Discover Rabo di Galo, a luxury bar in SP where bolovo costs R$135 and lines last for hours

The opening of the Rosewood hotel, in São Paulo, did not just bring to the city a luxury brand and six-star accommodation, with daily rates starting at R$2,800. It also represented the opening of a new bar, as chic as the venture and dedicated to fine cocktails: Rabo di Galo. Despite the smiles and attention given by the staff at home, drinking there is not for anyone.

The bar is located in the Cidade Matarazzo complex, one block from Avenida Paulista, and visiting it is an event. With the artistic direction of the Frenchman Philippe Starck, the space has a collection of 450 works signed by Brazilian artists – part of them can be seen by the public that goes to one of the gastronomic spaces or to the centenary chapel of Santa Luzia.

Of the hotel’s six restaurants, five are already open – Le Jardin, Blaise, Taráz and Rabo di Galo welcome visitors, while Bela Vista Rooftop is available for guests only. Of these, only Rabo di Galo does not accept reservations.

For those who want to avoid the perrengue of standing in line for hours, especially on weekends, the way is to arrive early. The space opens at 6pm, and its leather armchairs seat just 35 people.

“We arrived at 5:30 pm and there was already a queue”, says creative director Claudia Toledo, who tried to visit the place on January 29th. As there was no expected waiting time and it was not possible to order an aperitif or water while waiting, she and her companions gave up on entering the bar. “We still had to pay R$60 for parking. We only received a call at 8 pm to say that the table was free.”

In a note, the hotel stressed that the Rabo di Galo bar works with a waiting list that works on a first-come, first-served basis and that demand for space has been high. “The restaurants and bar at Rosewood São Paulo are operating with a high demand from customers, especially on weekends,” he said.

While waiting, visitors can browse the library’s books, wander through the hotel lobby and observe the artwork and pieces signed by designers. “The bathroom is beautiful”, says an employee, as if giving a tour tip. With cabins covered in marble of different colors, the atmosphere really impresses. Even the litter is cute.

Named after the very Brazilian rabo de galo —our “cocktail”, a drink created in São Paulo pubs in the 1950s-, the bar reflects the enterprise’s proposal to value what is national and present it as a luxury item.

Dark and intimate, the atmosphere is inspired by the jazz clubs of the 1930s. But its ceiling is colored by the hands of Rodrigo de Azevedo Saad, known as Hair, who painted a magical night there, with a touch of primitive. The musical program takes over the space from Tuesday to Sunday.

Once seated, the customer is greeted with a portion of pururuca, a portion of marinated olives and house water. If you prefer bottled water, there are two options — the 700 ml container from Matarazzo, which costs R$ 15, or the 300 ml container from Platina, which costs R$ 22.

The snack menu casts an ultra-gourmetizing ray on traditional bar snacks. There are recipes like chicken with bird, which costs R$ 58 with four units; shrimp, pumpkin and coconut croquettes, for R$ 74 with four units; or the rice ball, wagyu, quail egg and parmesan emulsion, for R$ 68 with four units.

The famous bolovo is also on the menu — made of chicken and caviar, the unit costs R$ 135. The eggs crown the snack, whose very thin dough crumbles when tasting, giving the impression of having a boiled egg in hand. There is also a simpler version of the savory one, made with truffle emulsion, which costs R$52 a unit.

Coincidentally, the new hotel bar opened shortly after São Paulo said goodbye to Frank, in December — and has the potential to fill that void and become the new hotel counter that attracts those who go out at night in São Paulo in search of a good drink. . Opened in 2015 in the lobby of Maksoud Plaza, Frank has accumulated awards and marked a new phase of the category in the capital. The business closed its doors next to the hotel.

At Rabo di Galo, Ana Paula Ulrich is the bar chef and designs creations such as the fruity Wishbone, made with gin, Lillet, mango, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, Sauternes and Angostura. The drink costs R$ 65 – which is the value of the cheapest recipes on the menu, by the way. The counter also sells non-alcoholic options, the so-called “mocktails”, in addition to forgotten classics.

The most traditional rooster tail recipe combines cachaça, Cynar and red vermouth. There, the drink comes in two versions: the first, more fruity, combines red and white vermouth, in addition to guava, and costs R$75. The second is more full-bodied, without Cynar, but with rum and sherry — This one costs $65.

By way of comparison, in a bar and snack bar, like Estadão, the drink is also served with variations. At the cafeteria, the cheapest recipe costs R$6, with 51 cachaça and Cinzano vermouth, and you pay R$14 for the most expensive one, with cocoa liqueur and Domecq.

But pubs don’t have jazzy played live on the piano, much less a signed environment and people walking around to see and be seen. At Rabo di Galo, you pay to taste the experience of the popular in a luxury version.