As the largest city in Latin America, and one of the most vibrant metropolises in Brazil, there’s something for everyone in São Paulo. Steer off the well-trodden path of the city centre and you’ll be rewarded with a peek into what could be one of the country’s most happening neighbourhoods altogether: Pinheiros. Flush with hot gastronomy joints and local designer boutiques, it’s the home of São Paulo’s coolest-of-cool locals, pushing the trendsetting button for the country at-large.

Whether your desires push you to eat, drink, shop or just relax, this neighbourhood is the place to go. Before you rush off and explore this thriving spot for yourself, get acquainted with São Paulo’s “Home of Cool” with our very own Pinheiros guide.

Where to stay in Pinheiros

PPO Hostel i Cucina

Located in the heart of Pinheiros, PPO is a hostel with a restaurant. Or a restaurant with a hostel, depending on how you look at it. Owner Filippo Incremona spent seven years in Italy working as a chef, and decided to open his own business after returning to Brazil. Offering private or dorm rooms for single travellers, couples or even families, PPO has rates starting from R$ 45 (11 GBP/US $14). Where: Rua Cônego Eugênio Leite 1075 Nearest Station: Fradique Coutinho

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Guest Urban Hotel

This boutique hotel aims to stimulate guests to explore Pinheiros, and all the other areas of the city. Created by a PR professional and a chef, Guest Urban Hotel also offers a space for art exhibitions, intimate parties and all kinds of cultural activities. The clean decor, with white walls and an industrial-style kitchen, is an Instagrammer’s dream. The amenities packages include fully loaded local transportation cards, SIM cards, and even tablets and mobile phones. Rates start from R$ 199 (51 GBP/US $63).

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Where to eat in Pinheiros

King of The Fork (KoF)

Walking around Artur de Azevedo street, you’ll see a lot of bikes parked around the King of The Fork – or just KoF, as its patrons call it. The bikes are there for a reason: this coffee spot in Pinheiros, is entirely dedicated to bike culture. Even the name is a reference: “king of the mountains” is the title given to the best climber in a cycling road race, and “fork” is the name of a bike part. They offer up a full breakfast with waffles, cakes, cookies, yoghurt, fruit, and granola. But it’s really about the coffee here: their espresso is one of the best in town, and the fame quickly spread. Their cold brews are also an excellent choice.

Where: Rua Artur de Azevedo 1317
Tel: +55 11 2533-9391
Nearest Station: Fradique Coutinho

Kød

Chef Bruno Alves has always loved cooking, but his main job used to be in advertising. Soon, he decided that these days should be over, and now he makes some of the best burgers in São Paulo at Kød. This steakhouse in Pinheiros opened last June and has already built up a glowing reputation with hungry carnivores. Named for the Danish word for “meat”, they serve up lots of the stuff, all prepared one the parrilla, the Argentinian-style grill.

Try the Babe burger, with brie cheese, Harissa mayo, onion pickles, pancetta and sliced tomato. Then wash the whole thing down with the heavy but irresistible pudding milkshake.

Where: Rua Simão Álvares 49
Tel: +55 11 3360-8189
Nearest Station: Fradique Coutinho

Arturito

Paola Carosella is an Argentinian chef who relocated to Brazil and became famous after taking part in the TV show Masterchef Brazil as one of the sweet, but critical judges. Arturito, her restaurant in Pinheiros, reflects a lot of her personality on the menu. Everything is made with fresh and organic ingredients, and the menu is filled with no-nonsense classics. Traditional empanadas and choripán (a chorizo sandwich) are the must-have starters, and the ojo de bife (roasted rib eye) is devine. The intimate atmosphere is perfect for romantic dates. Try to arrive before 9pm to get a good table.

Where: Rua Artur de Azevedo 542
Tel: +55 11 3063-4951
Nearest Station: Clínicas

Pitico

An old parking lot in Pinheiros is the headquarters of Pitico, a unique food and drinking space unlike any other in the entire city. The kitchen and bar are housed in shipping containers, and beach chairs are around for those who want to sit and enjoy a nice afternoon. During the afternoon, you can see young, quintessentially hip Brazilian families having fun with their kids – it’s a safe spot for children to play around.

When it comes to food, Pitico offers kebabs, falafel, koftas, fries with a zaatar spice mix and other fast (and good) food. The parking lot is also home to Quitandoca, a small grocery shop that sells organic produce and serves organic breakfast occasionally. A friendly reminder: arrive early and seize the day! It’s impossible to get in after 10pm, especially on Fridays.

Where: Rua Guaicuí 61
Tel: +55 11 3582-7365
Nearest Station: Faria Lima

Shopping in Pinheiros

House of Work & Learning & Food & Bubbles

This collaborative space in Pinheiros, is one of the trendiest places in the area. Here, you can rent or share working space or a fully equipped kitchen to cook in – and have your own restaurant for a couple of days. There’s no other place in town where you can have Korean food one day and something completely different, a few days later, at the same spot.

At this house you can also rent clothes, paying a monthly fee – they call themselves “the Netflix of clothing”. Do your laundry while you have a few drinks, or attend/give a workshop in one of their classrooms. The House of All… – as it is locally known – is the greatest example of modern sharing economy in São Paulo.

