It is not news that the city of São Paulo is a reference in Brazil and the world when it comes to gastronomy. The capital of São Paulo, which turns 470 years old this Thursday (25), has it as one of its main cultural brands.
The variety of restaurants and bars it houses impresses tourists and residents, who have a range of options bringing together the most different specialties and origins. It’s as if you could travel to distant countries and taste their typical delicacies in the most perfect way without leaving the city.
In addition to the brilliant executions, the city also gains its own fame with foods that have become “São Paulo classics”. That little bread on the plate at the “padoca” on the corner is the law for many to start the day well.
With its fame, the city brings together impressive numbers and curiosities involving the tastiest part of life. And nothing better than eating and drinking to celebrate your birthday!
Check out 7 gastronomic curiosities of the city in its 470 years:
Dona Deôla, who has been in the bakery market in the capital of São Paulo for 28 years, sells around 400 thousand French breads per month / Rodolfo Regini
The city of São Paulo is known for its traditional bakeries. In the city, there are around 5,200 active. According to SampaPão, a union that represents establishments across the state, these bakeries together sell approximately 20 million French breads per day.
In the capital of São Paulo, there are also centuries-old bakeries, the oldest of which is Santa Teresaopened in 1872. With more than 150 years of history, it is located in the city center.
Finally, honoring its reputation as a city that never sleeps, in São Paulo you will also find bakeries that open 24 hours a day. Check out this article for a list of the main ones and their addresses.
São Paulo, the city of Pizza!
QT Pizza Bar is the best placed Brazilian pizzeria among the 100 best in the world in 2023, taking 51st place / Disclosure
The city of São Paulo has 6,652 pizzerias in operation, according to data from the Associação Pizzarias Unidas do Brasil (Apubra). This number represents 33.12% of all pizzerias in the state and 9% across the country. Every day, the capital produces an average of 288,231 pizzas, totaling almost 8.6 million throughout the month.
Furthermore, São Paulo stands out internationally, housing three pizzerias that are among the 100 best in the world. QT Pizza Bar, A Pizza da Mooca and Leggera earned their places in the 50 Top Pizza ranking, released in September 2023.
The Brazilian capital of gastronomy
Bar Brahma, located on one of the most emblematic corners of São Paulo, is one of the city’s landmark establishments / Disclosure
São Paulo stands out for its huge number of bars and restaurants Currently, approximately 156 thousand establishments are in operation in the city, offering an impressive variety of over 55 types cooking according to the survey from the Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants of São Paulo (AbraselSP). Data from the General Register of Employed and Unemployed Persons (Caged) indicate that the food sector outside the home employed around 218 thousand formal workers in the city.
Another study carried out by AbraselSP mapped the distribution of bars, restaurants and similar establishments in different neighborhoods. The results revealed that São Paulo’s gastronomic scene is not limited to just certain regions, being a significant part of the economy of many neighborhoods in the North, East and South zones. The number of establishments in some of these neighborhoods exceeds by 50% regions famous for are home to many restaurants, such as Jardins, Liberdade, Barra Funda, among others.
Regarding the proportion in relation to the number of inhabitants, the neighborhood of Itaim Bibi, which has 1,948 bars and restaurants in an estimated population of 92,570 people.
The oldest restaurant in the city
Opened in 1881, Italian Carlino is the oldest restaurant in São Paulo / Reproduction Instagram
São Paulo is a historical and cultural melting pot that is also reflected in its rich gastronomic scene, with immigrants being a fundamental part of this diversity. Immigration began in the 19th century and has not stopped since then. The oldest restaurant in operation in the city today has its roots in the hands of an Italian originally from the city of Lucca, located in the northwest region of Tuscany.
Carlo Cecchini founded the Carlino Restaurant in 1881, in Largo do Paiçandu, and the specialty, of course, could not be other than Italian. Carlo remained in charge until 1949, when his friend Marcello Gianni, also from Tuscany, took over management until 1978. That year, Antonio Carlos Marino, son of an Italian and a lover of Mediterranean cuisine, became responsible for the establishment. To this day, the restaurant is run by his children and his wife, maintaining the traditions of 143 years ago, but with contemporary touches. Although the address has changed, the essence remains the same, now located on Rua Epitácio Pessoa, in the city center.
Since 1914, street markets, as they are known today, have been officially institutionalized in the city of São Paulo, recognizing a practice that already occurred informally in the city.
The first official Free Market, held as an experiment, was attended by 26 stallholders at Largo General Osório. The second took place in Largo do Arouche, with 116 stallholders, and the third in Largo Morais de Barros. Currently, more than 955 fairs are held throughout the city, in two formats: traditional, from 8am to 2pm, and night, from 4pm to 9pm.
It is at these fairs that one of the most typical customs of São Paulo residents takes place: stopping to shop to enjoy a pastry and ice-cold sugarcane juice, with or without lemon!
Aizomê, a Japanese cuisine restaurant run by chef Telma Shiraishi, is located in São Paulo / Rafael Salvador
Brazil embraces the largest community of Japanese people and descendants outside of Japan, being considered a second home for those who leave their homeland. In the capital of São Paulo, we find a surprising Japanese cultural effervescence.
Currently, Brazil is home to the largest population of Japanese origin outside of Japan, with an estimated number of more than 1.5 million Japanese people and their descendants here. São Paulo, a cosmopolitan city, concentrates a rich Japanese culture through its people, gastronomy, products and music, making it a more accessible and quick passage to the Asian country.
According to a survey carried out by the Brazilian Association of Japanese Gastronomy in 2023, there are approximately 4,168 Japanese restaurants in the capital of São Paulo.
For comparison purposes, the research also revealed that in the country as a whole there are 16,684 establishments, 6,315 of which are in the State of São Paulo, which means that two thirds are in the city. The remainder is distributed across other states. Rio de Janeiro, for example, is behind São Paulo, with around 1,598 restaurants open, representing less than half of that number.
The city with unique drinking bars
Caledonia, in São Paulo, is a bar specializing in whiskey, in the Pinheiros neighborhood / Disclosure
The fact that São Paulo has specific bar options for lovers of the most popular drinks, such as wine and beer, is nothing new. But did you know that in the city you can also find establishments focused on other drinks that don’t always please everyone’s taste? These places were created not only to serve a specific (and loyal) audience, but also to attract new views, often demystifying flavors.
This is the case of Trinca Bar, commanded by Ale Bussab and Tábata Magarão. Opened in 2022, in the Pinheiros neighborhood, it was born with the proposal of being the first artisanal vermuteria in São Paulo, and its protagonist, of course, is Vermouth. There, straight from the tap, ice-cold vermouths please fans of the drink, as well as signature and classic drinks, always with some element made by hand in-house. One of the stars is the Negroni, which is made with artisanal South American vermouth, London dry gin, Campari and a fat wash in Spanish olive oil.
Another drink that has guaranteed attention in the city is Whiskey, with the Caledoniaa bar specializing in drinks and cocktails by partners Maurício Porto and Guilherme Valle.
The “sacred temple” of whiskey is located in the West Zone and provides an end-to-end experience for all profiles of those interested in the culture of the distillate, from the curious to the passionate. Opened in 2020, the address functions as a store, bar, classroom and space for closed events.
During the day, the store, located at the entrance to the property, delights the public with a wide range of labels, including Scottish, Irish, Japanese, American and others. At night, the store’s walls open to reveal a modern bar, where you can sample hundreds of whiskey labels and a list of classic and signature cocktails. From the kitchen come starters, dishes and desserts that enhance the spirit and are designed to harmonize with the drink.
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