Esther Rooftop in São Paulo

Esther Rooftop: a high-rise bistro facing Praça da República

At the top of a modernist landmark

The Edifício Esther is one of the milestones of modernist architecture in São Paulo. The restaurant occupies its top floor, on the Praça da República side: an indoor dining room with leather banquettes, decorated with a large drawn mural, opens onto a covered, glass-enclosed terrace running along the façade. Seated at the edge, you look down on the canopy of the square and the forest of buildings in the centre. A more intimate air-conditioned veranda can be booked for business meals or small groups.

French cuisine, Brazilian wines

The menu draws on French cuisine and opens it up to influences from elsewhere, while the wine list is entirely Brazilian, with pride of place given to small producers. At the bar, the house cocktails showcase products from the country, such as cachaça or tiquira, a cassava spirit, alongside gin and tonics and caipirinhas; allow around R$50 for a house creation. Music accompanies several services during the week, from jazz to DJ sets, with chorinho on some lunchtimes. The restaurant can be hired in part or in full for events.

Practical information

Open Monday to Thursday from noon to 3pm and from 6pm to 11pm, Friday from noon to 3pm and from 6pm to midnight, Saturday from noon to midnight and Sunday from noon to 5pm. Booking recommended, by WhatsApp or on +55 11 3256-1009. As the terrace is covered, it stays pleasant during the summer downpours, from December to March. Address: Rua Basílio da Gama, 29, top floor. Metrô: República station (lines 3-Vermelha and 4-Amarela), one exit of which faces the building.