São Paulo, Brazil's bustling metropolis, has long been a melting pot of cultures—and its cocktail scene is no exception. From the city's early pioneers like Baretto and Bar Astor, which helped lay the foundation for a serious mixology culture in the 2000s, to today’s wave of experimental speakeasies and sustainable mixology, São Paulo's bars continue to evolve with global trends while staying rooted in Brazilian flavours. In recent years, a new generation of cocktail bars—led by internationally recognized bars like Tan Tan—have redefined the drinking experience with creative ingredients, immersive atmospheres, and a strong emphasis on local spirits like cachaça. In this article updated for 2026, we take you on a tour of the latest openings in São Paulo, including Eximia, Picco, Liquor Store, and Kotchi.

The Liquor Store

Conceived in November 2022 by Thiago Bañares—renowned for his pioneering restaurant bars Tan Tan and Kotori —The Liquor Store represents his dedicated venture into craft cocktail territory. Located in São Paulo’s upscale Jardins neighborhood, The Liquor Store is discreetly tucked upstairs behind Goya Zushi, accessible only by reservation and escorted entry through the sushi bar’s main floor.

The space hosts just 20 seats—mostly at the sleek marble-topped bar, which fosters a close interaction between guests and bartenders. The decor features velvet-red banquettes set against black marble and dark walls, with ambient, subdued lighting and a thoughtfully curated playlist ranging from jazz to hip hop, kept at a perfect volume for conversation. A wall of classic cocktail books and global menus—collected by Bañares—adds to the cocktail connoisseur vibe. Alongside time-honored classics, the menu highlights signature creations by head bartender Caio Carvalhaes, organized into four categories: Spirit Forward, Bitters, Sours, and Light. As Caio explains, The Liquor Store is also used as a school for the Tan Tan Group: “For us, The Liquor Store serves as a training ground for our crew to learn not only about classics but the fundamentals of hospitality.”

Kotchi

Still in Jardins, we check out Kotchi, another exciting new Japanese bar in São Paulo created by the duo Makoto Okuwa and Inés de Los Santos. Makoto, originally from Japan, built his culinary reputation in the U.S. after the success of his namesake sushi restaurant in Miami, which he opened in 2011. Since then, he’s expanded with restaurants in Panama, Mexico City, and now Brazil. Inés, an Argentine, is a prominent figure behind the craft cocktail movement in Buenos Aires, where her bar, Cochinchina, has been earning praise since opening in 2020.

The name “Kotchi” is a playful shorthand for "kochira," meaning “come here.” Makoto and Inés envisioned a space with more energy than your typical restaurant bar, offering guests the chance to dance between drinks and bites. The soundtrack? A mix of Japanese jazz and Arabic house, curated by Marcos Campos, a well-known figure in São Paulo’s nightlife scene.

The venue fully embraces a modern and bold aesthetic, blending industrial, urban, and cosmopolitan elements. Featuring concrete surfaces and the graphic culture of poster art, the design is the work of Victor Penha from Belezas Imperfeitas.

The cocktails at Kotchi in São Paulo are a fusion of creativity and tradition, combining Japanese ingredients with innovative techniques. A favorite on the menu is Martini de Tomate e Caju, a savory twist on the Martini cocktail featuring gin (45 ml), caju and tomato water (25 ml), and dry vermouth (25 ml). The caju and tomato water is prepared by separately muddling tomatoes (30% proportion) and caju (70% proportion), which are strained with a cloth strainer and then mixed together. The prebatch is stirred and strained into a Nick and Nora glass.

Picco

São Paulo is home to one of the largest Italian communities outside of Italy, and the wave of immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries brought with it a rich culinary heritage that continues to flourish today. Among the city's standout Italian-inspired spots is Picco, which has been delighting visitors since 2016 with its Neapolitan-style pizzas, expertly crafted cocktails, and vibrant live music. Situated on Rua Lisboa, just a 20-minute walk northwest of Kotchi, this lively venue often sees crowds spilling onto the sidewalk or gathering in the graffiti-covered backyard, decorated by São Paulo street artists. Music is central to Picco’s identity, with daily live performances and signature events like Primavera Jazz, Picco à Brasileira, Picco Session, and Hora de Picco, often held in collaboration with cultural institutions.

