Brisa do Barú at the Copan: the 12-seat counter already drawing lines in the heart of São Paulo
Chef Dagoberto Torres brings his seafood kitchen to the iconic Edifício Copan — and the city responded immediately
If you've ever waited in line on Rua Augusta for a spot at Barú Marisquería, here's the good news and the bad news: chef Dagoberto Torres and his partner Nathália Altoe have just opened a second address in the city. The good: Brisa do Barú is now open at the base of the Edifício Copan. The bad: the lines started forming right away.
The restaurant occupies shop 46 of the Copan — that sweeping curved building by Oscar Niemeyer on Avenida Ipiranga that is, by itself, a reason to visit downtown São Paulo. With just 12 seats arranged at a counter that wraps around an open grill, the setup has the feel of an omakase: you watch every dish being prepared, and the chef delivers it personally and explains what just came off the heat. Genuine intimacy, nothing forced.
The menu: 14 preparations, built for sharing
Brisa's menu features 14 dishes divided into sections with names that hint at the house DNA — Levanta Muertos, De La Olla, Crocantitos, and Da Chapa. The format is small plates meant for sharing; the general recommendation is four to five dishes per pair.
Standout dishes include: grilled oysters (R$ 42), served in the shell with peanut leche de tigre; the Chora Patacón (R$ 34) — crispy chicken skin topped with tuna, wasabi cream and fish roe, a dish that quickly became the talk of São Paulo's food scene; scallop and mussel ceviche (R$ 54); and sardine cured in olive oil with olives (R$ 79). The menu shifts with what's fresh from the market each day, so certain items can sell out before service ends — arrive early if you have your heart set on something.
Google reviewers report an average spend close to R$ 250 per person, including starters, mains, and drinks — in line with the level of execution on offer.
Who's behind it
Dagoberto Torres arrived in São Paulo in December 2007, at 24 years old, coming from Bogotá. He worked at Alex Atala's D.O.M., honed his seafood skills at Suri Ceviche & Bar, and consulted on the restaurant Uma Nota in Hong Kong before opening Barú Marisquería in 2018. He is also co-author of the book Ceviche — Do Pacífico para o Mundo (Ceviche — From the Pacific to the World). Over seven-plus years at the helm of Barú, he built one of the most sought-after tables in São Paulo — earning recognition in the Michelin Guide under the Bib Gourmand category.
The name Barú references Isla Barú, near Cartagena de Indias — and that Caribbean-Colombian thread runs through both the original restaurant and the new dishes at Brisa.
Why downtown makes sense
The choice of the Copan is no coincidence. The building already hosts its own constellation of bars, cafés, and small restaurants, and sits at the center of a dining scene that has been steadily gaining momentum in São Paulo's historic core. For Torres and Altoe, it's a bet on downtown as a gastronomic destination — and based on the demand since opening, the city seems to agree.
An expansion is already planned: directly across from Brisa, Torres intends to open Barú Sandu, a spot dedicated to fish and seafood sandwiches.
Worth going?
If you love well-executed seafood, enjoy watching dishes come together in front of you, and want a restaurant that actually has a personality — yes, absolutely. Just plan ahead: go early or book via WhatsApp. With only 12 seats, there's no room for impulse.
Brisa do Barú — Av. Ipiranga, 200, shop 46, Edifício Copan, Centro. Reservations: (11) 99307-8636. Tuesday to Thursday: noon–3:30pm and 7pm–10:30pm; Friday and Saturday: noon–10:30pm; Sunday: noon–5pm. Closed Mondays.
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