At this tiny slice of Brazil in Long Island City, the sounds of samba and the aroma of simmering spices embrace you as you walk through the door. The first thing you see, though, is the tree: an explosion of branches and blossoms rising from the bar. You half expect butterflies and hummingbirds to be fluttering in the branches, even after realizing the flowers aren’t real.
The Brazilian soccer team opens its World Cup campaign on June 13 at NYNJ (MetLife) Stadium, just across the Hudson River from the City, but for those without tickets, venturing to Beija Flor offers a happy alternative. The bar-restaurant has been a home away from home for Brazilian soccer fans for years, its giant screen showing games and its largely Portuguese-speaking staff delivering a steady stream of caipirinhas, cold beer and Brazilian snacks. According to owner Lucia Cruz, the secret to Beija Flor’s success is simple: “Soccer, samba and good food.”
Owner Lucia Cruz at Beija Flor
Some background
The place is a labor of love for Cruz, who grew up in rural Ceará in Brazil’s vast Northeastern region, around a 90-minute drive from Fortaleza, the state capital. Her parents ran a small deli, and Lucia helped out, initiating her lifelong appreciation for tasty food and hospitality. After moving to New York City in 1986 she worked the typical round of odd jobs before eventually opening a Brazilian restaurant in Astoria, the now-defunct Barril Grill. In 2013, she got the opportunity to take over the old Chateau Brasil bar in the up-and-coming Dutch Kills neighborhood of Long Island City.
Already a longtime hangout of Brazilian futebol fans, divey Chateau Brasil was given a family-friendly makeover. Lucia added a menu of Brazilian classics, fresh decor and bigger screens for live games. She renamed it Beija Flor (“hummingbird”), partly in tribute to the renowned samba school of the same name that is headquartered in Nilópolis, near Rio de Janeiro.
Bartender Gabriel Araújo Rodrigues mixes a drink
What it’s like inside
The interior pays homage to her Northeastern roots, with chairs and banquettes covered with old coffee bags, the ceilings draped with white sheets to resemble the lateen sails of traditional jangada fishing boats and vivid tabletops painted by artist Beth Ferreira, Lucia’s sister, that feature tropical landscapes and excerpts from famous Brazilian writers. The tree overhanging the bar isn’t real, but it still adds a tropical touch, and the installation is anchored by a carved Indigenous statue from the Amazon state of Pará.
Almost all Lucia’s employees are Brazilian—speaking Portuguese or at least Spanish, as well as English, is essential. Friendly bartender Gabriel Araújo Rodrigues says Beija Flor is “like a big family.” You’ll see Lucia interacting with clientele and staff most nights; she believes a happy staff means happy customers. Gabriel hails from Rio de Janeiro but traveled all over the world working on cruise ships before landing in NYC two years ago. As a true carioca (Rio native), he supports Rio’s Flamengo team—a club popular with lots of regulars here—and loves the passion of the fans during games. He also knocks out a mean caipirinha, Brazil’s cachaça-based national cocktail.
Linguiça caseira acebolada (Brazilian sausage) and a caipirinha
What it serves
Food and drink is a major part of Beija Flor’s appeal, with authentic Brazilian dishes and a kitchen that stays open late. The menu includes classics such as picanha na chapa (grilled sirloin served with rice and beans) and feijoada (pork and black bean stew), as well as snacks like pão de quejo (the ball-shaped cheese bread that’s a staple at every Brazilian bakery). Soccer fans often share large mixed plates of salgadinhos (snacks) that include frango a passarinho (fried chicken bites with hot sauce), dadinho de tapioca (fried cheese and tapioca flour), cheese and beef pastéis (empanadas), and torresmo (fried pork belly), accompanied by homemade spicy guava jam.
What game day is like
Though Beija Flor has live music on weekends, with folks dancing to samba late into the night, soccer is the major pull here. The bar screens all the top Brasileiro Série A (domestic Brazilian league) games live on Wednesdays and Sundays. Local fans regularly reserve tables and pack out the venue to cheer on their teams. Yet nothing unites this diverse nation of 214 million people like the Seleção, the Brazilian national team. Strangers mingle at the bar, tables are packed and everyone wears Brazil’s distinctive canary-colored shirts. Games are shown from several TVs above the bar and a couple of smaller screens in addition to the giant one—the match is in your line of vision wherever you sit. Like most Brazilians, Lucia grew up with futebol: she is a supporter of Vasco de Gama, another Rio-based team.
Brazilians make up much of the clientele, no surprise as the place is close to diverse Astoria, which has a large Brazilian population. Regular customers include both the younger generation and the children of the major wave of emigrants who came to New York City in the 1980s, like Lucia and local resident Marcio José da Silva.
Marcio José da Silva
At a recent game between France and Brazil, Marcio was sipping Guaraná Antarctica, Brazil’s favorite soft drink, and munching crispy torresmo at the bar. A Flamengo supporter—he’s lived in the US for over 40 years but originally hails from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais—Marcio remembers the old bar but thinks Beija Flor is a big improvement, especially for its food and atmosphere; indeed, the bar really was packed on a weekday afternoon, even though the game was a noncompetitive friendly. Brazilian goals were celebrated with wild cheers and singing; near misses and French goals were met with wails of derision (Brazil lost this one, 2–1).
If you’re looking to root on Brazil or see a club match, you’ll feel right at home; Beija Flor also, like so many other spots, shows all World Cup matches. And you don’t have to love soccer to enjoy yourself—the authentic food, cocktails, samba and lively atmosphere will take care of that. Whatever the occasion, expect to make a few new friends along the way.
Practicalities
Beija Flor is at 38-02 29th St., reachable on the N or W train to the 39th Avenue station.