The 35 Must-Try Restaurants in São Paulo

Featuring a vibrant turquoise exterior and exposed brick interior, Nelita fits seamlessly into any trendy urban setting. This Pinheiros gem is known for its unique and refined dishes. Chef Tássia Magalhães specializes in modern Italian cuisine. Be sure to try the risotto and pastas, including the agnolotti filled with goat cheese, accompanied by confit lemon, honey, and black garlic sauce, or the linguine alle vongole garnished with lardo and smoked zucchini. The vibe is relaxed and inviting, with intimate seating and a white marble counter offering a view of the bustling kitchen.

At Coffee Lab, barista Isabela Raposeiras transforms Indigenous Brazilian coffee into an immersive experience. She collaborates with producers and roasters nationwide to offer the finest brews, employing a variety of methods from espresso to the perfect cup brewed with a Clever Dripper. Customers can also purchase beans to enjoy at home.

Pastry chef Marília Zylbersztajn honed her skills at some of the finest restaurants in the city, including D.O.M., before launching her own pastry shop. Her delectable pies have gained her significant acclaim. Offerings include pear, cardamom, and pecan; ricotta and ginger; and an apple galette. Be sure to order a slice as soon as you’re seated, and don’t overlook Zylbersztajn’s delightful compotas, Brazilian-style jams crafted from a variety of fruits.

Marcio Shihomatsu, the executive chef and founder of Shihoma Pasta Fresca, refined his pasta-making skills in Italian restaurants across Canada and spent time in Italy mastering traditional techniques. Located in Vila Madalena, his unpretentious, garage-like Mytoury offers classic recipes with a modern twist, such as cappellacci filled with polenta and braised pork knuckle, or agnolotti accompanied by chicken liver pâté and sautéed mushrooms, all enriched with butter and wine. For traditionalists, the menu also features timeless dishes like amatriciana and beef lasagna.

In this zero-waste, ingredient-centric restaurant located in the vibrant Vila Madalena, skilled chef Cesar Costa, previously of Chez Panisse and Copenhagen's Relae, crafts every dish from scratch. He sources cocoa beans and organic wheat directly from farmers to create bean-to-bar chocolate and mills his own flour on-site. An automatic composting machine is positioned in the dining area, and solar panels provide the restaurant's energy. The menu features comforting yet innovative dishes, like eryngii mushrooms marinated in garum with cashew cream and fried peanuts, or a classic soup au pistou made with shrimp and chayote. The kitchen is dedicated to utilizing every part of the ingredients, including stalks and peels. A standout offering is the polenta, made solely from cornmeal ground in the restaurant’s stone mill.

Chef Gabriela Barretto, known for her trendy spot Futuro Refeitório, brings intense flavors and textures to life through cooking over wood and charcoal. Her welcoming restaurant, Chou, features a delightful backyard patio ideal for warm evenings, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a friendly cookout. Barretto’s menu includes cassava roasted over charcoal with sea salt and fresh marjoram, clams and orzo pasta accented with preserved lemon, and grilled octopus seasoned with sweet paprika and lemon. Many dishes are served piping hot and smoky from the grill.

MasterChef host and acclaimed chef Helena Rizzo leads the culinary team at this modern Brazilian restaurant. With years of experience in São Paulo's dining scene, Rizzo offers a curated tasting menu featuring dishes such as creamy mullet bottarga paired with corn cream, pancetta, and katsuobushi, or goat that's been slow-roasted overnight in turmeric leaves, served in a rich broth with marinated shiitake mushrooms.

The husband-and-wife duo, Mexican chef Eduardo Ortiz and Brazilian chef Luana Sabino, crossed paths while working at New York’s Cosme before launching their own venture in São Paulo. Their charming yet simple restaurant, featuring natural materials like wood, leather, and wicker, beautifully melds Mexican culinary techniques with local Brazilian ingredients. Notable dishes include soft shell crab with chicatana ants mole paired with palm heart, and a unique take on tres leches featuring a cupuaçu foam, derived from a native fruit.

Luiz Filipe Souza represents a new wave of talented chefs in the city. At Evvai, his debut as a partner and head chef, he presents modern Italian-inspired dishes infused with global influences. His innovative spirit shines through in his reimagining of classics, such as a caprese salad featuring various tomato textures paired with house-made mozzarella, and tournedos Rossini topped with onion molasses and grilled over wood, served alongside guava infused with juniper and watercress. Don’t miss the exceptional spaghetti with cauliflower and rich chicken broth.

