Itaim Bibi

Comprised of a dense clutch of upscale commercial and residential high-rises, the district of Itaim Bibi encompasses a delightful mix of high-end restaurants and shops to satisfy the after-work cravings of the many thousands of working stiffs in the area, as well as visitors staying in the district’s hotels and extended-stay rentals. Crisscrossed and bounded by major thoroughfares such as leafy Avenida 9 de Julho, business mecca Avenida Faria Lima, and commercial hub Avenida Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek (JK for short), Itaim got its name from the old ranch upon which it is built—Itaim coming from an indigenous Tupi word for “small stone” and Bibi as a reference to the landowners’ baby, as well as a way to differentiate the neighborhood from far-flung Itaim Paulista.

Despite an already established shopping and dining scene, developments are constantly springing up, such as brand-spanking-new Shopping Iguatemi JK, featuring luxury boutiques such as Diane von Furstenberg, Christian Louboutin, and, of course, Chanel. Chic nightspots in the area, such as glitzy Disco and fashionable Provocateur, draw the bold and the beautiful of São Paulo, while connoisseurs of Italian cuisine planning to nap before a night out can fill up at upmarket eateries like Biondi and Spago.