Carlos Costa has a lot of faith in his highly rated restaurant
It’s so much faith that he’s already expanding the Brazilian BBQ restaurant ahead of the anticipated revitalization schedule for downtown East Hartford.
He also has faith in Mayor Connor Martin’s plans and commitment to turn the downtown around.
Costa’s Favela Aroma, warmly decorated in traditional colors of his native Brazil — orange, yellow, purples, reds — specializes on a variety of flavorful and tender meats cooked rotisserie style.
The meats, “will make your mouth water,” one customer wrote in an online review.
Another wrote, “The sides are delicious but the meats are perfect. Best meal in a long time.”
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There are plenty of sides to choose from on the line where customers order, then pay by weight, including rice, vegetables, plantains, yucca. They even have fish.
Despite high ratings and lots of customers that come from out-of town, Costa said needs to do more business and he believes that will happen with initiatives the town is taking to attract more people to the heart of downtown.
Continuing the philosophy of former Mayor Mike Walsh, Martin recently announced that as part of the downtown revamp, he wants to turn Bissell Street into a pedestrian plaza like Hartford’s Pratt Street.
That’s great for Costa because Favela Aroma is just a couple of storefronts away from Bissell.
Martin has said he is also looking to work with the state Department of Transportation on a long-term redesign of Main Street, a state highway that’s under the DOT’s authority.
Costa said as part of the push East Hartford is being heavily marketed on social media.
“We’re struggling to have folks stop in Main Street,” Costa said. “The traffic is here. They’re just going too fast. The mayor is trying to slow people down so they can see what’s here.”
He said the hope is to “transform all of Main Street into the mecca of downtowns.”
Costa not only has the faith, but has done the business math.
He’s figured East Hartford has 58,000 people and half are retired, so it will be necessary for success to attract even more people than they already do from other towns, he said.
Costa said his restaurant served 20,873 customers in 2022 and 21,783 in 2023. They “need to be at 50,000” customers, he said.
He’ll be prepared.
Plans are underway at Favela Aroma to add a front patio in to increase seating by 30. Currently there are 44 seats inside and 60 on a rear patio.
He’s also will extend hours soon to open earlier for a breakfast crowd, stay open later for dinner, and even later than that when the Bissell Street plan happens.
In addition, on three other parcels he owns, Costa is looking to open another restaurant, a bakery and a place like Hartford’s Parkville Market where several eateries in small spaces serve customers who eat in a communal setting.
Costa, whose background is more focused on development/construction, bought the four parcels about 20 years ago.
On the revitalization vision of former Mayor Michael Walsh he opened Favela Aroma about two years ago at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Costa said Martin is carrying on Walsh’s vision.
“We care very much for the customers, for the food,” and the community, Costa said. “It’s a difficult business. You have to be able to savor the good and the bad.”
He is involved in the day to day management and cooking at the restaurant, but is training others in hopes of returning to the development side, he said.
Costa was born in Hartford while his parents were here to work. As a baby, he was sent to Brazil to live with his grandparents and siblings. He grew up in both Brazil and Portugal, the latter where his dad was from.
He came to the United States in 1980 when he was about 18.
Costa said the meats “are the heart of our business.”
“This is something that’s in our blood,” Carlos said referring to barbecuing meat and Brazilians. “Part of our culture is barbecuing. There’s not a Brazilian out there who can’t do a churrasco. It’s like the rice and black beans, it’s part of our DNA.”
He said Brazil is the biggest producer of beef in the world and beef is “always at our table.”
The meats offered at Favela Aroma include several types of beef, brisket, lamb, pork, chicken, and sausages.
One reviewer online wrote, “Was absolutely the best beef I’ve ever had.”
Another wrote: “People, I found a gem. If you like barbecue gotta go here 100%.”
Customers also rave about the atmosphere at Favela Aroma, which Costa describes as, “European Renaissance with Brazilian colors.”
Martin elaborated recently on the Bissell Street plan.
“It would be a pedestrian-only street where we can create an experience,” he told the Courant. “It would include outdoor furniture, a pop-up state, lighting, flowerpots, maybe murals on the walls.”
As for working with DOT on redesigning the road, Martin has said he wants to reduce the number of lanes and improve walkability to increase pedestrian traffic, possibly with wider sidewalks and bike lanes.
