Best Restaurants in São Paulo
São Paulo has the best food of any city in Brazil and the dining scene here is among the best in Latin America. The only other cities that might claim the mantle for best in the region are Mexico City and Lima, representing two of the world’s most appreciated cuisines. That’s pretty stiff competition, so you can rest assured that the food in São Paulo is no joke.
Brazil’s largest city, São Paulo is the country’s economic and financial capital and there is no shortage of restaurants here. Options range from humble street eats all the way up to Michelin-starred fine dining. Of 15 restaurants with Michelin stars in all of Brazil, 9 of them are in São Paulo. That tells you something.
But, for me, the pleasure of eating in São Paulo goes way beyond Michelin stars, molecular gastronomy, and the types of places that food writers fall over themselves lauding. Many of the best eating experiences here are at simpler establishments that stay true to their roots. And these are the types of places that I especially love.
A city of immigrants, São Paulo offers an incredible diversity of cuisines. You have entire neighborhoods dedicated to Japanese, Korean, and Italian food as well as fantastic options for Peruvian, Chinese, and, of course, all manner of Brazilian; from the South’s barbecue to the afro-influenced eats of the Northeast and indigenous foods from the Amazonian North. For fans of meat, you’ll find the best churrascarias (Brazilian barbecue joints) in the country here.
I’ve included a few spots that will cost you a pretty penny (by Brazilian standards anyways), but this is a major global city, so the occasional splurge is worth it. To balance it out, I’ve included a number of hidden gems, local favorites, and lots of places with tremendous quality, but very reasonable prices. Hope you’re hungry…
Bom apetite!
More São Paulo travel info:
If you could use some help planning your trip to São Paulo (and Brazil more broadly), schedule a Brazil travel consultation with me!
For more info on São Paulo, check out my São Paulo travel guide and my list of 35 things to do in São Paulo.
Table of Contents
Introduction to dining in São Paulo
Botecos, lanchonetes, & padarias
Churrascarias
Izakayas
Paying at restaurants in Brazil
Credit vs. cash
The famous “comanda”
Tipping
São Paulo’s 16 best restaurants
Tours of São Paulo with Renato
If you want to see São Paulo through the eyes of a local, I’d love to take you for a private guided tour!
I’m a born and bred Paulista, and I’ve been running tours of my city for a decade. I try to introduce my guests to a side of my city that you wouldn’t get to see on your own, while still making sure to see the highlights. I’m a cyclist, and so particularly enjoy leading bike tours. But I also do walking tours, driving tours, and day trips out to the mountains, countryside, beaches, and nearby cities like Santos and Guarujá as well.
If you’re interested in a tour, it’d be my pleasure to be your guide!
Introduction to dining in São Paulo & Brazil
Types of restaurants
In Brazil there are categories, or a hierarchy, of restaurants. They vary not just in terms of what is served, but also when, how, and at what price point. Your main ones are: restaurantes, botecos, lanchonetes, and padarias. Because of São Paulo’s huge Japanese population, we have to include a note about Izakayas. For meat lovers, you also have churrascarias, steak houses solely dedicated to the art of the perfect grilled meat.
Differentiating between the different restaurants on look alone can often be challenging, and the lines between a lanchonete, boteco, and padaria often become pretty blurry. Nonetheless, having a general understanding of the differences and what you should plan to find and eat at each is helpful.
Restaurantes
These are restaurants in the traditional sense of the word. You can come here for lunch and dinner typically with a full menu. Restaurants of this level in Brazil usually serve a specific type of food, i.e. it might be an Italian restaurant, a shrimp-focused restaurant, Northeastern food, modern Brazilian, Japanese, etc. There are all different price ranges of restaurants, but regardless they are more expensive than the other 3 types.
The eclectic and delightful restaurant Conçeição Discos in Santa Cecília
Botecos
A boteco is something between a restaurant and a bar. They might open for breakfast, but typically only open for lunch and dinner. In most of Brazil botecos are simple, no frill places, but in São Paulo more and more of them are now very nicely equipped and decorated establishments that are no longer the “pe sujo” (dirty foot - best translated as a hole in the wall) of your parents or grandparents.
