Fodor's Expert Review Amarelinho

The best spot for city-center people-watching, this vast pavement boteco overlooking the Biblioteco Nacional and the Theatro Municipal has been a Carioca institution since it opened in 1921. Waitstaffers in bright yellow waistcoats and bow ties flit among the bustling tables delivering reasonably priced Brazilian dishes and ice-cold draft beer to a local after-work crowd. Don't confuse Amerelinho with the adjoining bar, Vermelhino—both have yellow roof canopies and yellow plastic chairs, but Amerelinho serves superior food.