12 Best Restaurants in São Paulo, Brazil

During and after the Saturday crafts and antiques fair in Praça Benedito Calixto, it may take an hour to get a table at this homey restaurant. Among the shareable, traditional mineiro (from Minas Gerais State) dishes are the mandioca com carne de sol (cassava with salted meat) appetizer and the tutu (pork loin with beans, pasta, cabbage, and rice) entrée.

The family that owns and runs this restaurant serves meat from its ranch in Mato Grosso do Sul State. Charcoal-grilled fare—baby boar (request at least two hours in advance of your visit), steak, chicken, salmon, and more—is served at the buffet, and options abound at the salad bar. Wednesday and Saturday are feijoada nights, and on Friday the emphasis is on seafood.

With the look of an old-style saloon, Bar do Juarez has won awards for its draft beers and buffet of petiscos (small tapas-like dishes), but picanha (rump cap of beef) is this gastropub's calling card. Served raw on a mini-grill, the platter is perfect for small groups and gives individuals direct control over how their meat is done.

Mineiro dishes are the specialties at this modest eatery with plain wooden tables. The classic cuisine is served as a buffet only: more than 50 stone pots hold dishes like feijão tropeiro (beans with manioc flour) and frango com quiabo (chicken with okra).

The beautiful people hang out in the bar of this highly regarded churrascaria. The thinly sliced picanha (similar to rump steak) is excellent; it goes well with a house salad (hearts of palm and shredded, fried potatoes), onion rings, and creamed spinach.

Paulistanos of all types and ages flock to this luncheonette on the stylish Rua Oscar Freire for its beirute sandwiches, filled with ham and cheese, tuna, or chicken, and for its draft beer and fruit juices in flavors such as acerola (Antilles cherry), passion fruit, and papaya.

Pé de Manga's name and charm come from the massive mango tree surrounded by tables on the shaded patio, where appetizers like mini acarajé and main dishes named after celebrities—think Mel Gibson and Will Smith—are served. A two-story covered seating area lends the whole affair a Robinson Crusoe touch.

Occupying corners on both sides of the street, the modest Sujinho honors its roots as an informal bar by serving churrasco without any frills: this is the perfect place for diners craving a gorgeous piece of meat to down with a cold bottle of beer.

Owner Marconi Silva started his little slice of Bahia by selling acarajé (deep-fried bean balls usually stuffed with paste made from shrimp and other ingredients) on the sidewalk in front of where his restaurant now stands. Since moving indoors, he's expanded his menu to include favorites such as escondidinho (a lasagna-like dish with cheese, meat, and manioc) and shrimp risotto in a coconut shell.

The brainchild of the late Marcos Bassi, a former butcher turned restaurateur and radio host, Templo da Carne (Temple of Meat) makes no bones about its specialty. Contrafilé (sirloin) and famed Brazilian picanha (rump cap) are among the highlights.

Typically Brazilian from its decor to its daily specials, rustic-elegant Tordesilhas prides itself on spotlighting recipes from across the republic. Feijoada takes center stage on Wednesday and Saturday, while a Brazilian tasting menu is served Tuesday through Saturday.