At lunch time, botecos offer a staple menu along with one or two daily specials. The menu will always have options for prato feito or prato comercial (the only difference is the size of the dish) and these are plates where you choose a type of meat or fish and then get some combination of rice, beans, and salad. Sometimes you’ll have sauteed vegetables and mashed potatoes instead, but rice, beans, and salad is the classic. The aforementioned daily specials are specific to each day of the week and rarely change. The daily specials will vary depending on the region of Brazil, except for the national dish, Feijoada, which is served on Wednesdays and Saturdays all throughout the country.
For dinner, in the evenings most botecos convert into bars and the menu goes from full plates to Brazilian bar snacks - frango a passarinho (lightly fried chicken), pastel (brazilian meat pies - like caribbean empanadas), picanha (sizzling shared plates of sirloin beef), batata frita (french fries), linguiça acebolada (thinly sliced sausage with sauteed onion), etc. You can almost always order a full meal as well if you want.
Lanchonetes
Here things start to get a bit more confusing. A lanchonete in Sao Paulo is sometimes indistinguishable from a boteco and other times indistinguishable from a padaria. Traditionally, a lanchonete was a very informal place that sold quick snacks like sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, and finger food - things that you could eat on the fly. Now many of them also offer simple breakfasts and lunches as well. If you’re from North America, think of it like a diner.
Padarias
These are bakeries that sell fresh-baked bread and other simple pastries like bolo de milho, bolo de laranja, and bolo de fubá (all assorted cornmeal cakes). You might find more elaborate cakes as well, but not always. Padarias do not only sell baked good though - most also serve coffee, breakfast, and even lunch. They close in the early evening.
Churrascarias
A churrascaria is a Brazilian steakhouse. The most common type of churrascaria is the “rodizio” (all you can eat) style where servers make rounds throughout the restaurant floor carrying freshly grilled skewers of meat which are cut and served to you directly at your table. At high end churrascarias like Barbacoa in Itaim Bibi, you’ll find well over 20 cuts of meat as well as fish, octopus, and a salad bar that almost rivals the meat. You do also also have Argentinian steakhouses and other establishments that do not follow the rodizio style.
Izakayas
Japanese bars/informal restaurants which serve a variety of small, tapas-like plates and yakitori (skewers of meat and vegetables) along with sake, beer, whiskey, and even cocktails. Traditionally Izakayas serve hot dishes, but now you will also find sushi on many menus.
Paying at restaurants in Brazil
Payment - cash or card?
If you’re wondering if you’ll be able to use your credit or debit card while in Brazil, the answer is almost always yes! Taxis, restaurants, and even street vendors almost always have a variety of POS machines.
International cards sometimes only work with certain machines, so if your card gets rejected just ask to try one of the other terminals. That said, it’s best to always carry enough cash to cover your basic expenses as every now and again you’ll find a restaurant that only takes cash and you’ll definitely need paper money for public transport.
Tipping in Brazil
Tipping is not expected anywhere in Brazil. Most restaurants and bars throughout the country now automatically add a “service” charge to your bill, ranging from 10-13%. On your receipt you’ll find a subtotal, then a line for the service amount, then your total with service. While the service charge is technically optional, it is unusual and considered rude not to pay it. If you don’t explicitly state that you do not wish to pay it, it will be charged without mention. It is never entirely clear whether the service charge on your bill actually goes to the staff, so if you receive really exceptional service, leaving something extra in cash is a very nice gesture, albeit a rare one.
Splitting the bill
If you go out for a meal or to a bar with Brazilian friends or acquaintances, don’t be surprised at the end of the meal when all parties split the bill equally. In many cultures, “going Dutch” or paying for one’s exact share of the meal/drinks consumed is common. Not in Brazil. An exception to this would be at a bar if someone arrives late or leaves sooner. In these cases it is common to pay a rough estimate of just what you've consumed.
