Photos: Maria Eduarda Macieira

By: Maria Eduarda Macieira (Grade 4)

Café Lamas is a restaurant located in Marquês de Abrantes street, founded in April fourth of 1874 and is the oldest restaurant all around Brazil. This year, in April, this special place completed 150 years! In the past, it was located in Largo do Machado for 102 years. Because of the subway construction it moved to Marquês de Abrantes, staying there for 48 years until now. Many artists, journalists, football players, writers, musicians, intellectuals and politicians went there. Some examples of important personalities are Oscar Niemeyer, Juscelino Kubitschek, Cândido Portinari, Getúlio Vargas, Monteiro Lobato, Rui Barbosa, and Manuel Bandeira. Many years ago, the restaurant was open for 24 hours, so people could enjoy the moments there, talk, eat, read newspapers, read books and play.

I interviewed the associate and member of Lamas restaurant, Milton Brito, to know about the historical curiosities about the place, stories and important information. Milton has worked at the restaurant since 1983. For him, Lamas is different from the other restaurants because it has a soul, familiarity. Years pass and the tradition continues the same.

Photo: Karina Lemos

He commented about the most common meals asked there: “Another thing is the meal. We cannot change the food. If we do it, its traditional characteristics will be gone. ‘Filé à Francesa’, ‘Filé à Oswaldo Aranha’ and ‘Filé a Parmegiana’. The clients always had and still have a great diversity, with different social classes and professions.” Milton remembered some names that went to the restaurant too: Machado de Assis, Betinho, Ziraldo, Olavo Bilac and Carlos Drummond de Andrade. To Milton, Lamas is great because it tells Rio de Janeiro’s story. It has existed since the Brazilian Empire, moments that we don’t even imagine how it was.

Now, talking about funny moments at this place, Milton told some stories that happened there. “One day, an old lady sat and she was having dinner normally. Suddenly, a snake appeared coming out of the old lady’s clothes. She went to dinner with her snake! It was a big confusion and a very funny story”. Another one is about a woman that entered a cupboard that was similar to the bathroom of the place. She called the waiter and said that somebody stole the toilet. But actually she entered the wrong place! She got to the wrong door, because the bathroom had the same design as the cupboard. Many stories, moments and steps were built in the Lamas’ history.

A very cool curiosity, for those who like football teams, is that the Flamengo team was founded and celebrated in Café Lamas. They went to celebrate the creation of the team there,in 1895. For the ones who like to search and learn more about Brazilian culture and music: there is a song called “Rio Antigo” that has a part talking about Lamas.

Well, this historical and special restaurant, Café Lamas, has completed 150 years this year. We all hope that the place continues to live on and to have these traditions, delicious food, good moments and culture still here for many years to come. Next time you want to eat something delicious and experience tradition at its best, go to Café Lamas Restaurant.

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