Bar Brahma

Bar Brahma has been part of downtown São Paulo's life since 1948, when it was founded by the German immigrant Henrique Hillebrecht. It stands at the corner of Avenida Ipiranga and Avenida São João, the crossroads that Caetano Veloso sang about in his song Sampa. For decades it was a meeting place for academics, politicians and artists; in the 1960s law students from the University of São Paulo held political debates here, and farmers visiting from the countryside also gathered at its tables.

The list of famous regulars and performers reads like a history of Brazilian popular music and politics. Politicians such as Jânio Quadros, Adhemar de Barros and Fernando Henrique Cardoso drank here, and musicians including Adoniran Barbosa, Orlando Silva and Ary Barroso were associated with the bar, while performers such as Cauby Peixoto, Angela Maria, Demônios da Garoa and Nana Caymmi have appeared on its stage. In 2008 the band Conjunto Varanda Paulista recorded a live album here.

The bar's story mirrors that of the centre. It closed in the early 1990s as parts of downtown declined, reopened in 1997 under the name São João 677, closed again in December 1998 and finally returned under its original name in 2001. Today it is a casual place serving Brazilian food and draught beer, with a regular programme of live music, and it accepts reservations, which are worth making for evenings with well-known acts.

Check the bar's own channels for the current music schedule and opening times before you go, since programmes change from week to week. The dress code is casual. Because it is on a busy downtown corner, use a taxi or ride-hailing car late at night; in 2023 the bar itself was caught up in a robbery incident in the area, after which its owner publicly asked the authorities for more security in the centre.

Bar Brahma suits music lovers, groups and anyone wanting to experience old São Paulo nightlife rather than a modern cocktail bar. It works well at the end of a day exploring the historic centre, with a beer and a live set to finish.