Brazilian friends wanted to take me to a place during my visit to São Paulo that would give me a…read morechance to sample some unique Brazilian flavours and they chose Micaela, partly due to its location (walking distance from my hotel) and due to our needing a place that would be open on Monday. Neither had been here before, but both had heard good things, so they figured it would be worth a shot. How right they were! The restaurant is cute and charming inside, with a rustic sort of feel. The waiters--none of whom appear to speak English, though I cannot be sure of that since my friends handled all the interactions with staff--were friendly and helpful. The menu is extremely varied and includes many ingredients from all over Brazil, including exotic fishes from the north of the country, spices from the Amazon, and all sorts of things that none of us knew what they were. We opted to share two starters, one called Aquarelas do Brasil (after the famous song of the same name) and the other "pintxos" of tapioca and shimeji mushrooms (mushrooms wrapped in tapioca pastry and fried). The Aquarelas dish turned out to be delivered on a plate resembling a painter's palette, with four little servings of things to be spread on thin pieces of a special bread that they make in-house (each serving a different colour, thus adding to the theme evoked by the dish's name). The tapioca-wrapped mushrooms was the better-tasting of the two dishes, though we enjoyed them both very much. For the main course, I had a dish that consisted of beef, farofa, a fried noodle sort of thing on top and a tomato-and-onion salsa on the side, together with rice. It had excellent flavours, though the fried noodle-y thing on top made it a bit difficult to eat. We also had caiprinhas or caipiroskas, one of the latter made with red fruits instead of lime--there is a sizeable list of options for these cocktails on the menu--and they even gave us a taste of a special cachaça made with a Brazilian relative of the betel leaf. We really didn't need dessert after all this, but we decided to share one among the three of us, choosing one made with toasted coconut, white chocolate caramel and something called puxurí that none of us was familiar with, so one of the waiters brought some out to show us. Turns out it's a spice from northern Brazil that is redolent of cinnamon and vanilla, and they gave me a piece to use at home. The dessert was excellent, as was the rest of the meal, and the price was pretty reasonable given all that we had ordered (R$140 each).

The food is amazing here. Definitely get the Galhinado. That chicken and rice dish was the…read morehighlight of my meals there. The chicken was cooked perfectly and had a smokey flavor that was very pleasant. The dessert with cupuazu was really good too.. reminded me of a combination of butterscotch and dried longan fruit.

My experience at Taveres was very pleasant and enjoyable…read more My first impression was the ambiance; dim lighting and hipster decor. Something I very much look to in an enjoyable dining experience. Being a foreigner, I was pretty clueless about where to be seated. A server saw me and allowed me to pick my seat. I ordered a caipirinha to start off and the bacalau for my main course. Though the bacalau was a little salty to my taste, I loved the crispy onions they garnished the dish with. The fish meat was tender but firm. A texture I love. I finished off my meal with their bread pudding as recommended by my server. It was nice as warm with a sweet flavor of almonds and raisins. All the employees in the restaurant were really kind and patient especially since I don't speak Portuguese. They were willing provide me some must sees in Sao Paulo and didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that I had to use Google translate to communicate. I'll definitely be back for a next visit~ Glad Tavares lived up to their excellent reviews.

A glamping decor restaurant with a menu that is diverse yet safe. The food was bland, we had the…read morecod fish lunch special which even pimenta and salt couldn't save. The service is nice yet scurried. The wine list is enough to keep you interested, but not exciting. I can't say this would be my first lunch choice the next time we are dining in Jardins. Good for groups. Somebody got the Happy Birthday table song. Porch seating up front. Lunch per person was R$90.

Ceviche sempre terá um lugar especial no meu coração…read more When I found Suri off Google Maps one day, I immediately bookmarked it cause I had to stop by one of the days for lunch or dinner. I went on a day when it wasn't raining during my walk there from the place I was staying and when I left the restaurant, it started to down pour hard). Luckily, I had brought my umbrella with me as there were plenty of times when I always had forgotten it at home. The interior is bright and open. There was one large round table in a corner and multiple smaller tables along the wall that was on the street side, a few tables on the sidewalk (covered by an awning, but even with rain, you could get wet), and then the bar which is where I sat. They paid attention to detail here - the minimal decor, yet the well matched placemats, utensils, bar chairs, lighting, etc. I love the bright colors in both the food and the theme of the restaurant. What I ordered: - Picadito Playero (3 unidades - desde que comi sozinho e eles revisaram o preço para mim por menos peças) ***must try!!! so so so good*** Atum picado com gengibre, pimenta sriracha, sweet chilli, cebola e coentro em cima de nossos patacones (discos crocantes de banana da terra fritos) (5 unidades) R$ 55,00 - Goa (somente peixe) ***so unique - I don't think I have ever had a curry inspired ceviche before - I really liked this one and it was very filling.*** Corvina com curry artesanal, leite de coco, cebola roxa, coentro e tortillas de arroz R$ 62,00 - I think the drink I had was a Mango Margarita which was muito bom. There was sugar around the rim and a thin slice of mango. ***The drink was strong and refreshing at the same time.*** I loved every single thing I had here. Presentation on everything was beautiful and the flavors were amazing! All recommended by the restaurant owner who was one of the few who knew how to communicate in English. I think whenever I would go somewhere, those who spoke English would come to me rather than me having to try to communicate in Portuguese, but I really wouldn't have minded trying cause I was learning anyway, but I appreciate the effort in trying to make me feel comfortable. My waiter made sure my check was adjusted for the appetizer as I had gotten 3 vs. 5 pieces before I paid which was recognized, obrigada. I will definitely return next time I am in São Paulo, thank you for a great time!

