Food · São Paulo · Brazil
What to eat in São Paulo
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define São Paulo, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Agent010, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Pastel de feira, Mortadella sandwich and Coxinha. Each district has a weekly feira livre; the pastel stall at the end of the market, with sugar-cane juice pressed to order, is a São Paulo institution. Most restaurant bills add a 10% service charge ('serviço'); it is optional, but most people pay it.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Pastel de feira
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- A 10% service charge is added to most restaurant and bar bills and covers the tip.
- Food experiences
- 5
12 foods to try
Street food
1.Pastel de feira
A large rectangle of thin fried dough filled with cheese, ground beef, heart of palm or chicken with catupiry cheese, eaten hot with a glass of freshly pressed sugar-cane juice (caldo de cana).
Where: Stalls at the end of the city's weekly street markets (feiras livres) and at the Mercadão.
Dish
2.Mortadella sandwich (Sanduíche de mortadela)
Hundreds of grams of thinly sliced mortadella, often with melted cheese, stacked in a French roll. It is the Mercadão's trademark and a reminder of the city's Italian roots.
Where: Restaurants and bars on the mezzanine and ground floor of the Mercado Municipal.
Snack
3.Coxinha
A teardrop-shaped fritter of shredded chicken, often with catupiry cream cheese, coated in dough and breadcrumbs. It is Brazil's most popular bar snack.
Where: Padarias (bakeries) and lanchonetes on almost every corner.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
4.Pão de queijo
Small chewy cheese breads made with cassava flour and cheese, naturally gluten-free. They are eaten with coffee at breakfast or as an afternoon snack.
Where: Every padaria and café in the city.
Dish
5.Pizza paulistana
São Paulo's pizza, brought by Italian immigrants, has a thin, slightly thicker-edged crust and generous toppings such as calabresa sausage, catupiry or the portuguesa with ham, egg and olives. Sunday night pizza is a local ritual.
Where: Traditional pizzerias in Bixiga, Mooca and Pinheiros; most open only in the evening.
Dish
6.Feijoada
A slow-cooked stew of black beans with pork cuts and sausages, served with rice, garlicky collard greens, farofa and orange slices. Restaurants traditionally serve it on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Where: Botecos and restaurants advertising 'feijoada' at Saturday lunch, often with live samba.
Dish
7.Virado à paulista
The city's own plate of beans mixed with cassava flour, rice, a pork chop, sausage, fried egg, collard greens, fried banana and crackling. Many lunch counters serve it on Mondays.
Where: Prato-feito (set plate) lunch counters across the Centro.
Dish
8.Bauru
A hot sandwich of roast beef, tomato, pickles and melted cheese in a French roll, invented in the 1930s at a downtown bar by a law student from the city of Bauru.
Where: Old-fashioned lanchonetes in the Centro, including the bar on Largo do Paiçandu where it was created.
Dish
9.Japanese-Brazilian food
São Paulo has a deep Japanese food culture, from ramen and gyoza in Liberdade to temaki hand rolls and sushi with Brazilian twists such as mango or cream cheese.
Where: Liberdade's restaurants and weekend fair, and sushi bars across Pinheiros and Itaim Bibi.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Brigadeiro
Truffle-like balls of condensed milk, cocoa and butter rolled in chocolate sprinkles, served at every Brazilian birthday party and now sold in gourmet flavours.
Where: Bakeries and specialist brigadeiro shops in Jardins and Pinheiros.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Caipirinha
Brazil's national cocktail of cachaça, lime and sugar muddled over ice; bars also make versions with passion fruit, strawberry or vodka (caipiroska).
Where: Any boteco or cocktail bar, especially in Vila Madalena.
Snack · Vegetarian
12.Açaí na tigela
Frozen açaí berry pulp blended thick and served in a bowl with banana, granola and sometimes condensed milk. In São Paulo it is a post-gym or afternoon snack.
Where: Juice bars (casas de suco) and açaí counters across the city.
Food experiences
Street-market pastel and caldo de cana
Each district has a weekly feira livre; the pastel stall at the end of the market, with sugar-cane juice pressed to order, is a São Paulo institution.
Saturday feijoada with samba
Many botecos and samba houses serve feijoada with live music on Saturday afternoons; arrive early and plan for a long lunch.
Pizza night
Join locals for a Sunday-evening pizza at a traditional pizzeria in Bixiga or Mooca, where portions are made to share.
Liberdade food crawl
Graze through the weekend fair and the bakeries and ramen shops of Rua Galvão Bueno and Rua Tomás Gonzaga.
Per-kilo lunch
Self-service 'comida por quilo' restaurants charge by the weight of your plate and are the easiest way to try many Brazilian dishes at lunch.
Quick bites and street food
- Pastel de feira — Stalls at the end of the city's weekly street markets (feiras livres) and at the Mercadão.
- Coxinha — Padarias (bakeries) and lanchonetes on almost every corner.
- Pão de queijo — Every padaria and café in the city.
- Açaí na tigela — Juice bars (casas de suco) and açaí counters across the city.
Vegetarian options
Of the 12 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Pão de queijo, Brigadeiro, Caipirinha and Açaí na tigela. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Most restaurant bills add a 10% service charge ('serviço'); it is optional, but most people pay it.
- Lunch runs from about noon to 3pm and dinner starts late, often after 8:30pm, especially at weekends.
- Popular restaurants rarely take reservations at peak times; join the waiting list at the door and expect a queue.
- Portions in traditional restaurants are often meant for two; ask if a dish 'serve duas pessoas'.
- Cards and Pix instant payments are accepted almost everywhere, including market stalls.
Tipping
A 10% service charge is added to most restaurant and bar bills and covers the tip. Taxi drivers do not expect tips, but rounding up is common; tip hotel porters and tour guides a few reais.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bom dia | Good morning |
| Obrigado / obrigada | Thank you (said by a man / a woman) |
| A conta, por favor | The bill, please |
| Tudo bem? | How are you? / All good? |
| Quanto custa? | How much is it? |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is São Paulo famous for?
Pastel de feira, Mortadella sandwich, Coxinha and Pão de queijo. A large rectangle of thin fried dough filled with cheese, ground beef, heart of palm or chicken with catupiry cheese, eaten hot with a glass of freshly pressed sugar-cane juice (caldo de cana).
+Is São Paulo good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Pão de queijo, Brigadeiro and Caipirinha.
+Do you tip in restaurants in São Paulo?
A 10% service charge is added to most restaurant and bar bills and covers the tip. Taxi drivers do not expect tips, but rounding up is common; tip hotel porters and tour guides a few reais.