Come summertime, some like to dash from one air-conditioned climate to another, while others revel in the chance to dine outside. If the latter fits the bill, make the most of balmy evenings with our round-up of ten al fresco eateries.
AK Vila
Rua Fradique Coutinho 1240, Vila Madalena (3231 4496/ akvila.com.br)
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AK Vila has been serving up an eclectic menu of Central European dishes, grills and seasonal dishes in an industrial-chic setting since 2011, but this hip restaurant's front terrace now features a falafel stall where the chickpea snack is shaped and fried on the spot. Take it away, or pull up a pew to eat in the sunshine.
Bar des Arts
Rua Pedro Humberto 9, Itaim Bibi (3074 6363/ bardesarts.com.br)
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This picture-perfect bar-cum-restaurant features mostly French and Italian cuisine, with the odd touch of Brazilian, and is great for lunch on a sunny day, when you can sit out in the garden of the former mansion and choose between the excellent lunch buffet and à la carte options.
Brado
Rua Joaquim Antunes 381, Pinheiros (3061 9293/ bradorestaurante.com.br)
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Pairing an eclectic menu with a colourful, open-plan space that spans the ground floor and yard of a 1950s white-washed brick house, Brado charms by day, with sunlight shining through the vines on the yard’s glass roof, and enchants by night, when legions of hanging candles are lit.
Capim Santo
Alameda Ministro Rocha Azevedo 471, Jardim Paulista (3068 8486/ capimsanto.com.br)
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Taste your way across Brazil at this Jardins eatery, with the best local ingredients, from fresh water Amazonian fish to manioc in every shape and form. The real highlight, however, is the Jungle Book-style garden out back. Reservations are a must.
Chez Oscar
Rua Oscar Freire 1128, Jardim Paulista (3061 2966/ chez.com.br)
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The latest venture by the group behind Chez MIS and Bar Secreto retains its sister restaurants’ hipster-minded vibe. This mostly-Mediterranean bar and restaurant, located in a refitted, Triptyque-designed, multi-floor building on the upmarket street from where it takes its name, is shooting for a cool night-owl crowd, staying open until 3am (except Sundays). Come at night to appreciate its stunning open-air eating and drinking spaces – the large restaurant space on the first floor, whose cream canvas roof is rolled back on pleasant evenings, and the terrace on the 3rd floor bar.
Due Cuochi Cidade Jardim
Shopping Cidade Jardim, Avenida Magalhães de Castro 12000, Butantã (3758 2731/ duecuochi.com.br)
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Enjoy a light summer lunch in the shade of a jabuticaba tree, on the top floor of Shopping Cidade Jardim, where gourmet restaurants and a great view of the city make for a pleasing combo when the weather is clement. Menu highlights include a delicious seafood ravioli cooked with lemon grass.
Feed Food
Rua Artur de Azevedo 517, Pinheiros (4305 7727)
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This backyard restaurant of hip boutique-cum-gallery Cartel 011 features a menu as eclectic as the venue itself, and conjures an informal yet fashionable al fresco dining experience. A canopy of trees and glass roofing covers a scattering of wooden tables and chairs, and a wood-decked bar.
O Pote
Rua Joaquim Antunes 224, Jardim Paulistano (3068 9888/ opoterestaurante.com.br)
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O Pote emerged in late 2013 from a revamp complete with a new name, new chef, new eclectic menu and new decor, but thankfully the same leafy, secluded garden out the back.
Tokyo Rose
Rua Jerônimo da Veiga 457, Itaim Bibi (3168 9580/ tokyorose.com.br)
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This gourmet sushi joint, which opened at the end of 2013, is a striking two-storey space, clad in black trellises, with velvet banquettes and soft yellow lighting throughout. The open-air spaces in the front and out back are perfect for summer evenings.
Vila das Meninas
Rua Padre Carvalho 139, Pinheiros (3037 7773)
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Discreet charm and attention to detail are the hallmarks of the namesake meninas ('girls'), Karine and Renata, who established this restaurant as a homely homage to modern comida mineira, from neighbouring Minas Gerais. Sit out in the small garden, under the shade of a lantern-bedecked tree.