After a decade running Banzeiro in Manaus, located at the gateway to the Amazon, chef Felipe Schaedler felt it was time to expand to São Paulo and share his unique dishes and rainforest ingredients with the city. The restaurant’s decor beautifully merges both locales, featuring elegant furnishings and tableware complemented by a lush green wall, tropical plants, and a striking canoe suspended from one wall. Schaedler welcomes guests with appetizers like tambaqui fish ribs in a sweet-sour sauce, bao filled with fried pirarucu, and pickled victoria amazonica paired with wild arugula. Don’t miss the chef's signature dish: a whole tambaqui, slow-roasted over coals and accompanied by traditional regional sides such as tiny yellow santarém beans and farofa made from manioc flour sourced from Uarini.

The rich history of Syrian and Lebanese cuisine in the city shines through in classic establishments like Brasserie Victoria. For over 50 years, this family-owned restaurant has been serving up a flawlessly crafted puff pastry sfiha, a beloved dish resembling pizza in Lebanon and Syria. The original recipe by founder Victória Feres has remained unchanged, ensuring that the pastries consistently arrive crispy and tender at the table.

No visit to São Paulo is complete without trying a chopp, a chilled draft beer that’s essential in a country where temperatures seldom fall below 70 degrees. While chopp can be found almost everywhere, Original stands out as one of the city’s top bars. Adorned with vintage photos and cartoons, packed wooden tables, and retro lighting, Original offers a relaxed setting for enjoying warm Brazilian hospitality. After a few drinks, head upstairs for a more refined experience, where a second bar features a curated selection of Brazil’s finest craft beers on tap.

Fasano has established itself as a standard-bearer for hospitality, influencing numerous restaurateurs throughout the city. Its concept is straightforward: high-quality ingredients, traditional Italian dishes, top-notch service, and one of the city's finest sommeliers, Manoel Beato. Recognized for his scooter rides around town and hosting a beverage-themed radio show, Beato has become a local icon. At Fasano, he offers insightful guidance to diners without imposing rigid rules, ensuring that every glass is an enjoyable experience.

Brazilian steakhouses are renowned for their generous cuts of meat, long skewers, and picanha, the beloved 'cap' cut of beef. For over 50 years, Rodeio has been offering a classic array of grilled meats served alongside biro-biro rice, which is stir-fried and topped with crispy onions, and roasted hearts of palm. This establishment is a true testament to the Paulistas’ love for perfectly charred meat.

Chef Mara Salles is often regarded as the ambassador of Brazilian cuisine. At Tordesilhas, she offers a menu filled with regional, home-cooked dishes that celebrate the nation's rich cultural diversity, featuring delights such as bobó de camarão, which is shrimp in a cassava puree enriched with red palm oil, and the northern specialty tacacá soup, made from dried shrimp, manioc root, and jambu, a native fruit known for its delightful tingling effect on the palate.

Alex Atala is widely recognized as one of the top chefs in Brazil. Together with his trusted associate Geovane Carneiro and the innovative chef Rubens Salfer, Atala reimagines Brazilian cuisine and its ingredients at the two-Michelin-starred D.O.M. The tasting menu showcases diverse regions of Brazil, incorporating ingredients and traditional techniques from Indigenous cultures. Signature dishes feature salted pirarucu fish paired with açaí tapenade, momotaro tomatoes filled with sweet bacuri fruit, and various preparations using manioc. The meal concludes with a delightful brigadeiro made with Yanomami mushrooms.

In nearly every neighborhood, you'll see locals shopping for fresh fruit and meat at feiras (farmers' markets), often making a key stop at a pastel stand, which is a staple at these markets. Inspired by Chinese wontons and refined by Japanese immigrants, these crispy, deep-fried pastries are typically filled with ground meat or hearts of palm. Kuniko Yohana, known as Maria, has been crafting these perfectly crunchy pastéis and expanding her business for over fifty years. While her treats are available at various spots throughout the city, her busiest stand is at the Feira do Pacaembu in Praça Charles Miller, open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

While many modern Brazilian Mytouries highlight the northern parts of the country, particularly the Amazon, chef Tuca Mezzomo draws inspiration from the south, where his heritage lies. This region is renowned for its gaúcho culture, famous for Brazilian-style barbecue that has gained international fame. However, Mezzomo showcases a broader spectrum of southern cuisine with his tasting menu, featuring lightly smoked mushrooms, tender vegetables, and southern charcuterie—like umami-rich wagyu bresaola, kept in a climate-controlled environment. For a more casual dining experience, there are also à la carte selections.

