Originally open in 1949, the Bar Riviera became an important meeting place for the intellectual left of São Paulo during the 60’s and 70’s – a type of piéce de résistance during the Brazilian military regime. Living through the glorious epoch, already quite decadent, the establishment had closed its doors. In 2013, Facundo Guerra decided to reopen the Riviera where it had previously been located, recuperating the spirits of days gone by, with elements that captured the modernist architecture of the original building.

The new interior by Marcio Kogan and his team at Studio MK27 now serves some of the country’s best cuisine out of a kitchen run by one of its top chefs, Alex Atala. The glass blocks of the facade give the first floor a retro feel, complemented by the Bertoia bar stools. The red Corian countertop – where bartenders concoct Cachaça da Lajes and Terra da Garoas – delivers the here and now.

On the second floor, the main dining area is delineated from the kitchen by a sculptural timber wall that curves along the space and opens up to reveal the service counter. The unfussy outside of the building, with its retro neon sign, has just the edgy corner-bar vibe to make this place more than just a throwback to the golden era.

 

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[Images courtesy of Studio MK27. Photos by Rômulo Fialdini.]

 

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