Picco’s cocktail menu, designed by owner and head bartender Lula Mascella, leans classic but keeps things playful and approachable. A standout among the best-sellers is the Figo Giuseppe — Mascella’s inventive take on the Bitter Giuseppe, a modern classic by Stephen Cole. This version blends green grape verjuice, fig, Oloroso Sherry, and a touch of balsamic vinegar with the familiar base of Cynar 70. It’s served over a large ice cube in a rocks glass, striking a perfect balance between bold and nuanced.

Like its predecessor, the Figo Giuseppe is a bitter aperitivo-style cocktail, but it stands out with a wine-like flavor profile, thanks to the combination of verjuice and sherry, layered with subtle notes of fig and balsamic vinegar. For one prebatch bottle (approximately 8 cocktails), 470 ml Cynar 70, 235 g fig, 160 ml oloroso sherry, 120 g green grape verjuice, 40 g balsamic vinegar and 0.8 g pectinex is processed all together in a Thermomix for 3 minutes at a speed of 8, then refrigerated for 24 hours, and strained using paper filters.

Eximia

Exímia Bar opened its doors in 2024 in the vibrant Itaim Bibi neighborhood of São Paulo. The name "Exímia" comes from Latin, meaning “excellence,” and this perfectly captures the spirit behind the bar’s creation. Born from the collaboration between renowned bartender Márcio Silva, acclaimed chef Manu Buffara, and the Locale Group entrepreneurs Gabriel and Nicholas Fullen, Exímia is a celebration of Brazilian culture through the lens of world-class mixology and gastronomy.

Márcio Silva, with his international bartending experience, leads the bar’s creative direction, aiming to reinvent Brazilian ingredients in sophisticated cocktails. Meanwhile, Manu Buffara, recognized as Latin America’s Best Female Chef in 2022, curates a food menu designed to complement the drinks, making Exímia a full sensory experience.

Exímia’s cozy space spans two floors that complement each other, honoring Brazil’s vibrant history and offering distinctive, unforgettable experiences. Enhancing the intimate vibe, the background music features Brazilian influences, with DJs, including performances by founder Nicholas Fullen at the upstairs bar. Both floors boast expansive 9-meter-long bars, encouraging interaction between bartenders and guests. The décor balances modern sophistication with nostalgic Brazilian elements, providing a welcoming yet refined backdrop for the bar’s innovative offerings.

Under Márcio Silva’s leadership, the bartending team at Exímia comprises some of São Paulo’s finest talents, including bar manager Victor Venegas and head bartender Grace Kyoko. The team’s commitment to excellence and deep knowledge of Brazilian flavors are integral to the bar’s identity. In developing the menu, Marcio Silvia conducted in-depth research into the anthropology, originality, and history of vintage and classic cocktails. By using ingredients native to Brazil, he transformed these classics into contemporary creations—each drink telling a unique story through its combination of local flavors. One standout on the menu is Ameríndio, a refreshing drink made 45 ml of Brazilian masala infused rum, 20 ml of Hennessy VS, 2 dashes of amburana tincture, 25 ml of clarified lime juice, 1 dash of spiced tincture, 2 dashes of aromatic bitters, 20 ml of 2:1 organic sugar syrup which is rested in a Brazilian wood barrel and then carbonated and served in a highball glass and garnished with mint leaves.

To celebrate its one year anniversary, Eximia invited twenty bars - ten international (The Clumsies Athens, La Factoría Old San Juan, CôChinChina Buenos Aires, Amano Panama City, Amelia Dubai, Back Room Manila, Baker’s Montevideo, Classique Café Paris, Pocket San José, Naked Athens) and ten from Brazil, as well as five journalists to participate in five days of cultural experiences in Sao Paolo, culminating in two fun filled nights of take overs. Spread across Eximia’s three floors—including the top-floor laboratory—visiting bartenders were paired up to serve original cocktails representing their own bars. Each pair also collaborated on an exclusive cocktail featuring Ballena liqueur, the sponsor of the anniversary celebration.

A recent public health crisis involving contaminated liquor bottles in São Paulo's peripheral areas prompted the Minister of Health to warn residents against alcohol consumption. São Paulo bars saw sharp revenue drops from mid-September through November, forcing many to downsize. Eximia was impacted, leading its owners to relocate to a smaller space. According to Marcio Silva: "Given these circumstances, we reassessed our business model. Keeping the bar at its original location would have required major financial commitment. The venue had become too large for our current reality. To survive, we're transitioning to a new, smaller location opening in March."

São Paulo

Photos from 2019 trip

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