Top 10 food and drink things to do in São Paulo

Melt-in-your-mouth sushi, sizzling barbecued beef and Amazonian berry juices – stay at a São Paulo hotel and savour the city’s culinary treats with this guide to the top 10 food and drink things to do in São Paulo.

Mortadella sandwiches at the Mercado Municipal

Stained-glass arches and ornate columns combine with colorful stalls of tropical fruits and deli items for a spectacular visual feast at the Municipal Market. Grab a seat overlooking the action at Bar do Mané and tuck into a mortadella ham sandwich.

Mercado Municipal: 306 Rua da Cantareira, Centro

Cachaça sampling in Vila Madalena

Genial bow-tied waiters proudly recommend the Brazilian speciality Cachaças (sugarcane liquor) to a backdrop of sweet choro guitar-playing at Vila Madalena’s friendly Bar Filial. Take in the neighborhood’s bohemian charm over a kiwi-infused caipirinha at an outside table.

Bar Filial: 254 Rua Fidalga, Vila Madalena

Musical cooking classes at Capim Santo

A gastronomic temple dedicated to the beach life and tropical cuisine of Brazil’s North East, Capim Santo serves exquisite modern twists on seafood classics. Learn how to cook grilled sea bass topped with jaca fruit on a palm-shaded patio to Brazilian musical accompaniment.

Capim Santo: 471 Alameda Ministro Rocha Azevedo, Jardins

Draught beer and finger food in an old botequim

Step back into traditional 1940s São Paulo at Bar Leo’s dimly lit, wood-panelled watering hole. Creamy ice-cold chopp (draught beer) and appetising bolinhos de bacalhau (fried fish balls) are local favourites at this marble-floored old-school gem.

Bar Leo: 100 Rua Aurora, República

Avenida Angélica’s barbecue feast

An institution in the top 10 food and drink things to do in São Paulo, Rodízio (all-you-can-eat) barbecue grills are a joyous part of Brazilian family life. Waiters circle your table with delectable cuts of prime meat at the upmarket Avenida Angélica Grill.

Avenida Angélica Grill: 430 Avenida Angélica, Higienópolis

Brazilian comfort food at Athenas

Join the hordes of lunchtime regulars for moqueca (fish stew cooked in coconut and palm oil) or feijoada (black bean and pork casserole) at this bright and breezy local eatery. Choose from regional specialities at the vast buffet and pay for the weight of your plate.

Athenas: 1449 Rua Augusta, Consolação

Bela Vista’s Italian bakeries

Italian immigrants have been bringing their regional delicacies and sublime bakeries to Bela Vista’s cobbled streets since the late 19th century. Head to Basilicata for mouth-watering olive focaccia bread straight from a wood-fired oven.

Basilicata: 614 Rua 13 de Maio, Bela Vista 

Street eats and smoothies on Avenida Paulista

Rustic hole-in-the-wall lanchonetes dot the wide Avenida Paulista serving hungry bankers and artists alike at standing-only food stalls. Wash down homemade pastries of minced meat and soft cheese with delectable açaí berry smoothies. 

Lanchonetes: Avenida Paulista 

Creative genius in Jardins

Experience the calm hush of sophisticated diners blown away by wildly inventive cooking at D.O.M. – modern Brazilian cuisine’s flagship restaurant. The Amazon’s tantalising ingredients are used to triumphant effect in dishes like toasted black risotto in Brazilian nut milk. 

D.O.M: 549 Rua Barão de Capanema, Jardins 

Late-night sushi in Liberdade

A night stroll through the city’s little Japan, Liberdade, uncovers buzzing sushi bars draped in neon. Savour the delicate sashimi of Brazilian picanha beef at authentic Kabura – the perfect end to a night before returning to your São Paulo hotel. 

Kabura: 54 Rua Galvão Bueno, Liberdade