If you are not from Sao Paulo, walking in the downtown area is literally an adventure. The birthplace and administrative center of the city, containing most of the city’s historical heritage and showcasing the overwhelming variety of the city’s architecture is where you truly get a sense of what it feels like to be in South America’s biggest city.

In the downtown of the most visited city of Brazil, the 19th-century buildings will be contrasting with multicolored shop stalls and visitors will meet locals shouting everywhere trying to sell something. Although the first impression might be chaotic, this region also has one of the “safest places” in Sao Paulo: Bar do Cofre.

Bar do Cofre in Sao Paulo

Among so many great places to visit in Sao Paulo, it’s hard to say this is the coolest bar in the city, but without a question, this is at least a place to remember. Bar do Cofre is an iconic location set within the vault of one of the city’s most historic banks in the downtown area.

Inspired by New York and London’s finest bars, the design and décor of the bar have been revamped by LAB Arquitetos, which also did the renovation on The Ned in London and Butcher and Banker in New York. The original features of the vault remain, including the enforced steel safe doors, marble floors and walls.

As the building work for the original bank lasted for the duration of World War II, it wasn’t possible to import goods from Europe, so most of the materials for the original bank were imported from the US. This includes safes from York Safe & Lock Co., the New York maker of impenetrable vault doors and safes.

Better safe than sorry.

-Spanish Proverb.

Visiting Bar do Cofre in Sao Paulo

As you can imagine, you must book in advance to visit this interesting place. 

Signature cocktails include Ordem e Prosecco, a play on the phrase ‘Order and Progress’ from Brazil’s national flag, but drinks are focused on whisky, gin, rum and genever. The menu also has brazilian comfort food for those who fancy a bite to soak up the cocktails.

Farol Santander’s transformation into a creative space is part of a bigger movement to revive downtown São Paulo, which has long been overlooked for its bar and restaurant scenes. Bar do Cofre counts among its neighbors A Casa do Porco, part of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants .

Bar do Cofre is open after 4pm Monday to Saturday and after 2pm on Sundays.