Unlike in Australia, for example, where restaurants will refuse to split the bill onto many cards, in Brazil servers and establishments have no problem doing so. It is perfectly normal to divide up the bill with each patron telling the waiter what they are paying.
Curiosities
Be aware that in all but the least formal bars, and in all clubs and music venues, it is very uncommon to pay as you go. At bars, your table will have a “comanda” (a little receipt) where your server will mark down your drinks either as they are ordered or when delivered. Sometimes they give you a little electronic card with a unique number and your food and drink orders are entered into the system assigned to that card. Regardless of how it’s done, when you wish to leave you either ask for the waiter to charge you and pay at your table or take your comanda or key card to the register directly.
At some bars you may be a bit confused as to why the server is leaving all your empty beer bottles on a table or counter next to you or on the floor by your table. This is so that at the end of the night, if there are any disputes about the number of items charged, all parties have the evidence in front of them. “We didn’t drink 43 beers tonight!” - “Let’s go count them up my friends…”
The 16 Best Restaurants in São Paulo
Disclaimer: don’t read this list on an empty stomach! Once you’ve had a bite to eat, read on for my list of some of the best restaurants, from street eats to Michelin stars, all over São Paulo city!
To be fair, this is not really a list of São Paulo’s best restaurants in the traditional sense. If I were to give you a list of the finest restaurants in the city in terms of sheer quality, technique, style, etc. you’d have a rather boring list in my opinion. Sure, the food would be good, but it wouldn’t be all that different from what you’d find in any other big city. The ingredients would change a bit, but there would hardly be anything local to them.
Instead, I’ve gone for a mix of truly world class restaurants along with favorite local spots, a few hole in the walls, and a bunch of restaurants that showcase São Paulo’s ethnic diversity. Not every meal will be a “ gastronomic experience”, but you’ll be guaranteed great food and you’ll get a real sense of what eating in São Paulo is like. Much more fun in my opinion!
To help you make a plan and see where you’d like to visit, I’ve included Google Maps links to each restaurant in blue so that you can plot them on a map.
Enjoy!
1. Mocotó
Way out in Vila Medeiros in the northeast part of the city, Mocotó is an absolute São Paulo classic. It’s been around since 1974 and is now run by Rodrigo Oliveira, the son of the restaurant’s founder, who sticks to tradition even though this once humble restaurant is now a regular feature in magazines and Latin America’s best lists.
The menu consists of exceptionally well-prepared food from Brazil’s Northeast: carne de sol (sun-dried meat), rabada (oxtail), lots of macaxeira (manioc/yuca), and of course caldo de mocotó (bone marrow stew), the restaurant’s namesake dish. In addition to good food, the bartenders make excellent caipirinhas with all manner of exotic fruits and the atmosphere is always casual, relaxed, and lively.
It’s a hike to get out here and it’s not near anything else you’ll want to visit, so our recommendation is to try to squeeze it in as a lunch or dinner stop on your way to or from Guarulhos airport.
Find it on Google Maps here.
2. Barbacoa
For the best traditional rodizio (Brazilian-style barbecue), Barbacoa is a no brainer. Located in the fashionable Itaim Bibi neighborhood, it’s likely to be close to wherever you’re staying and easy to reach. At just under 200 reais (about $40 USD) per person for all you can eat, it’s very expensive by Brazilian standards. However, if you’re coming from North America or Europe, it’s comparatively a bargain.
Many of the high-end churrascarias in São Paulo are a la carte, but Barbacoa sticks to tradition offering true rodizio style with black-aproned servers circling the dining room with skewers of more than 30 cuts of perfectly grilled meats.
While the reason to come is obviously the meat, the other standout about Barbacoa is their salad bar. Hands down the best of any churrascaria in the city, you have sushi, dozens of vegetable dishes, fish, imported cheeses, cold cuts, and lots more. The service is pleasant and friendly, and the vibe, although elegant, is distinctly relaxed, which is part of the reason I like it so much.
