Café A Brasileira (Braga)

The Brazilian Cafe (Café A Brasileira)
Café
The front facade in azulejo tile, and public esplanada of Largo Barão de São Martinho
Official name: Café A Brasileira
Named for: original Brazilian coffee-beans sold in half kilo sacks; brasileira Portuguese is the feminine noun of Brazilian
Nickname: A Brasileira
Country Portugal
Region Norte
Subregion Cávado
District Braga
Municipality Braga
Location São João do Souto
 - elevation 188 m (617 ft)
 - coordinates PT 41°33′2.99″N 8°25′24.70″W / 41.5508306°N 8.4235278°W / 41.5508306; -8.4235278Coordinates: PT 41°33′2.99″N 8°25′24.70″W / 41.5508306°N 8.4235278°W / 41.5508306; -8.4235278
Length 9.81 m (32 ft), Northwest-Southeast
Width 10.14 m (33 ft), Southwest-Northeast
Origin c. 1907
 - Completion 17 March 1907
Restoration September 2008
Owner Armindo Pinheiro
For public Private
Easiest access Largo Barão de São Martinho
Management Armindo Pinheiro & Filhos
Wikimedia Commons: A Brasileira
Website: http://www.cafe-abrasileira.com/

The Café A Brasileira (The Brazilian Cafe) is a café located in the historic center, along Largo Barão de São Martinho, in the civil parish of São João do Souto, municipality of Braga.

History

The traditional marquee of the café/coffee-shop, with image of Adolpho de Azevedo
The café, on the corner of Rua de São Marcos and Largo do Barão de São Martinho

The café first opened on 17 March 1907, the franchise of the already existing cafés named the Brazilian by Adolpho de Azevedo, a Portuense merchant and Vice-Counsel to Brazil.[1][2] This new incarnation of the popular café opened on the corner of the Largo do Barão de São Martinho and Rua de São Marcos, and included not just coffee beans, but also fine wines bottled by the Parceria Vinícola dos Lavradores do Douro (Farmer's Winery Partnership of the Douro).[1][2] In order to attract clients to his wholesale coffee-shop, Azevedo continued the tradition started in the A Brasileira of Lisbon, and offered with the purchase of a half kilogram of coffee beans, a cup of coffee.[1][2]

Adolpho de Azevedo ran the establishment for 30 years, until it was acquired by Joaquim Queirós in 1937, who continued to operate the establishment for another four decades.[2] Queirós maintained and then integrated the neighboring coffeehouse (Café Sport) located in the lower part of the café into A Brasileira.[2]

During the Estado Novo era (lasting from 1933 to 1974), a rival café, called Nova Brasileira opened on the opposite corner of the coffee-house.[2] It was during this time that A Brasileira became the centre of anti-Salazarist opposition to the regime, and the Nova Brasileira was visited by those loyal to the regime.[2]

In 1997, the café came into the possession of Joaquim Domingos Godinho, who operated the establishment until 2004, when Armindo Pinheiro and his sons became property-owners.[2]

In 2009, the café was reopened following extensive remodelling began in September 2008, under the auspices of ASAE Autoridade para a Segurança Alimentar e Económica; the renovation involved kitchen's spaces, and required replacement of the old wood beams for stainless steel.[2]

See also

References

Notes
  1. 1 2 3 Correio do Minho (19 March 1907)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Lusa, ed. (16 March 2009). "Braga: café "A Brasileira", com 102 anos, reabre, terça-feira após restauro" (in Portuguese). Braga, Portugal. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
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