It made perfect sense for it to be Portugal. That it would be Fasano Cascais. And indeed the Brazilian hotel group, epitome of hospitality in the great South American country, has decided to kick off its European adventure by starting with its Portuguese siblings. It will be in Cascais, that is, with an opening planned for 2028 and a concept that will go beyond its 97 rooms. It is a large residential complex in Quinta da Marinha that will host private residences with a golf course, leisure areas, dining, and views of the Atlantic Ocean.
But wait. Do you not know Fasano’s history? Let’s rewind then. Up to 1902 to be exact, when the Italian Vittorio Fasano emigrated to Brazil and chose the historic center of São Paulo to open the restaurant Brasserie Paulista, which soon became a legendary place. After Vittorio’s death, his youngest son, Ruggero, who had gone to study in Moncalieri, near Turin, returned to Brazil to take the reins of the family legacy. Thus, in 1947 he reopened Fasano on Rua Vieira de Carvalho. Another milestone, also by Ruggero, arrived in 1958, when he gave life to a confectionery and created a winter garden with a ballroom through which passed, among others, celebrities such as Nat King Cole, David Niven, Marlene Dietrich and Ginger Rogers.
After decades of success, the journey jumps to 1982, when the opening of a new Fasano by Fabrizio, Ruggero’s son, served to, eighty years later, rubricar el apellido de don Vittorio en la historia reciente de Brasil. It took another two decades until in 2003 the Fasano São Paulo hotel came to life in the Jardins district. The gastronomy, the building’s contemporary architecture, excellent service, and an unbeatable location were key for word-of-mouth to do the rest.