As one of the city's oldest establishments, Tatini is now managed by the third generation of the Tatini family. The kitchen continues to serve timeless classics such as steak à la Diana (paired with a mustard and Worcestershire sauce blend) and steak au poivre, reflecting the historical French influence on Brazilian cuisine. Even as these dishes fade from many menus, the waitstaff still prepares items tableside using hot plates and chafing dishes. They flambé, grill, and whip sauces not only for the amusement of diners but also to preserve these traditional cooking methods from vanishing.

Portuguese chef Vítor Sobral brings the essence of Lisbon to São Paulo, where he operates five other restaurants. At Tasca da Esquina, he reimagines affordable Portuguese Mytouries, or tascas, transforming the space with stylish decor, skylights, and a lush green wall. While Portuguese influences have always been part of Brazilian cuisine, diners can enjoy authentic dishes here, such as salt cod with potatoes and eggs, sardines with vinaigrette, duck rice, and octopus with potatoes.

Aizomê has positioned Telma Shiraishi as a leading female chef within the traditionally male sushi scene, earning her recognition from the Japanese government as an ambassador for Japanese cuisine in Brazil. Her airy and inviting restaurant in Jardins offers an omakase experience alongside hot dishes, available in both the dining area and private tatami-mat rooms. Shiraishi’s cuisine is both technical and delicate, featuring golden, crispy tempura and miso-glazed black cod. Each dish pairs beautifully with an impressive selection of teas, including cold matcha and hōjicha.

Acarajé stands out as one of the most emblematic dishes in traditional Brazilian cuisine. This simple fritter, rooted in African-influenced culinary traditions from Bahia, is made from black-eyed pea flour, deep-fried in red palm oil, then split open and filled with vatapá—a creamy, spicy stew composed of bread, shrimp, coconut milk, peanuts, and palm oil. This small Tabuleiro counter is known for serving the finest version in town.

At Tenda do Nilo, you’ll often see a queue winding out the door—a clear sign of the deliciousness that awaits inside. Run by sisters Olinda and Xmune Isper, this shop excels in preparing falafel that is perfectly crisp on the outside while remaining soft and fluffy within. Their muhammara (red pepper and walnut dip) and baba ghanoush are also consistently excellent.

Jiquitaia has transformed from a townhouse into a spacious and stylish venue in the Paraíso neighborhood, yet the kitchen continues to deliver exceptional quality. Run by siblings Nina and Marcelo Bastos, this no-frills restaurant specializes in Brazilian regional dishes. The menu begins with petiscos, traditional snacks meant to be enjoyed by hand, like coxinhas and pork rinds. For main courses, you’ll find local favorites like feijoada (a beloved bean and pork stew) and maniçoba (made from ground and cooked cassava leaves, served with pork knuckle). Additionally, there are inventive options like fried fish accompanied by green papaya salad, making it a top destination for exploring Brazil's culinary diversity.

Situated within the iconic Edifício Copan, designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer, this bar attracts a diverse mix of office workers, artists, and musicians. Nestled in downtown, where a variety of people converge, chef Janaína Rueda presents local fare, including her interpretation of the classic virado à Paulista. This hearty platter features tutu de feijão (mashed beans with manioc flour), alongside roast pork carré, sausage, banana tartare, a fried egg, collard greens sautéed in pork fat, pork rinds, and rice. Each dish pairs perfectly with one of the bar’s creative caipirinha variations.

This vibrant and informal Mytoury, known as 'the House of the Hog,' boasts the most sought-after waitlist in the city and has played a significant role in revitalizing downtown São Paulo since its 2016 opening. Chefs Jefferson and Janaína Rueda present a true pork lover's paradise, featuring homemade sausages, pork jowl sushi, and pancetta crackling served with spicy guava jam. The current tasting menu celebrates the love of pork found in various Latin American cuisines, from Argentinian choripán to Peruvian ceviche made with pork ears and feet. However, the highlight is the whole pigs, raised by the chefs on their farm, grilled in the kitchen to create tender meat with crunchy, flavorful rinds.