Where: Rua Doutor Virgílio de Carvalho Pinto 47
Tel: +55 11 2366-4287
Nearest Station: Fradique Coutinho

Insecta Shoes

Created in 2014 in Porto Alegre (capital of Rio Grande do Sul, in the Brazilian South), this brand swept Brazilian eco-fashionistas off their feet with their “green” and vegan shoes sold online. So nothing would be more natural than expanding their domains to Pinheiros, a neighbourhood permanently open to the new. Vintage clothes and plastic bottles are recycled and transformed into beautiful and exclusive boots, oxford shoes, sandals, and slippers, without using any material of animal origin. The Pinheiros branch also hosts exciting workshops on themes like gardening, composting, and sustainable fashion.

Where: Rua Artur de Azevedo 499
Tel: +55 11 2667-8890
Nearest Station: Clínicas

Mercado Municipal de Pinheiros

Super fresh fruit and vegetables, spices, fresh fish, and cereals: you’ll find all of this at the City Market in Pinheiros, named “Mercadão” by the locals. Recently renovated, the market also holds a few real surprises, like the delicatessen Delika – take home some of their roast beef, lox, and Canastra cheese. Products from the Amazon and other Brazilian regions are also available in stalls owned by the star chef Alex Atala.

Done with grocery shopping? You can also stop by Comedoria Gonzales, Esquina Mocotó or Pizzaria Napoli Centrale for a quick and tasty bite, like the sweet on the outside, salty on the inside tapioca cubes with molasses from Mocotó.

Where: Rua Pedro Cristi 89
Tel: +55 11 3031-1631
Nearest Station: Faria Lima

What to do in Pinheiros

Praça Benedito Calixto

Benedito Calixto Square is the place to be on Saturday mornings in Pinheiros. The reason: the fantastic flea market, surrounded by cool shops, good music and food stands that sell treats like the famous acarajé – a deep fried ball made of black-eyed peas, served with dried shrimp and spicy salsa.

Where: Praça Benedito Calixto
Nearest Station: Sumaré

Praça do Pôr do Sol

The Sunset Square – or Praça do Pôr do Sol, in Portuguese – has one of the greatest views in Pinheiros. Officially named Coronel Custódio Fernandes Pinheiro Square, this place is frequented by families with children and dogs, and is a great spot for picnics and to relax your mind watching the sunset.

Where: Rua Desembargador Ferreira França
Nearest Station: take buses 9051-10 or 809L-10

Instituto Tomie Ohtake

The Institute, named after the famous Japanese-Brazilian artist, is dedicated to art, architecture and design. Over the years, Instituto Tomie Ohtake has organized special exhibitions of artists like Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, and Frida Kahlo. The focus on contemporary Brazilian art makes it a wonderful place to catch up with the local culture. And the building is gorgeous!  The accessible installations make it a good activity for families and seniors.

Where: Rua dos Coropés 88
Tel: +55 11 2245-1900
Nearest Station: Faria Lima

Sesc Pinheiros

Concerts, plays, art shows, handicraft workshops, entertainment for children and much more: Sesc Pinheiros is one of the best cultural centres in São Paulo. Currently, the facade displays a beautiful painting of native Brazilians. For affordable prices, Sesc frequently offers unmissable chances to see Brazilian icons like Ney Matogrosso, Caetano Veloso, and Maria Bethânia perform on stage. International artists, like Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth, have also played here. So that you know, Sesc means “Social Service for Commerce” and has other branches in several parts of the city. If you’re in town planning to see a concert, be aware that the online tickets usually sell out first. Get your tickets in one of the branches.

Where: Rua Paes Leme 55
Tel: +55 11 3095-9400
Nearest Station: Faria Lima

Nightlife in Pinheiros

Noname

Don’t get discouraged by the crowd in front of Noname, located on Rua dos Pinheiros. The drinks menu make this bar a hot spot for first dates and hanging out with friends. It looks like an old house turned into a bar, but not in a creepy way. Their Long Island Iced Tea is one of the best in town. But their ginger gin and tonic is also an excellent choice. Join the crowds of young locals sipping cocktails outside and making conversation with new best friends.

Where: Rua dos Pinheiros 585, Pinheiros
Tel: +55 11 3083-2329
Nearest Station: Fradique Coutinho

Boca de Ouro

One of the best things to do in Pinheiros: check out the drinks in Boca de Ouro. Set in a small house on a quiet street and created by and for night crawlers, Boca – named after a book by Nelson Rodrigues, a famous Brazilian author – has already received some local awards. Once you get to the bar counter, have a chat with Renato, one of the friendly owners, and try the Negroni. Don’t leave without having the bolovo, the best in town (a version of Scotch Eggs) or an order of crispy torresmo (pork rinds). There’s also a snooker table upstairs for those who like their drinks with a game of sport.

Where: Rua Cônego Eugênio Leite 1121
Tel: +55 11 4371-3933
Nearest Station: Fradique Coutinho

Brewdog

Pinheiros, has had its own Brewdog bar since 2014. The Scotland-based brewery arrived in Brazil with more than 300 types of beers – and soon became a hit with beer lovers in town. The international style mixes well with the Brazilian culture: their deck is the place to go to enjoy a good beer and even try the occasional local barbecue. If you want a tap beer ask for a “chope”, or a “chopinho”! It’s a good chance to try beers from local breweries as well.

Where: Rua dos Coropés 41
Tel: +55 11 3032-4007
Nearest Station: Faria Lima

Find a flight to São Paulo

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