Every Sunday, Avenida Augusto Severo in Glória turns into Rio’s largest street market. The Feira da Glória stretches along the avenue from around the Passeio Público to near the Outeiro da Glória church, with more than 150 vendors selling fruit and vegetables, fish, flowers, ready-to-eat food, clothing and crafts. Neighbors come to do their weekly shopping, and people from all over the city come to eat, drink and meet friends.
The market has been running for more than a century — recent reports put it at about 115 years — and has spanned generations of residents. Selling food has deep roots in the neighborhood: from 1858 to 1903, Glória had a public market, the Mercado da Glória, demolished during the urban reforms of the early 20th century. In 2025, a state law recognized the Feira Livre da Glória as historical, cultural and intangible heritage of the State of Rio de Janeiro.
The traditional side of the market is still there: stalls of fruit, greens and vegetables, fresh fish, spices and flowers, with vendors calling out to customers and shopping trolleys coming and going. Over time the market grew to include clothing, home décor and handicrafts. Along the way, look out for the Relógio da Glória, a four-faced street clock inaugurated in 1905 and listed as state heritage.
For many, though, this is above all a place to eat. The classic is pastel de feira, a crispy pastry fried to order, with ice-cold caldo de cana (sugarcane juice) — some pastel stalls are true institutions. In recent years the market has also become a showcase for immigrant and refugee cooks, with Peruvian ceviche, Venezuelan arepas, Argentine choripán, Chilean empanadas, Syrian shawarma and dishes from Nigeria and Angola, alongside Brazilian fritters and snacks. Some of the food stalls have spread into the neighboring Praça Paris.
The highlight is the atmosphere. As the day goes on, samba circles (rodas de samba) form and the avenue fills with families, young people, tourists and residents of all ages. In 2024, Time Out magazine named Glória the ninth coolest neighborhood in the world, with the market among the highlights it mentioned. On the busiest Sundays it can be hard to move between the stalls — that is part of the fun.
Tips: the market starts early in the morning; the traditional stalls usually pack up in the early afternoon, while the food and samba sometimes carry on longer — check the hours before you go. For fruit and fish, arrive early; to eat and hear samba, go later. Bring small change and a shopping bag, and keep an eye on your belongings in the crowd. Afterwards, climb up to the Outeiro da Glória or stroll to the Marina da Glória and Flamengo Park, right next door.