Many discerning diners in São Paulo will tell you that NB Steak, Rubaiyat Figueira, or either of the famous Argentine steak houses (348 Corrientes or Pobre Juan) have better quality. They’re probably right. But for the combination of atmosphere, true rodizio bbq, and variety of cuts and other options, Barbacoa stands above.
Note that there are 3 branches of this churrascaria, but the original on Rua Paes de Barros in Itaim Bibi is the best.
Find it on Google Maps here.
3. Vista Cafe (Restaurante)
Located on the top floor of the Museu de Arte Contemporânea (MAC - Sãu Paulo’s Modern Art Museum), Vista Cafe (which may have changed names to Vista Restaurante now) is worth a visit even if you have no plans to check out the museum.
The vibe is definitively industrial-chic and, in addition to the cool dining area, the top floor also has a terrace that offers terrific views of Ibirapuera park and São Paulo’s Jardins neighborhood to the north.
For the best bang for your buck, come at lunch time when you can get the fixed price lunch menu for 75 BRL (about $14 USD) which includes your main, a side, and dessert. For the quality of the food, it’s tough to beat.
Find it on Google Maps here.
4. Hamatyo
São Paulo has the largest population of people of Japanese descent of anywhere outside of Japan. This has had a huge impact on the food in São Paulo and you’re sure to note the astounding number of sushi restaurants all over the city. Unfortunately, even in São Paulo the majority of these are low quality all you can eat joints selling questionable salmon rolls filled with cream cheese. Not Hamatyo.
Hamatyo is São Paulo’s greatest sushi secret; a tiny restaurant that sits on an unassuming corner in the Pinheiros neighborhood. If you’re walking by on the sidewalk, you might not even notice the place, and that seems to be intentional. Even the interior is the opposite of cool; simple, rustic, and like any anonymous sushi bar you’d find all over Japan. At first glance, this might make you hesitate. Don’t.
Once inside, you’ll be welcomed by a team of three: the itamae (sushi chef), his wife, and his son. You have the option to order off the menu, but we usually opt for the omakase menu (chef’s choice). At 290 BRL ($55 USD), it’s a very expensive meal in Brazil, but an absolute steal compared to what you’d pay at home. You’ll typically to be treated to toró (blue fin - which morally is probably not something we should eat anymore), uni (urchin), enguia (eel), and whatever else is fresh.
There is seating for only about 20 people, but on most week nights you can get in without a reservation. Sitting at the sushi bar and watching the chef work is a pleasure.
For me, this is the best sushi restaurant in São Paulo, even better than much more famous (and Michelin-starred) places like Kan Suke, Jun Sakamoto, and Huto.
Find it on Google Maps here.
5. Banzeiro
Banzeiro is the São Paulo outpost of Manaus chef Felipe Schaedler. The restaurant opened a few years back in Itaim Bibi and Schaedler initially assembled a team from members of staff at his two original Manaus restaurants (in the Amazon region) and brought them to São Paulo to maintain the quality and authenticity of the food.
Serving traditional food from Manaus and Brazil’s Amazonas state in the Amazon rainforest, Banzeiro specializes in freshwater fish, manioc, duck, and other Northern Brazilian delicacies. Many dishes are shared and portions are large, so Banzeiro is best visited in a group to allow you to try various items.
When ordering, be sure to try the grilled tambaqui and pirarucu fish as well as the sauva ant served on a manioc foam. Cocktails are good as are the various iced teas. Expect to pay somewhere around 100-200 brl each ($20-40 USD).
Find it on Google Maps here.
6. Conceição Discos
In the recently gentrifying (and very hipster) neighborhood of Santa Cecilia, Conceição Discos is one of my favorite spots in São Paulo. Open Tuesday through Saturday, and only for lunch, you have a rotating selection of two main dishes each day.
The menu here is always a rice dish: northeastern baiao de dois, rice with ossobuco, rice with squid, rice with duck, etc. For the complete experience, ask to add a fried egg to your rice dish.
The owner, Thalita Barros, is also the chef, and you’ll almost always find her either behind the open counter doing the cooking or hanging out at a table on the sidewalk chatting with friends and clients.
