Breakfast in central São Paulo, on the city’s most photographed corner
The República store faces Edifício Itália, where Avenida São Luís meets Avenida Ipiranga. What to order, when to go and what to see on the way.
Central São Paulo has a known breakfast problem. There are plenty of counter-service snack bars, few tables, and almost nothing open early with bread made on the premises. The República store opened in April 2025 into exactly that gap.
Where it is
Avenida São Luís 29, on the corner of Avenida Ipiranga, facing Edifício Itália and a short walk from the Copan building. It is the same block as the Caetano de Campos school and Parque Anhangabaú. If you arrive by metro, get off at República, take the Praça da República exit, and walk three minutes.
The house has pavement seating, a dining room and a wall of photographs of Olivier Anquier at the back. Pets are welcome outside.
What to order
The full menu is served here, which is not the case at the kiosks. Three combinations work well.
If you have fifteen minutes. A plain croissant and an espresso. It is the test of the house, and the best use of a short break.
If you have an hour. The Praça da República suggestion brings together fruit salad, scrambled eggs and a latte. The eggs are organic and free-range, cooked with cream, and come with a slice of brioche.
If you want an early lunch. The Myriam salad has goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, black olives and pesto, with P72 toasts. It is named after Olivier’s mother. With pork or beef roast it becomes a full plate.
On cold days, the onion soup is made with Olivier’s own seasoning, finished with a slice of P72 and gratinated with emmental.
When to go
The viennoiserie arrives from the Cambuci atelier early in the morning, and that is when the croissant is at its best. Between nine and eleven the room is calmer. It gets busy again in the late afternoon, as the offices empty out.
What to see nearby
The corner makes for a short, rewarding walk. Edifício Itália is across the street, and the observation deck on its top floor is open to visitors. The Copan is two blocks away on Avenida Ipiranga. The Theatro Municipal and the Galeria do Rock are ten minutes away on foot, in opposite directions. The Mário de Andrade Library is on São Luís itself, further up the street.
It is a stretch of the city that tends to surprise people who only pass through downtown.
Address and directions
Avenida São Luís 29, República, São Paulo. República metro station, on the red and yellow lines. There are car parks on Praça da República and Rua Dom José de Barros.