With over 2 million Japanese immigrants and their descendants, Brazil hosts one of the largest Japanese diaspora communities outside Japan. This rich cultural influence is apparent at São Paulo's top sushi establishments like Shin-Zushi, where second-generation chef Ken Mizumoto showcases his artistry. His expertly wielded knives produce flawless slices of buri and toro sashimi, along with sardines, eels, and squid nigiri. Here, tradition reigns supreme, with a focus on quality over embellishments. For an authentic experience, dine at the bar.

Nestled in the basement of the iconic Theatro Municipal, one of downtown São Paulo's most stunning architectural gems, this bar epitomizes the city's thriving bohemian spirit. Amidst the building’s exposed stone walls, illuminated high tables create an almost dreamlike atmosphere, reminiscent of the bar in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. A diverse crowd—young professionals, romantic couples, and trendy hipsters—gather to enjoy expertly crafted signature cocktails like Tupi or not Tupi (a mix of cachaça, lemon juice, honey, and tucupi, manioc root juice) or Não me Kahlo (a unique margarita variation featuring tequila, tomato water, vermouth, agave, and lemon).

In the Bom Retiro neighborhood, São Paulo’s Koreatown buzzes with Mytouries offering bibimbap, bulgogi, and kimchi-infused dishes. New Shin-La Kwan stands out for its shared love of barbecue between Brazilians and Koreans. This steakhouse specializes in Korean-style barbecue, featuring charcoal grills at each table, with servers ready to provide raw pork belly and marinated beef ribs. Accompanying these are rice, salad, and a variety of banchan, including exceptional kimchi crafted by chef Sae Kim’s mother, who prepares over 300 pounds weekly for the restaurant.

The vibrant Japanese district of Liberdade is home to the city’s finest izakayas. At Issa, run by the incredibly welcoming Dona Margarida, you'll find a classic array of grilled delicacies. Begin your meal at the bar with pork ribs served alongside boiled turnips in warm broth, then venture into a diverse menu that includes creamy takoyaki and various udon dishes. Be sure to explore the extensive selection of sake and shochu available.

Housed within an old bank vault of one of downtown’s most iconic structures, this bar transforms cocktails into precious treasures. Led by head bartender Fabio La Pietra, the menu features both timeless drinks and innovative signature cocktails crafted with local Brazilian ingredients like cashew fruit, maxixe (a tart cousin of cucumber), and rapadura (a sweet made from raw cane juice). To complement the drinks, offerings like currywurst-style hot dogs and fresh vegetable platters are available.

Coxinha, perhaps Brazil's most famous snack, features dough shaped like a chicken leg, filled with shredded chicken, and fried to perfection. This dive bar, furnished with plastic stools and serving beers in hefty 600-milliliter bottles, excels in frying coxinhas. Once you've savored a plateful, explore a variety of other deep-fried treats, including homemade meatballs, manioc fritters stuffed with oxtail, and Basque beef cheek fritters.

While you can find both traditional and contemporary Neapolitan pizzerias throughout the city, Castelões is the go-to spot for the classic pizza experience. Established in 1924, it holds the title of the city's oldest pizzeria, cherished by generations of patrons. The rustic decor and vintage photographs lining the walls attest to its rich history. Be sure to try the house specialty pizza topped with artisanal sausage and mozzarella. When it arrives with its thin, crispy crust and vibrant red tomato sauce, you'll see why this establishment has thrived for so long.

José Almeida migrated from the sertão in northeastern Brazil to open Mocotó in 1973. Now led by his son, chef Rodrigo Oliveira, the restaurant offers a fresh take on traditional sertaneja cuisine with innovative twists. This creativity shines through in signature dishes like the mocotó (cow's foot broth) that inspired the restaurant's name and favada (fava beans with sausage, bacon, and jerked beef). To ease the wait (which is often lengthy), try the beloved dadinhos de tapioca (cheese curds with tapioca) and choose from over 350 cachaças at the bar. Insider tip: Although Mocotó is situated in Vila Medeiros, a working-class area distant from downtown, it’s conveniently near the airport, making it a great stop on your way in or out of the city.

Cepa has established itself in the Tatuapé neighborhood as a beloved local Mytoury that feels like it has been a staple for ages. Chef Lucas Dante crafts dishes with organic influences, while sommelier Gabrielli Flemming complements each meal with a carefully curated wine selection. The menu is concise yet satisfying, featuring always-fresh fish and simple, delightful dishes like breaded pork loin with potato salad, spaghetti carbonara, and braised mussels on toast with peperonata and pil pil sauce.