While it might not be the most interesting of restaurants on our list in terms of menu, the food is always fresh and tasty and the atmosphere is great. Do like the locals and grab a table on the sidewalk, order a drink, and chat with your neighbors as you watch the world go by. Just around the corner you also have loads of cafes, bars, and cool shops to check out.
Meals cost about 50 reais, so $10 USD.
Find it on Google Maps here.
For a totally different understanding of São Paulo, go on a walk with local guide Renato, stopping at the avenue's iconic architecture, fascinating cultural centers, and city landmarks.
7. Lamen Aska
São Paulo is not a city in short supply of ramen restaurants, and most of them are excellent. Lamen Aska, in the traditional Japanese neighborhood of Liberdade, is one of the oldest and still one of the best.
This is a pleasant, but no nonsense and no-frills joint. The menu consists of just a couple variations of ramen (called lamen in Brazil) and gyoza. A small menu is usually a good sign if you ask us.
It is always busy here, especially at lunch time and even more especially on the weekends when the Feira da Liberdade (Liberdade farmers market and street fair) is in full swing and people from all over the city descend on the neighborhood.
There are no reservations, ever, so show up early and be prepared for a little wait. It’s worth it! A bowl of ramen is about 20 reais, so $4-5 USD.
Note, this is not the place to come for a leisurely meal; once you’ve finished eating, the check will be delivered to you and, while not aggressive, the expectation is that you pay and let someone else take your place. It’s a volume game.
Find it on Google Maps here.
Hello, World!
8. Estadão
No visitor to São Paulo should leave the city without making a pilgrimage to Estadão. One of the city’s most beloved lanchonetes (a sort of diner), for more than 50 years this city center mainstay has been feeding hungry businessman, late night revelers, early birds, blue collar workers, and everything in between.
Its location in the historic center makes it the perfect spot to grab a quick and affordable lunch while out sightseeing. My tip: order a sanduiche de pernil com queijo e abacaxi and a suco de goiaba - a pork pernil sandwich with cheese and pineapple and a guava juice.
Find it on Google Maps here.
9. Jiquitaia
Jiquitaia is one of my favorite places for upscale modern Brazilian food. The old location (the one in the photo above) in the Consolação neighborhood was a rustic and charming spot, while their new digs in the Paraiso area are much more sophisticated. That said, the style is still all Brazilian as are the flavors.
Jiquitaia showcases Brazil’s vast culinary diversity and dishes include ingredients from all over this continent-sized country. Think of appetizers like barbecue beef heart and grilled pork cheek and mains like rice with duck and tucupi (a lip-numbing juice made from the juice of manioc route), fresh water fish, and mouthwatering crispy suckling pig.
Another highlight are the drinks; inventive cocktails with Brazilian fruit and all sorts of creative additions.
Mains run from 70-95 reais ($14-18 USD) and drinks are around 35 reais (7 dollars).
Find it on Google Maps here.
10. New Shin-La Kwan
Unbeknownst to most even in Brazil, São Paulo has a large and growing Korean population, centered in the neighborhood of Bom Retiro in the city’s center. Over time, Korean immigrants and their Brazilian children have expanded into other parts of the city, especially Acclimação, but Bom Retiro has remained the center of Korean life in here.
Traditionally one of São Paulo’s main Jewish neighborhoods and a center of textile production, most Jewish Paulistanos have long since moved out of the city center, favoring newer neighborhoods like Jardins and Higienopolis. Although you’ll find a few traditional Jewish restaurants and some Greek and Balkan holdovers, Bom Retiro is now mostly filled with Korean restaurants, grocery stores touting Korean specialty products, Korean skin care and beauty supply stores, and lots of hip and cheerful cafes. There’s now even a brand new full-fledged Korean shopping mall.
New Shin-La Kwan is one of about 30 Korean barbecue restaurants in Bom Retiro, but it’s a longstanding classic. Neither cheap nor expensive, the quality is good, you get a decent selection of banchan (side dishes), and it’s always a safe bet. Their galbi (marinated short ribs) are excellent. You might even find someone who speaks a little bit of English, though probably not.
