Pão de Queijo Haddock Lobo: São Paulo’s Cheese-Bread Stop
Our first pão de queijo stop in São Paulo was Pão de Queijo Haddock Lobo, the small Jardins shop whose history goes back to 1968. We ate warm cheese breads, watched local customers come and go, then continued through the neighbourhood. It suited a short food stop better than a leisurely breakfast.
A shop built around one familiar Brazilian snack
We came looking for pão de queijo after eating at Z Deli nearby. The shop at Rua Haddock Lobo is the original address associated with the business, rather than another location carrying the same name.
Its narrow display and small bar make the scale clear immediately. There are a few seats outside, but this is not the place to spread out with a laptop for an afternoon.
Warm, slightly irregular cheese breads
The pão de queijo came from a wicker basket. The small pieces were not all identical in shape, and arrived warm. We liked that slightly irregular appearance as part of the shop’s straightforward character.
Their outside was lightly coloured, with a softer, elastic centre. Calling them cheese rolls only gets part of the way there: the starch gives a texture quite unlike ordinary wheat bread.
What gives pão de queijo its texture?
Pão de queijo is made with cassava starch, known as polvilho, and cheese. Recipes differ, including the starch and cheese combinations used. It is the starch-based dough that makes the inside feel different from a small conventional bread roll.
We only ate pão de queijo on this visit. Other sweets, including brigadeiro, were visible in the display, but seeing something for sale is different from having tried it.
A stop worth fitting into Jardins
We found the experience good value as a brief introduction to a Brazilian everyday food. An old menu reference should not be treated as today’s price; check the shop’s own menu before ordering.
If you are already around Jardins or Paulista Avenue, this is an easy kind of stop to add to the day. We would be less inclined to cross the whole city just for one snack.
Would we go back?
Yes, for another warm pão de queijo while passing through the area. The attraction was knowing exactly what we had come for and enjoying it in a shop focused on that product.
For an international visitor, it is also a useful reminder that not every memorable food stop needs a large dining room or an elaborate plate.
Where is Pão de Queijo Haddock Lobo?
Pão de Queijo Haddock Lobo
Rua Haddock Lobo, 1408, Jardins, São Paulo, BrazilOpen in Google Maps ↗Confirm opening hours, the current menu and any booking arrangements before visiting. The address above identifies the branch covered by our account.
Before you go
What did we actually eat?
Only pão de queijo. We did not taste the rest of the display.
Is there plenty of seating?
No. Seating is limited, so plan around a short stop.
Where is the shop?
At Rua Haddock Lobo 1408 in Jardins, São Paulo.
Adapted from our original Harbiyiyorum visit account.
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