Jess R.

Wow - this place is great! If I lived over here, I think I'd be at this cafe all of the time. Also - this is yet another reason why Yelp is so great. My husband has been commuting to São Paulo for work. He is originally from here and lived here for 25 years, but now we live in LA. During the days while he is at work, I find myself doing literally nothing all day. I'm without a car, tethered to Wifi to use my phone and maps for communication... It's a drag man. I dial up Yelp to see what's walking distance, and lo and behold I find coffee lab. Great photos, great reviews, a great hot chocolate?! Ok, let's try. On arrival, I was a little confused. There is indoor and outdoor seating, and a bunch of people milling about in the know. I awkwardly asked where to order from someone after asking "Fala ingleis?" (I hate having to do that.) The main grabbed me a menu in English, then told me where to order. The menus hang on the inside of the door you use to enter, which slides open. Don't push and pull like I did for 10 seconds. Look for the colorful binders, and there are some in English! I walked to the kitchen and ordered my hot chocolate and the povilhos. The hot chocolate actually comes with a shot of espresso on the side, but I turned it down since I don't actually drink coffee. The povilhos are the best - they're one of my favorite snacks in Brasil, and here they come with salted cream cheese! Genius. Oh, once you pay, grab a seat. They will bring you your order, and a laminated ticket that you bring to the register to pay on your way out. I enjoyed sitting on the patio, enjoying my snack and watching the clock, waiting for Marcelo to get off work. Big bonus is free wifi! That's how I'm writing this Yelp review... Anyway, great cafe, great snacks, great space, great ambiance.

Annie E.

Coffee Lab is well named because they are all about experimentation. They have an extensive menu filled with different varieties of coffee beans that have carefully been roasted. I love their Rituals, which are basically enjoying coffees with things that compliment them. I ordered ritual 8, which is a pour over coffee complimented with cheese and a bite of chocolate. The coffee definitely tasted different after a nibble of these treats. As a daily coffee drinker it's an exceptional way to switch it up. The ambiance is incredible too, which has everyone working dressed up like train mechanics. Rad.

Amy G.

I went here twice during my month stay in Sao Paulo. My first time, we immediately were greeted by friendly staff and seated outside, as well as handed an English menu to help our decision making process. The second time however, we went on the weekend in the late afternoon, which was packed! We waited an hour, but the wait was worth it. Delicious blends of coffees and unique menu items. I would recommend the date frappe, as well as the coffee tasting. Also, morning and early afternoon is best time to go. This place offers great tasting coffee & an enjoyable, hip atmosphere.

Augusto G.

I was walking around Vila Madalena when I smelled the coffee being made and decided to try. Best idea ever. The place is cute, and it looks like some coffee shops from Brooklyn/NY. Cool, modern decoration and very good service. You choose your coffee from a large variety of blends, and if you have no idea about coffee, the staff can suggest you the best option. They seem to know a lot about their products. I liked the variety of blends as well as the rituals for drinking the beverages. I ordered a french press, and a filtered coffee. The bring the powder and water to the table. And then they prepare the coffee in front of you. The bites are very good too. Tried a banana bread, that came inside an aluminum can, very creative.

Ron B.

The cardápio/menu mentions in its introduction that it is one of the best coffee houses in the world(!). Now, that seems a pretty bold statement, but if you like coffee 'The Lab' is definitely worth a visit. The baristas were the highlight for us. They were super enthusiastic and passionate about their jobs, which is not only to prepare coffee, but also to select and roast the beans and, importantly, to enlighten the clientele. Dressed in their overalls they make plenty of time to come serve coffee and answer any questions you have. Very fun! We tried two of their rituals and a regular cap. Ritual 1 was a fun comparison between a quality coffee and the 'drab' served in a typical Brazilian home, while Ritual 4 was to combine a quality coffee with cheese. The coffee was really outstanding (both served using a pour over cone), but we were a bit disappointed that the roasts in Rituals 1&4 were identical. Two other things we didn't really like were the loud cleanup and the unstable decking. This may seem like complaining about nothing, but our table on the deck, right next to the door from the kitchen, was wobbly from the unstable floor boards every time someone would walk by. And, this was very frequent as the cleanup tray was located directly behind us and all dirty cups from tables and kitchen would be dumped in all the time. If you want to offer a quality experience to your guests, you should not try to squeeze in one last table to be able to seat two more people, imho.

Daniel S.

Coffee lab in the Vila Madalena neighborhood had some of the best coffee I've ever had in my entire life and I am an international coffee junkie. The ambiance is very chill with seating both inside and outside on a lovely terrace. I highly recommend the cappuccinos it's simply the best one I have ever had. They also have small plates of food that accompany the coffee very well. I recommend the two different brioches. One comes with a side of Nutella and the brioche quenthino comes with marmalade,butter, honey, and cream cheese. All in all this the best coffee in Sao Paolo and it is definitely worth your time if you are in Vila Madalena

Kellie G.

Perfect coffee that is also fun! We came here our first morning in São Paulo and then returned for our other two mornings. Guilhermina was an amazing barista who made us feel comfortable and welcomed, she even adjusted our order to ensure the best experience. She was right! Loved the space, the coffee, the snacks and the service. Perfecto! Thank you so much!

Dale A.

This was the best coffee experience of my life. Staff explained many things about coffee that were new to me. Muito bom!

Jonathan D.

This place is as good as it gets for coffee lovers. The most striking feature is that just popping in for a cup of coffee is an educational experience. Besides all the courses they have for baristas or just coffee enthusiasts, they have what they refer to as "rituals", in which you can try and compare different types of coffee or different preparation methods. In my case, I just had an espresso, which they served in two different cups so I could compare how a different size cup can affect the coffee's flavor. Before I left, I couldn't help buying some coffee beans to take home. Coffee Lab is a little pricey, but definitely worth every cent.

Camila A.

Como eu não tinha ido no Coffee Lab antes é a minha maior dúvida! Aquele cheirinho de café logo na entrada é viciante. Amei o ambiente, o café, o tostex, tudo! Um ótimo lugar para conversar, trabalhar e estudar. Dentro pode ser um pouco barulhentos para as duas últimas atividades por causa da máquina de café (super legal de ver by the way), mas nada que um bom fone e música não ajude. Atendimento bem calmo e atencioso. Lugar muito bom para levar seus amigos estrangeiros, primeiro pra conhecer claro, e segundo, eles tem menu em inglês, o que ajuda bastante! Vi que sempre tem alguns turistas lá. Com certeza voltarei para experimentar outras coisas e levar meus amigos. Recomendo e muito!