São Paulo's drinking culture is built around the boteco — the corner bar, half-open to the street, serving cold beer in stubby glasses, salgadinhos, and grilled meats. Every neighbourhood has its classic botecos and most are worth a visit. The city has also gone deep on cocktails over the last decade; the bar scene from Vila Madalena through Pinheiros and into Jardins is as serious as anywhere in Latin America.
For coffee, specialty cafes are now everywhere in Pinheiros, Vila Madalena, and Vila Mariana. Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer and São Paulo is where the good beans get drunk — Coffee Lab, Octavio Café, and Suplicy are the names to look for. For nightlife, the area around Rua Augusta below Paulista is the city's main night-out strip; Vila Olímpia further south is the upmarket club zone.