48 Best Restaurants in São Paulo, Brazil

Camper cooking meets Korean at this Liberdade mainstay serving bul go gui (Korean barbecue that blends raw meat, spices, sauces, and veggies) over small, do-it-yourself gas stoves. You can prepare other Korean dishes, and there are Chinese options, including several involving tofu.

Facing a little Centro flower market, this romantic Parisian-style bistro has been around for five decades and has witnessed more than its share of wedding proposals. Surrounded by wood-paneled walls decorated with art that nods at famous French artists, you can dine on such delights as gigot d'agneau aux soissons (roast leg of lamb in its own juices, served with white beans), canard à l'orange (roast duck in an orange sauce), and cherry strudel.

This Italo-French restaurant with a partially enclosed garden isn't just a place for businesspeople and impresarios to see and be seen; it also has some of the best food in town. Among chef Giancarlo Bolla's recommended dishes are the linguine with fresh mussels and prawn sauce, the eggplant Parmesan, and the filet mignon rosini (served with foie gras and saffron risotto).

An ideal place for an intimate dinner, this small bistro has a good wine selection and an upstairs bar furnished with mismatched sofas and armchairs. The menu changes daily; a favorite is the classic coq au vin, but you can also fill up on entrées such as beef tenderloin, pasta, soups, and quiches.

Generous portions at reasonable prices and live music—that's the Lazzarella way. The cantina, a classic Italian joint founded in 1970, is hardly extravagant, but the rich flavors of a meal here and the Neapolitan stylings of the crooners circling among the red-and-white checkered tabletops are memorable. The signature house lasagna dish, made old-style with ground beef and mozzarella in a Bolognese sauce, is meal enough for two. All the pastas here are worth a try.

Even the fabulous people have to hang at the bar before being shown to a table in this large, sleek dining room; but especially for vegetarians, dishes such as the tofu and vegetable curry make the wait worthwhile. The decidedly eclectic menu includes Italian, Brazilian, Bahian, and even Thai cuisine.

Low-key, dependable, and well loved, Nagayama consistently serves excellent sushi and sashimi. The chefs like to experiment: the California uramaki Philadelphia has rice, cream cheese, grilled salmon, roe, cucumber, and spring onions rolled together.

At one of São Paulo's few pizzerias where you can order by the slice, the options for toppings range from pepperoni and other traditional favorites to shimeji mushrooms, kale, and other innovative ingredients.

This restaurant looks like something Spanish architect Gaudí might have designed had he spent his later years in the tropics, but the pizzas couldn't be more Italian and straightforward. Try a pie with mozzarella and toasted garlic.

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.

Though it's neither fancy nor beautiful, Pizzaria Camelo has kept paulistanos enthralled for ages with its many thin-crust pies. The chopp (draft beer) is great, too.

One of the most traditional pizzerias in São Paulo, this restaurant is famous for its margherita pie. In 2010, Speranza became the first pizzeria in Latin America to win recognition from the Italian pizza quality-control board Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. Pasta, chicken, and beef dishes are also served.

A few blocks west of MASP, this quaint yet futuristic glass-encased diner occupies a lonely single-story building tucked between government skyscrapers. Entrées—Argentine beef is a favorite—don't come with sides, so you'll have to order a dish such as rice with broccoli to fill the plate.

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.