery and bistro
- Area
- Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- labicyclette.com.br
Good to know
- Artisanal bakery
- Grocery
- Bistro
Why we recommend it
La Bicyclette is a French-style bakery, grocery and bistro that has been a reference in Rio since 2010, according to its official website. The original shop is on Rua Pacheco Leão in the Jardim Botânico district, and the business now also has addresses in Leblon and Barra da Tijuca.
The founders are a French-Brazilian couple, according to a 2021 CNN Brasil guide to breakfast in Rio, and the bakery has built its reputation on artisanal bread. The official website describes 100 per cent artisanal bread and patisserie, a grocery of selected products and a bistro serving traditional French recipes.
The CNN Brasil guide described croissants, pain au chocolat, pão de queijo, artisanal jams and hot and cold drinks, as well as croque monsieur and croque madame, and a seasonal avocado toast with lemon cream, smoked salmon and a poached egg. That mix of French classics and Brazilian favourites makes it a good choice for a long breakfast or a light lunch.
The name is no accident. The same guide described the Jardim Botânico shop as a meeting point for cyclists on their way up to the Vista Chinesa, the pagoda-style viewpoint in the Serra da Carioca sector of Tijuca National Park. The viewpoint sits in the national park's forest, which was replanted from 1861 under Major Manuel Gomes Archer.
The official website lists three phone numbers for its shops, +55 21 3256-9052, +55 21 2499-7395 and +55 21 97551-6832, but does not publish opening hours, so check before setting out. CNN Brasil's 2021 listing gave the Jardim Botânico shop's address as Rua Pacheco Leão 320, Loja D.
La Bicyclette suits couples, families and active travellers, and the grocery is useful for picking up jams and other products to take home. It pairs naturally with a morning at the Botanical Garden, which is in the same district, and with Parque Lage and Plage Café, also in Jardim Botânico.
For visitors staying in Leblon or Barra, the other branches make it easy to enjoy the same breads and pastries closer to the beach. Whichever shop you choose, the combination of French baking and a relaxed Rio setting is the attraction.
La Bicyclette FAQs
What is La Bicyclette?
A French-style bakery, grocery and bistro in Rio since 2010.
Where is the original shop?
At Rua Pacheco Leão 320, Loja D, in Jardim Botânico.
Are there other branches?
Yes, in Leblon and Barra da Tijuca.
What should you order?
Croissants, pain au chocolat, croque madame or the seasonal avocado toast with smoked salmon and poached egg.
Why is it popular with cyclists?
The Jardim Botânico shop is a meeting point for cyclists heading up to the Vista Chinesa.
Who founded it?
A French-Brazilian couple, according to CNN Brasil.
What are the opening hours?
They are not published on the official website, so check before going.
What is nearby?
The Botanical Garden, Parque Lage and Plage Café in Jardim Botânico.