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#coffee #saopaulo #restaurant #food #beer #brunch #cathedral #bars #paulista #dinner
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susi

Is the CSa bar tab scam real in Sao Paulo 2026?

fmd_goodCSa · #scam
Stopped into a bar in the CSa area and was told the card machine was down so I'd have to pay cash, then the tab came out way higher than what we ordered. Is this a known scam in Sao Paulo or was I jus… Stopped into a bar in the CSa area and was told the card machine was down so I'd have to pay cash, then the tab came out way higher than what we ordered. Is this a known scam in Sao Paulo or was I just unlucky? Curious how the trick usually works before I go back in 2026.
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Image clivia ·

The card machine "being down" is the setup; they keep a paper tab you never see, then inflate it because cash leaves you no receipt to dispute.

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Image kerstin ·

Yeah, plus they pad it with couvert and service before you notice.

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Image edith ·

Exactly, and the comanda stays behind the counter so you never see it.

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Image clivia ·

Ask for the comanda (the paper slip) before you order anything and keep it with you, that's the one thing that shuts the padding down. Also pay by card if you can, since cash is what makes the inflated total stick. I've heard it's mostly a tourist-area thing, not everywhere.

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roselotte

best coffee near Pedacinho de Amor Sandra & Cia?

fmd_goodPedacinho de Amor Sandra & Cia · #coffee
visiting sao paulo in march 2026 & staying a few blocks from Pedacinho de Amor Sandra & Cia, is it more of a sit down cafe or grab and go? also curious what the pao de queijo situation is like there,… visiting sao paulo in march 2026 & staying a few blocks from Pedacinho de Amor Sandra & Cia, is it more of a sit down cafe or grab and go? also curious what the pao de queijo situation is like there, any recs for a proper breakfast nearby
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Image karinamittag ·

Coffee Lab on Rua Fradique Coutinho, opens 10am.

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Image dahlia ·

Worth noting they close around 6pm and it's closed Sundays, so a weekday morning is your best bet. If you want something earlier, the little spots along Rua Girassol start pouring espresso by 7.

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Image manuela ·

Also weekday mornings only, they shut weekends.

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Image dahlia ·

Padoca do Mani, sits down, opens 8.

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Image dahlia ·

Pedacinho de Amor is mainly a grab and go padaria, so don't count on table service. For a sit-down breakfast, walk toward Rua Harmonia in Vila Madalena; the pao de queijo is fresher before 9am at most spots there.

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