São Paulo · Historic Centre
São Paulo's Centro spent most of the 2000s as the city's decline story — emptied office buildings, daytime-only commerce, evening absent. The post-2018 revival, led by the Galería Metrópole reopening, has brought serious cocktail rooms and creative-class bars back to the historic core for the first time in two decades.
Mixed. Old downtown botecos (still operating) sit blocks from new cocktail rooms (opened 2020+). The Galería Metrópole and Avenida Ipiranga corridor anchors the new scene; Praça Roosevelt anchors the alternative scene.
São Paulo's Centro spent most of the 2000s as the city's decline story — emptied office buildings, daytime-only commerce, evening absent. The post-2018 revival, led by the Galería Metrópole reopening, has brought serious cocktail rooms and creative-class bars back to the historic core for the first time in two decades.
Around 8 bars we currently rate in Centro. The list runs cocktail rooms, craft beer halls, wine bars, and a couple of dives. For the ranked list, see the São Paulo city guide and filter by neighbourhood, or browse our category pages below.
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