Discover Alba, a new modern bar in an old costume store in Vila Beatriz

Alba, a new bar in Vila Beatriz, west of São Paulo, has been given a makeover to transform an old and decadent costume shop into a spot with a drinks menu designed by Maynara Medeiros, a menu designed by chef Raphael Vieira and architecture by Rodrigo Ohtake .

“Alba means dawn and that’s where the colors of the bar came from”, says Ohtake, who is also one of the partners of the new space. The architect still remembers that he had already worked with his current partners when he designed the late Buraco bar, in Santa Cecília, in the center of São Paulo.

Ohtake, however, makes a point of remembering that in the old Buraco, purple and neon marked the decoration. At Alba, the highlights are a golden ceiling painted with automotive paint, an intense blue chosen for the wall behind the counter and the orange tones of the furniture in the place, which emulate the celestial colors in their different states. According to the architect, the chosen decoration creates a cozy environment for the Alba space, which also features furniture designed by him and fellow architect Gustavo Utrabo.

The atmosphere is not the only attraction of the bar, which highlights the menu created by the same chef as the vegetarian restaurant 31. Closed a few months ago in the center of São Paulo, the other restaurant should reopen soon on the outskirts of Alba.

“I had the freedom to make bar food, an opportunity that I decided to embrace”, says Vieira, also explaining how all the options were designed to be shared, eaten with your hands and with non-vegetarian dishes included on the menu. Among these, the chef highlights the mackerel with macadamia sauce, spicy leaves and dill oil (R$52) and the mussel tempura, which at Alba is served on the shells accompanied by seaweed mayonnaise (R$45) . The brioche served with liver pâté and preserved vegetables (R$42) is also worth mentioning.

Also, making a nod to those who miss 31, Vieira included vegetarian options such as grilled mushrooms with garlic paste and furikake (R$ 42) and lettuce served with arugula cream, herbs and pistachios (R$ 36), all dishes They can also be accompanied by a portion of artisan bread (R$13).

The nostalgic spirit to a certain extent also marks the creation of Medeiros’ cocktails, who makes no secret of the fact that she paid homage to moments with her friends to name and compose the drinks. “The first Caju do Fefeira jam was made by a friend”, says the mixologist about the drink that also contains cashew vermouth, gin, lemon juice and sparkling water (R$ 39).

Medeiros also highlights that all options on the menu include vermouth in their composition. Another highlight is the Gallo Almado (R$33), a mix of cachaça infused with lapsang souchong tea, red vermouth and Cynar. It’s also worth trying the Flyboy (R$40), which combines Bourbon whiskey infused with licorice, jaboticaba vermouth and lemon juice, and the Das Flores (R$37), which contains white vermouth, vodka infused with purple basil, lemon juice and sugar syrup.

The house also created an excellent version of a coffee-based cocktail, the Ruy com J (R$ 39), which adds a dose of gin, a dose of vermouth and finishes with a touch of lemon and orange bitters, and a excellent version of a drink based on pear distillate, the Goya Sedoso (R$ 38), which also mixes white vermouth, Bourbon, pear juice and fresh dill to compose the cocktail.

Vieira and Medeiros also advise which dishes to eat with certain drinks. As an example, the chef and the mixologist ask customers to try the brioche with liver pâté alongside the Gallo Almado and the lettuce with arugula cream alongside the Das Flores. With a competent group behind it, it is clear that Alba is one of those bars that is worth going to not only to drink, but to enjoy the place.