Whether for a happy hour, hanging out with friends, dating a crush, going out with your “gringo” friend to enjoy the city, or simply having fun, a bar or a pub is always a good choice, no matter when! Knowing that our beloved São Paulo is the most populous city in South America, it is not by chance that it carries a diversity and miscegenation of cultures, and as a consequence, a variety of flavors. You can really find everything in this city, especially when it comes to gastronomy.
São Paulo already received the title of World Capital of Gastronomy in 1997, and as the years goes by, this title proves to be more and more consistent with the gray and cloudy Sampa, but full of joy in every corner (joy that can also be translated as bars)! Therefore, we list here 5 bars and pubs that deserve your visit and tasting. Surely you will not regret it and you will leave with a taste of ”I want more”. You will also be able to tour thought Sampa (whether you are resident or foreign) in the best way possible: drinking and eating!
1. Olívio Bar
“This year I will define my abdomen but, first, I need to define my life”. | Image Source: Personal Archive
With a relaxed ambience and located at Vila Madalena (known for its numerous bars and restaurants), this bar has a charismatic atmosphere and is known for having fun drinks on its menu with iconic phrases. During the week, the place is very quiet and receives the region’s executives at lunchtime. But at the end of the week, all tribes are reunited there. Besides the different menu, there are also classical drinks, but surely you will want to venture into the crazy ones (besides being cooler for Instagram!) and return as soon as possible to try them all. The on-site cuisine and the mouth-watering snacks are not to be missed as well.
Image Source: Personal Archive
P.s.: The same partners of Olivio also own the Caulí Bar, Fortunato Bar, and Jordão Bar, all spread by São Paulo and with the same quality of Olivo.
Adress: R. Delfina, 196 – Vila Madalena, São Paulo – SP
2. Frank Bar
Image Source: Personal Archive
Considered one of the 100 best bars in the world, the Frank Bar has an intimate atmosphere, either by its size (which is quite small), or by the dark and antique decor. His name comes from Frank Sinatra, and is deceived who thinks that the bar’s ambient music is all composed by Sinatra’s songs. But it’s soundtrack surely is almost entirely composed by Jazz and Blues.
Its location is within the Maksoud Plaza Hotel, in the heart of Avenida Paulista. The notably older public (as well as mostly hotel guests) fits well with the place’s identity, which despite being placed in one of the most traditional hotels in São Paulo, was recently opened just four years ago.
Image Source: Personal Archive
All drinks are made by the award-winning bartender Spencer Amareno Jr, who renews the menu every six months, thus putting a different theme per semester – in the pics, for example, the inspiration was Japan. However, this semester, the drink that is worth the tasting is the Hawaiian Room. Despite the creativity of renewing its menu and moreover with themes, Spencer produces traditional drinks without any problem.
From Thursday to Saturday there is an on-site jazz presentation.
Address: São Carlos do Pinhal, 424 – Bela Vista, São Paulo – SP
3. Fel Bar
Image Source: Reproduction/Fel Bar Instagram
“The bar that does not look like a bar”, that is the definition of Fel. Hidden in one of Oscar Niemeyer’s most famous buildings, the Copan, the bar does not have any sign to indicates where it is. It feels like you are entering a mysterious and VIP place, since the bar limits its entrance for 25 people at a time. The mystery is all around this particular bar, but the best is yet to come: it is run by women, only women. And, in 2018, it was elected as the revelation bar of the year.
Image Source: Reproduction/Fel Bar Instagram
The bartender responsible for drinks, Michelly Rossi recreated for Fel some forgotten drinks and is, now, a finalist in the Bacardi Legacy 2019 competition with a drink named Dandara. And with the origin of this cocktail, she recently created the Eu Bebo Sozinha (or I Drink Solo/Alone) project, which focuses on the defense of women’s rights and their occupation in all spaces, in a free and equal manner.
Address: Av. Ipiranga, 200 – Ground floor, 69 – República, São Paulo – SP
4. The Blue Pub
Source: Reproduction/The Blue Pub Instagram
Close to Frank Bar, The Blue Pub is the classic for every hour. You can visit it with friends, family, company colleagues, and so on. With a presence in Bela Vista for more than 10 years, it has won a public from all ages and genres – although mainly visited by sports lovers, since it has several football artifacts and multiple screens spread out to watch sports channels.
Whoever looks at the small entrance door does not imagine that the house has three floors with several rooms, besides the main hall, the bar, a corner for a pool table and an underground space that looks like a club. When you are there, you forget about time and when you realize you are already dancing to the sound of a band that you have never heard of, or wandering around the Pub looking for your friends (since it looks like a Maze Runner labyrinth where, in the end, everybody can be found). It is worth checking in, even if you are not a fan of drinks, sport or pubs. This place will win your heart (I am warning you).
Address: Alameda Ribeirão Preto, 384 – Bela Vista, São Paulo – SP, 01331-000
5. St John’s Irish Pub
Another pub that has been celebrating more than 10 years in activity, St John’s looks like you are entering a tavern – a very cool one by the way. With a warm and rustic atmosphere, the place makes you feel at home, despite being very dark. In fact, it does not even look like you are in Brazil, since there’s a mix of symbolism and analogies everywhere with Ireland, football, and its famous beers (mainly Guinness), becoming excellent to go with friends
The ambient music is divided between rock and indie, and it seems that there is no one who does not like at least one of the songs that are played. The pub pleases all tastes as it contains in its menu imported beers from several places around the world and also wonderful cocktails. One of the most requested is the Jameson Tea and Lime, made up with tea essence and whiskey. And even if you do not like beers, getting out there without even trying one is a deadly sin! It is like going to Italy and not eating pizza.
Its main unit also groups many different environments, but in a more distributed way than The Blue Pub. St. John’s offers concerts beginning at 10 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday. But if you live sooner, you do not pay for the artistic attraction.
Address: Rua Itapura, 1308 – Tatuapé, São Paulo – SP