Two immigrants' café
Portuguese immigrants Joaquim Borges de Meireles and Manuel José Lebrão opened the Colombo in 1894 on Rua Gonçalves Dias.
Urban Tales › Rio de Janeiro › Confeitaria Colombo
Confeitaria Colombo: the history, and the mirrors that came from Belgium
A Belle Époque café in downtown Rio that has served presidents, writers and everyone else since 1894. Here's what you're looking at, and what to listen for when you get there.
Opened1894
FoundersJoaquim Borges de Meireles, Manuel José Lebrão
MirrorsBelgian
Tea room1922
Hear the Confeitaria Colombo story, in the app's voice
A short preview. The full story plays on its own when you walk up to it with Urban Tales.
Three stories most visitors miss
1
2
Mirrors from Belgium
The huge Belgian mirrors in jacaranda frames make the room look endless.
3
The upstairs tea room
The tea room on the upper floor, under a stained-glass skylight, was added in 1922.
TipGo mid-afternoon on a weekday to find a table without a long wait, and try a pastel de nata. With Urban Tales running, the café's story plays as you reach Rua Gonçalves Dias.
Nearby landmarks
Confeitaria Colombo: common questions
When did Confeitaria Colombo open?
In 1894.
Who founded Confeitaria Colombo?
Portuguese immigrants Joaquim Borges de Meireles and Manuel José Lebrão.
Where are Confeitaria Colombo's mirrors from?
Belgium; they're framed in Brazilian jacaranda wood.