For anyone feeling more adventurous, you have dozens of restaurants of every type in the neighborhood, almost all of them catering to Koreans. There is also some excellent street art here and you’re very close to the Pinacoteca Museum and Luz train station, so it’s an easy spot to fit into some sightseeing.
Bear in mind that Bom Retiro is a mostly safe neighborhood both by day and night, but it’s adjacent to the neighborhoods of Luz, Santa Ifigenia, and Campos Eliseos, all of which can be dangerous at pretty much any time of day. For those unfamiliar with the city, I’d recommend visiting Bom Retiro only in the day time, and coming and going by taxi or Uber.
Find it on Google Maps here.
From the Art Deco skyscrapers of the city center to the leafy streets of Vila Madalena, crisscross the city on a cycling tour with local guide Renato!
11. Yorimichi Izakaya
Earlier in the article I explained what an izakaya is, but just to be safe it’s a type of Japanese bar/restaurant serving alcohol and simple eats like grilled skewers of meat (and vegetables) to soak up said alcohol.
Remember, there are over 1 million people of Japanese heritage in São Paulo, and there are hundreds of izakayas throughout the city, most of them quite good. The greatest concentration are in the areas of Liberdade, Paraiso, and Pinheiros, but you’ll find izakayas in even the most far flung neighborhoods as well.
Typically rustic spots with not a whole lot in the way of atmosphere, we’ve included Yorimichi on this list because it’s very nice aesthetically in addition to culinarily. It’s located in Paraiso, an upscale neighborhood just a few minutes away from Avenida Paulista and the bars and boutiques of fashionable Jardins.
I don’t have a whole lot to say about this one: head inside, order a beer or some sake, and dig in!
Find it on Google Maps here.
12. Frangó
In the north zone of São Paulo in a neighborhood little visited by non-residents, Frangó is regarded as one of the best places in the city for a coxinha.
Coxinha is a typical Brazilian snack, originally from São Paulo, that is made of shredded chicken wrapped in mashed potato and then deep fried. Many recipes add requeijão (no thank you), a sort of Brazilian cream cheese. It’s called coxinha, which means “little thigh” in Portuguese, because it’s shape is made to resemble a chicken drumstick.
Freguesia do Ó, the neighborhood where Frangó is located, is pretty far from central São Paulo, so for a still good (but not as good) replacement coxinha, you can try Bar Veloso in the more central Vila Mariana neighborhood. But if you do make it out to the north zone for this fantastic snack, just know that the restaurant has an extensive menu of other dishes as well.
Find it on Google Maps here.
13. Little Saigon
You probably didn’t plan on having Vietnamese food when thinking about your trip to Brazil, but I love this spot and it’s my list, so I’m including it!
Jimmy, his parents, and their family moved to São Paulo from Saigon many years back and have now opened three Vietnamese restaurants, the original in the wealthy Moema neighborood. Little Saigon, in Bela Vista just north of Avenida Paulista, is Jimmy’s personal project. Every day you’ll find him, his wife, his mother-in-law (the true star of the show), and his young son holding it down. His parents run a newly opened spot in the hip Vila Madalena district called Miss Saigon. I’ve never been because once you’ve had the best…
I love Little Saigon for the excellent Bun thit xeo, good pho, and the warm atmosphere. A dish will cost you 40-50 reais, so about $10 USD, and the service is always fast and friendly. You’ll be able to order in English too.
Find it on Google Maps here.
14. Açai Original
Açai Original doesn’t realy belong on this list as it’s not a restaurant per se. This breezy cafe serves light lunches geared toward fitness enthusiasts and unfortunate individuals on diets, but the reason I recommend it is for a fantastic bowl of açai.
20 years ago almost no one outside of Brazil knew what açai was, but then came a wellness craze that touted it as the next super food. I don’t know anything about that, but a bowl of açai in Brazil is always a treat and a must-try for visitors. But don’t expect any healthy, because it’s not.