Might have been an off afternoon for the staff…read more Service was ok - they had "check" my order 3 times which was a bit annoying. They served me a drink I didn't order. Sat at the counter and my dirty dishes were left at the counter as they were pulling up (had order different appetizers). Staff members walked by and didn't bother to pick it. They presented me the check without me being done ordering or eating. It was just an odd experience with service... The food was SPECTACULAR!

I had order the pastéis( Brazilian empanadas deep fried) and bolinho de bacalhau ( cod fish cake),…read moreboth great. The caipirinhas are great too! I really recommend

We passed by this place several times on the bus and every time it caught our eye. It stands out…read morebecause the walls are decorated with a nautical theme. Finally we happened to be nearby and got our chance to stop in to try it out. We were happily surprised to find out they do a great paella! We had an excellent meal and were completely stuffed splitting it between two people. Definitely stop here if you're in the neighborhood.

Come here to enjoy the best Arroz de camarão you've ever had…read more They have ice-cold chopps and quality red wine by the glass. They are also open for lunch when you can be served up a pretty prato do dia while you sip on a refreshing suco de abacaxi and gengibre (pineapple and ginger juice). The space is airy and open. How come I don't come here more often?! The servers are all tatted-up and friendly - very Vila Madalena.

Sabiá is a very good option in Vila Madalena if you're looking for a place to catch up with…read morefriends, enjoy a libation and/or have a nice bite to eat. It's a little bit away from the crowded bars you'll find two blocks down the road, so it doesn't get quite as crazy on the weekends. This is a restaurant bar, with good, simple appetizers and food. While the dishes are simple, they are executed and presented well, with a good attention to detail and a decidedly modern touch. The draft beers are always cold, and some are very good! The atmosphere is pleasant and conducive to conversation, and the wait staff is friendly and helpful.

We came without reservations and were seated at a table next to the bar. The place is obviously…read morepopular by local crowd, consider the rather obscure location. I got here thanks to the raving references by a young Aussie global trotter. The Old fashioned was made the way it should be - big ice cube, strong enough. 4/5 star. The stuffed squid is one of their signature pride. It's something you don't find many other places around the world. The octopus rice is absolutely delicious, highly recommended. The fish broth is quite savory, I was blown away. The portion is too small though. It's like a little teaser and I wonder why. If you are in São Paulo, this place won't disappoint!

My favorite restaurant as the setting, service and above all - food is A+ outstanding. I always…read moreorder the grilled steak and cheese potatoes with the salmon toast as a starter. Excellency all around. I can't recommend this restaurant any more. They offer English menus however nobody speaks English here so that can be a bit challenging to order. Otherwise this is a must visit location.

For a Portuguese restaurant to only have a couple Portuguese options it really blows. Was here for…read morea business luncheon and only had 45 minutes to eat, service was slow and food was subpar. Ordered a bolinho de bacalhau (salted cod fish croquete and due to time limit did not order a bacalhoada, which takes about 40 minutes to make, so instead, ordered Parmesan crusted beef, which took about 30 minutes. Prices are not cheap. They do offer a few options for lunch but they are typical Brazilian food found anywhere. Food was OK, but since they are labeled as a Portuguese restaurant and actually they only have a couple Portuguese options it's misleading.

Relaxed bar atmosphere to get away from the uptightness often found in São Paulo. Standard fare of…read moredrinks, while the strong point of the food menu is the feijoada on Saturday (show up early, though, or be prepared to knock back a few caipirinhas while you stand around waiting for a table).

We went here because the restaurant we wanted to go to had a 45 minute wait. The menu is limited…read moreand the beer selection consists of bottles of (ugh!) Stella or Heineken...although from what I've seen, most Brazilians seem to consider that "fancy." The food itself was surprisingly good. I tried the Roast Beef (sort of a version of carpaccio) and the pesto pasta. The back patio seems to be the best place to dine.