The first text in this column in 2023 celebrates a special occasion: the Sao Paulo’s birthday , the city where I was born, raised and still live today. More than that, however, it’s always good to remember that São Paulo is the city that welcomes everyone and where, like a mother’s heart, “there’s always room for one more”.
The annoying ones on duty will remind me that São Paulo is not a perfect city, it has high levels of violence and is full of holes like Swiss cheese. I know that, but fortunately the object of this column is gastronomy, where São Paulo “doesn’t do anything” compared to many other cities in Brazil.
In the text published a year ago in this column, I mentioned the trip around the world that is possible in restaurants located in São Paulo. Already in today’s text I quote restaurants run by chefs and restaurateurs from other cities in Brazil.
I couldn’t help but wish everyone an excellent start to the year and hope that they visit the aforementioned restaurants, in return for the good service they present in the birthday town of the week.
Jiquitaia
From Paraná came the brothers Nina Bastos and Marcelo Correa Bastos , who a decade ago founded one of my favorite restaurants: Jiquitaia. There, a caipirinha is served that borders on perfection, as well as pork rinds and duck rice in tucupi and magret, which are on my list of favorite dishes in the city.
Jiquitaia Restaurant & Bar: Rua Coronel Oscar Porto, 808, Paraíso, São Paulo-SP / Open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 12h to 16h and from 19h to 23h and on Sundays, from 12h to 16h.
Puddle
From Rio Grande do Sul came the chef tuca mezzomo who runs Charco, focused on fire, embers and the production of artisan charcuterie. I recommend the cotechino, brioche and mustard and onion pickles and squid with broccoli and romesco starters, as well as black pork ribs and chuleta for the main. As for dessert, you can’t help but try the desserts that include smoked milk and tahini ice cream.
Puddle: Rua Peixoto Gomide, 1.492, Jardim Paulista, São Paulo-SP / Open from Tuesday to Thursday, from 7 pm to 11 pm, Friday and Saturday from 12 pm to 4 pm and from 7 pm to 11 pm, and on Sundays from 1 pm to 11 pm 4pm.
Acarajé board
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From Bahia came the sisters Fatima and Miri de Castro , who command the Tabuleiro do Acarajé. As the name implies, the restaurant focuses on the famous black-eyed bean fritter fried in palm oil and, in my opinion, serves the tastiest dish in town. Be sure to try the tapioca couscous.
Acarajé board: Rua Jesuíno Pascoal, 30, Santa Cecília, São Paulo-SP / Open from Tuesday to Friday, from 5 pm to 10 pm and on Saturdays and holidays from 1 pm to 6 pm. It also opens on the last Sunday of the month.
Restaurant News
From Paraíba came Onildo Rocha , chef who runs the Notiê Restaurante located on the rooftop of Shopping Light. Prioritizing Brazilian regional flavors, Notiê serves a tasting menu in 5 or 10 stages with stages such as foie and bacuri cannoli, tapioca choux with pirarucu mantecato and shrimp lacquered in black tucupi.
Notie Restaurant: Rua Formosa, 157, Centro Histórico, São Paulo-SP / Open from Thursday to Saturday, from 7 pm to 11 pm.
Bathtub
From Santa Catarina came the chef Felipe Schaedler , who moved to Manaus as a teenager and then opened Banzeiro (with a branch in São Paulo since 2019). Among the various options on the menu, I recommend the tambaqui ribs with sweet and sour sauce, the tacacá and the grilled pirarucu with tucupi broth.
Bathtub: Rua Tabapuã, 830, Itaim Bibi, São Paulo-SP / Open from Monday to Saturday, from 12h to 15:30h and from 19h to 23:30h, and on Sundays from 12h to 16:30h.
*The texts published by insiders and columnists do not necessarily reflect the opinion of CNN Viagem & Gastronomia.
Fred Sabbag is a lawyer by profession, but in his free time, he doesn’t deal with lawsuits or legal procedures: one of his greatest passions is going to bars and restaurants. The habit earned him numerous followers on Instagram (@fredsabbag) and made him an important character of gastronomy in São Paulo.
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
