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Foster-Powell’s restaurant scene is on a roll — a Brazilian cafe is planning to open this spring in the Southeast Portland neighborhood, specializing in pastries, coffee, and juices from the South American country. Favela should open in mid-May, with Brazilian pastries, espresso, and foosball.
Favela will specialize in all-things Brazilian, from avocado smoothies to coxinhas, similar to shredded chicken fritters. The cafe will source directly from Portland producers, including Brazilian bakery Popi’s Pastries. The pastry options will be extensive — the menu will have everything from pão de queijo, Brazilian cheese balls, to bolo de cenoura, a Brazilian carrot cake topped with chocolate frosting. Drinks will often involve coffee, a Nossa Familia roast using beans purchased directly from Brazilian coffee farmers. The menu will also have a wide selection of juices and smoothies, often involving hard-to-find drinks made with cashew fruit and guarana.
Owner Rodrigo Baena, a life coach behind the Portland Happiness Center, is deeply involved in Portland’s Brazilian community; by opening Favela, he wanted to create a space for the Brazilian immigrants and aficionados to meet and celebrate the country’s culture. “Favela means shanty town — People see the negative side of favela, the crime, but the best side of it is the sense of community,” he explains. “We want people here to feel good, to have the support they need.” For him, that means hosting several meet-ups, poetry shows, dance classes, and live music — Favela should fall somewhere between a cafe, a Brazilian market, and a community center, with imported art and products to take home.
Favela is located at 5300 SE Foster Road. Stay tuned for an official opening date.
