The Ultimate Guide to Consolação Neighborhood (São Paulo)

The São Paulo neighborhood of Consolação is bordered by Avenida Paulista and Jardins to the West, upscale Higienópolis to the North, Centro to the East and the historically Italian neighborhood of Bela Vista to the South. The location of this dynamic neighborhood is perfect for those wanting to explore different neighborhoods with relative ease during their first visit. Keep reading to plan your ultimate itinerary!

Gato Griô Café

Gata Lisa, enough said. I stumbled upon this cute little 2D coffee shop located in a micro-neighborhood that spans the length of a street called Tv. Dona Paula. The shop also sell prints of the masterworks that is painted onto the walls. Various art studios (including Projeto Venus – more below) and a co-working space is also located on the same street. 

Galeria A Gentil Carioca

The micro-neighborhood that spans the length of Tv. Dona Paula street is a must visit for those that love a quaint neighborhood that packs a concentrated dose of culture, community and art. So basically every traveler. I was fortunate enough to catch the exhibition by Galery A Gentil Carioca that featured the work of Maria Nepomuceno. 

Instituto Moreira Salles (IMS Paulista)

One thing that São Paulo excels in is the arts and most of it is accessible to the public at no cost, including IMS Paulista. IMS focuses on the area of photography and the exhibitions were powerful, moving and most importantly thought provoking. I was absolutely inspired by the photographs that showed indigenous people of Xingu standing-up for self-representation politically as well as audio-visually. 

Avenida Paulista

Avenida Paulista is a major avenue where millions of Paulistanos and visitors pass through every single day. But it’s also an important cultural hub. IMS Paulista, MASP, Japan House and other cultural institutions are located on this main thoroughfare. On Sundays, it becomes a pedestrian only street and Paulistanos come to cycle, run, walk, eat, drink, sing, dance, celebrate, raise awareness to issues important to them, and people watch. If I had to choose one place in this mega-metropolis to understand its people better, this is it. 

Dinner at La Tartine

There are a few hidden gems in the Consolação neighborhood in terms of places to eat and I loved the diversity among the options. I was able to try La Tartine (French) but other top contenders included Athenas (Greek), Biyou’Z (African), and Mestiço (Thai). La Tartine was simply lovely – I started with the onion soup, had the duck breast for my main, and apple pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Riviera Bar

Riviera Bar is vibey and attracts the young and beautiful in São Paulo. I didn’t make a reservation and only waited about 15 mins in line with my friend. The bar area located on the ground floor was packed on Saturday evening. The upstairs area was reserved for diners (although you could order food at the bar if you’re able to secure space at the counter top). Drinks were excellent but the real highlight was the food. I will continue to day dream about that Burrata (happy sigh…).