Typically, the berries are blended and their pulp frozen. When it comes time to prepare a bowl of açai, the frozen pulp is taken out, mixed with guarana syrup to make it creamier (and sweeter), and blended together. The beautiful purple berry blend is then served with granola and sliced banana (or strawberries or mango). For those with a truly unhealthy sweet tooth, you can even get it served with drizzled condensed milk.
Açai Original is a big, airy cafe that is open to the street on two sides and conveniently located in a nice section of the Vila Olimpia neighborhood. The area is wealthy, so a bowl of açai with granola and fruit will cost you around 30 reais (6 dollars) which is quite steep by local standards.
For those who want a more natural açai experience, just down the road you can go to A Frutaria, which is a small chain of [exorbitantly overpriced] cafes and health food stores that gives you the option of açai with various degrees of sweetener: with honey, no guarana syrup, or zero sweeteners. Before opting for the all natural option, just know that açai with no sweeteners tastes like wet earth…
Find it on Google Maps here.
15. Ama.zo
São Paulo has a big Peruvian population, so you can find good Peruvian food in a bunch of neighborhoods. Peruvian immigrants mostly live in the city center, around the rather rough Campos Eliseos neighborhood, which is where you’ll find Ama.zo.
While the neighborhood is not the prettiest, Ama.zo is lovely. Their internal patio is an oasis of calm; a beautiful green space filled with trees, vines, and flowers and the Peruvian food is elegant and inventive. It’s not super traditional though and some Peruvian ingredients are hard to get in Brazil, so if you’ve been to Peru, you’ll have to accept some modifications to what you might be expecting.
The food is a little too gourmet for me (the restaurant itself is very relaxed), but the quality is quite good and its a really nice place to have a meal. As far as Peruvian goes, for quality and atmosphere it’s the best in the city.
The neighborhood is not nice, so come and go by taxi or uber.
Find it on Google Maps here.
16. Cozinha dos Ferrari
I’m a big fan of Italian food, as are most Paulistanos. Fortunately, it’s quite easy to get good Italian food here. Unfortunately, doing so often requires raiding your bank account. High end Italian restaurants in São Paulo, while genuinely excellent, are also often a bit pretentious for my liking.
Cozinha dos Ferrari strikes an almost perfect balance. Located in the traditionally Italian neighborhood of Mooca on the city’s east side, you may think you’re in the wrong place as you arrive. The restaurant is on a street surrounded by auto mechanics and doesn’t seem like the place for a good restaurant. But it is.
The kitchen does good southern Italian food, with some forgivable Brazilian twists, at super reasonable prices. The twists are actually pretty good, although they might cause some raised eyebrows among Italians. It’s also the type of place where you can relax and enjoy your meal with no pretense.
Mooca is a nice neighborhood for a wander to walk off the calories, and its also home to one of the city’s most beloved lower division soccer teams: Juventus. Check their schedule, if they have a home game while you’re in town you should absolutely go!
Find it on Google Maps here.
Honorable mentions
Jun Sakamoto - Excellent sushi in a refined atmosphere. 1 Michelin star. I’m a bit old school, so their Japanese fusion is not my style, but it might be yours!
Ponto Chic - The best, and original, Bauru sandwich.
A Casa do Porco - Simple pork dishes elevated to mythic status.
D.O.M. - Brazil’s only 2 Michelin star restaurant, run by celebrity chef Alex Atala. If you’ve got the budget for it, this is a gastronomic experience unlike any other in the city.
Tordesilhas - Refined modern Brazilian in a lovely setting in the Jardins neighborhood.
Cora - A very hip rooftop restaurant in the city center’s quickly gentrifying Republica/Vila Buarque neighborhood. Appetizers are good, mains not so much. View and atmosphere are supreme.
New China Lake - Excellent mostly authentic Chinese food with a pleasant atmosphere. It’s located pretty far in the south zone of the city, but you could combine it with a visit to the autodromo to catch a car race or a walk/kayak in the Guarapiranga resevoir.
Consulado Mineiro - Your best bet for trying typical dishes of the Minas Gerais region. Located in Pinheiros.
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