Bossa, a Brazilian cafe and cocktail bar, is set to open at 305 NW 21st Avenue in Portland, taking over a roughly 3,000-square-foot space on the corner of NW 21st and NW Everett that once housed Cha! Cha! Cha! and, more recently, Choice of India, which closed in 2022. Owners Emanuelle and Tilion Lieberman, a husband and wife team who met in London, are targeting a mid October opening, after zoning issues pushed back an original spring launch.
Bossa started as a coffee roasting operation before the couple set out to open a physical space, partnering with Fazendas Dutra, a regenerative, organic farm in Brazil’s Minas Gerais region, for their beans. They currently offer two roasts, Aurora and Carinho, and plan to serve espresso drinks alongside a food menu built around Brazilian staples like tapioca crepes, pão de queijo, coxinha and pastels, along with sandwiches on soft, crispy French bread rolls.
The space will shift from a daytime cafe into a nighttime cocktail bar, with a menu built around Brazilian spirits like cachaça, including caipirinhas, batidas and an espresso martini, plus non-alcoholic cocktail options. Evenings will lean into Brazilian nightlife, with local DJs and a lounge area designed for both relaxing and dancing.
The Liebermans said the name comes from the Portuguese word for a certain charm or natural style, not a reference to Bossa Nova music, though the space will still feature a variety of musical styles, according to Bridgetown Bites. The interior will lean contemporary with warm wood, natural elements and a nod to Brazilian architecture, including a red painted ceiling that will stay from the building’s prior tenant.
