Signature drinks on Praia do Amor: Cali Pipa

At the foot of a green cliff on Praia do Amor, a wooden bar flies a flag that reads CALI. The tables sit right on the sand, numbered, with umbrellas and sun loungers a few steps from the water. The menu splits in two: signature drinks, caipirinhas and gin and tonics on one side; ceviches, fried empanadas and grilled fish on the other. It opens every day from 9:30am to 4:30pm.

Ask if there is a table on the sand at lunchtime

Cali at a glance

What to eat

The kitchen builds on fish, shrimp and squid, and the menu is organised into petiscos (small plates to share), mains, burgers, sides, salads and desserts. You can put together a full meal or stay with two or three petiscos in the middle of the table while you watch the sea.

Ceviche, in four versions

Ceviche anchors the mains. It is made with white fish marinated in Sicilian lemon, red onion and fresh coriander, and comes with crunchy sweet potato and crunchy corn. There is a mixed version with shrimp, one with salmon and a vegan one made with seasonal ingredients.

Petiscos to share

The list is long and reads like a menu for grazing. There is shrimp breaded in panko, sautéed with garlic and oil, or glazed in a passion fruit and orange sauce; breaded fish and chicken strips; fried squid in breadcrumbs; and a salmon tiradito, thinly sliced, with pineapple, soy sauce and grated cashew.

The empanadas are fried and come in four flavours: gourmet chicken with cream, scallion, mushrooms and gorgonzola; knife-cut beef cooked in a pressure cooker; caprese, with cheese, basil and tomato; and shrimp with cheese. The list continues with an aubergine delight (avocado, tomato, basil and cream cheese wrapped in breaded aubergine), a plantain basket filled with sautéed shrimp and vegetables or with hearts-of-palm tartare, the Oceano, with shrimp, white fish and mussels in a smoked red pepper sauce, and bruschettas with smoked salmon, with shrimp or with fresh tomato.

Mains, burgers and salads

The mains include grilled fish, grilled salmon with creamy sweet potato and smoked aubergine purée, beef, chicken or fish milanesa, and the prato feito, a plate with rice, beans, fries, salad and fish or chicken strips. For a group there is grilled tuna with cassava, meant for three people, and the mix do mar for two, with shrimp, squid and fish strips.

There are two burgers, each with two 90-gram patties and fries: one with bacon and double cheddar, the other with double mozzarella, lettuce and tomato. The salads have names of their own: Nordestina, with chicken and pineapple; Veggie, with mango, cucumber, tomato, avocado and beans; Caesar; Amor, with breaded shrimp, red cabbage and avocado sauce; and Cali, with crunchy corn, rocket, fried cassava, avocado and vinaigrette. For the table there are sides of fries, fried cassava, a simple salad, beans and rice.

If you don't eat meat

The menu marks the meat-free and fish-free options with a tick: the vegan ceviche, the Veggie salad, the caprese empanada, the aubergine delight, the hearts-of-palm tartare and the fresh tomato bruschetta. A mixed table can order across the menu and share the middle without anyone left watching.

To finish

Dessert is the crunchy plantain basket filled with pineapple, passion fruit and mango, or a cheesecake with a choice of flavours.

What to drink

The drinks list takes up two sheets and is the other axis of the place. The caipirinhas run from the classic to the umburana or the honey and lime, and from there to the caipiroska, the caipifruta with cachaça or vodka, the caipirissima with rum and the CaipiMalibu, with coconut liqueur.

The gin section is served with plain tonic, with lime, with lime and cucumber, with passion fruit, with strawberry or with red berries, and also with Red Bull. Then come the signature drinks: the Tinto de Verão, with red wine, Sprite and fruit; the Festa Tropical, with passion fruit and lime juice; the Calibu; the Chocolate Frozen, with cachaça, chocolate liqueur, condensed milk and cocoa; the Lemonch, with Campari and orange syrup; the Calihouse, with cherry syrup; and the coconut and strawberry batidas.

There is vermouth (Cinzano with soda, Americano, Coquetel, Toranja and Ferrovia, with Fernet), classics (Aperol Spritz, Mojito, Negroni, Piña Colada, Daiquiri, Cuba Libre) and whisky. Beers come in bottles, long neck or 600 millilitres, and the wines include rosé, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, vinho verde and sparkling. For anyone not drinking alcohol there are juices (the Palmeira, with orange and cucumber; lemonade with cucumber or with red fruit; fresh juice of up to two fruits), soft drinks, water and coconut water.

The setting

The place describes itself in four words: cozy, casual, quiet and trendy. The photos show how that looks: a wooden counter under a metal roof, a plank deck facing the cliff, white tables with a number on the umbrella pole, white chairs, loungers with cushions and, behind it all, the greenery running down to the rocks.

Service is at the table, with waiters, and there is a restroom on site. Because the bar works by day, lunch happens in natural light, which suits a ceviche.

When to go

Cali opens every day from 9:30am to 4:30pm, with no closing day. It is a daytime bar: there is no evening shift, so plan the visit between mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Midday is the natural slot for sitting down to eat; the afternoon suits a drink and the beach.

With the tables on the sand, the width of the beach changes through the day with the tide. Before you head down, check Pipa's tide table.

Where it is and how to get there

Cali is on Praia do Amor, one of Pipa's beaches, in the municipality of Tibau do Sul. The address reads Praia do Amor, Pipa, postcode 59178-000, and the plus code is QX95+2C, which you can paste straight into any map.

If you come by car, the place has its own parking, uncovered and free. If you are arriving from Natal or the airport, see the transfer options for the long leg.

With kids, with a dog and in a wheelchair

The bar is listed as good for going with kids, and the menu helps: there are burgers, milanesas, prato feito and fries. Dogs are allowed, which on a beach is a concrete detail: you can bring the dog and sit down to eat without hiding it.

On accessibility, the place lists a wheelchair-accessible entrance and parking. To find out what the route to the table is like, message the bar before you go.

Who it is for

For anyone who wants to spend the day on the beach without sorting lunch out elsewhere: arrive mid-morning, order a ceviche and stay into the afternoon. For a couple or a group of friends looking for signature drinks and caipirinhas with the sea in front of them. And for solo travellers, since the place is listed as good for eating alone.

It also works for families with kids, for people bringing the dog and for anyone who skips meat, who will find part of the menu marked with the tick.

Frequently asked questions

What time does Cali open and close?

It opens every day from 9:30am to 4:30pm. It does not open at night.

Where is Cali?

On Praia do Amor, Pipa, Tibau do Sul (RN), postcode 59178-000. The plus code of the place is QX95+2C.

Can I bring my dog?

Yes, the place states that dogs are allowed.

Is it good for kids?

Yes, it is listed as good for going with kids.

Are there meat-free options?

Yes. The menu marks the vegan ceviche, the Veggie salad, the caprese empanada, the aubergine delight, the hearts-of-palm tartare and the fresh tomato bruschetta with a tick.

What is there to drink?

Caipirinhas, gin and tonics, signature drinks, vermouth, classics such as the Aperol Spritz and the Mojito, beers, whisky, wines, sparkling wine, juices and non-alcoholic drinks.

Do they take cards?

Yes: credit card, debit card and contactless mobile payment (NFC).

Is there parking?

Yes, on site, uncovered and free, and listed as wheelchair accessible.

Do they deliver?

The place lists a delivery service, along with dine-in and outdoor tables.

Message Cali and ask how to get there with your dog or your car