Opened in 2019, the second unit of the well-known SubAstor is called Bar do Cofre. That’s because it’s down a flight of stairs from the Altino Arantes Building, kept under lock and key behind steel bars, in what was once the vault of a long-defunct bank in São Paulo.After all, in the 20th century, the historic building served as the headquarters of the former Banco do Estado de São Paulo (Banespa). When Santander bought the bank in 2000, the building was transformed into a cultural space, now known as the Santander Lighthouse. And the old vault replaced the gold bars with drinks and food, becoming one of the city’s most unusual bars.
Learn about the history of the SubAstor Vault Bar
In 2019, the old Banespa vault was transformed into the most iconic bar in the Historic Center. The environment has kept its original features, such as circular doors made of concrete and reinforced steel, as well as marble floors and walls.
As soon as you step through the bars, you see shelves and a lighted bar in the center of the room. On the sides, there are two 16-ton doors.
The first door leads into an entirely listed room which, after an intense restoration process, houses almost two thousand individual storage boxes, now part of the decor. In this room, the old chairs and armchairs from the former Banespão are also part of the decoration.
In speakeasythe bar offers a mysterious, intimate and exclusive experience. After all, where else would you find a bar inside an old vault? It also offers a menu of classic cocktails and exclusive creations inspired by Brazilian biomes.
How to get to know it?
Bar do Cofre is located in the basement of Farol Santander (Rua João Brícola, 24 – Centro) and is open from Tuesday to Sunday. It is advisable to book in advance via this link, as there is usually a queue. More information on the bar’s website.