Where to Eat in São Paulo
Where should you eat in São Paulo? Our five stops range from warm pão de queijo at Haddock Lobo to Z Deli’s pastrami sandwiches, Muli’s octopus burger, tonkotsu ramen at Ikemen and a rodízio dinner at Estância Catumbi. Each comes from a meal we had ourselves, with the orders we liked and the details worth knowing.
Start with Haddock Lobo for a short snack, Z Deli for a substantial sandwich or Estância for meat served at the table. These are five visits, rather than a route to complete in a day. If your trip continues to the coast, keep our Rio de Janeiro food guide handy too.
Choose your São Paulo food stop
| Place | Area | What to eat |
|---|---|---|
| Pão de Queijo Haddock Lobo | Jardins | Pão de queijo |
| Z Deli Restaurante & Delicatessen | Jardins | Wagyu Pastrami and French Dip |
| Muli | Vila Buarque / Santa Cecília area | Octopus burger and Tuna Fries |
| Ikemen Ramen | Paraíso | Classic or spicy tonkotsu ramen |
| Churrascaria Estância — Catumbi | Belenzinho | Rodízio; garlic picanha was our favourite |
Where we ate in São Paulo
1. Pão de Queijo Haddock Lobo
Our first encounter with pão de queijo was at Haddock Lobo. The cheese breads in the display were not all identical in shape, and they arrived warm. It was a small food stop, but one that stayed with us: exactly the kind of place to mark on your map when you want a bite between longer meals.
Pão de queijo is made with cassava starch and cheese, so do not expect the texture of a wheat-flour bread roll. At the little Rua Haddock Lobo shop, the limited outdoor seating suited a quick snack rather than a leisurely meal. The cheese bread itself was what we came away remembering.
What to order: Pão de queijo.
Address: Rua Haddock Lobo, 1408, Jardins, São Paulo, Brazil.
Phone: +55 11 94328-6072
Find this branch on Google Maps
2. Z Deli Restaurante & Delicatessen
The Wagyu Pastrami was the main event for us at Z Deli. A generous amount of meat, coleslaw, Swiss cheese and mustard inside the house bread made it a serious meal. We also tried the French Dip, which comes with jus—a savoury meat juice or broth—to dip the sandwich into.
We shared both sandwiches, and the Wagyu Pastrami was our favourite. While waiting for a table, we ordered caipirinhas from the bar window opening onto the street and watched the neighbourhood go by. These notes belong to the Restaurante & Delicatessen on Alameda Lorena, rather than another Z Deli branch; check that address when planning your visit.
What to order: Wagyu Pastrami and French Dip.
Address: Alameda Lorena, 1689, Jardins, São Paulo, Brazil.
Find this branch on Google Maps
3. Muli
Muli was our stop for seafood in a relaxed setting, with dishes that went beyond the obvious. The octopus burger was the one everyone at our table talked about: its arms extended beyond the bun. The appeal lasted beyond the photograph, because the octopus was not rubbery and the slightly sweet sauce did not overwhelm it.
The Tuna Fries paired thin, crisp fries with lemony sour cream and cubes of cured tuna. We tried squid too, but the octopus burger and Tuna Fries were the two dishes we would point a first-time visitor towards. Sharing a few plates worked well here, leaving space to taste more than one thing.
What to order: Octopus burger and Tuna Fries.
Address: Rua Martim Francisco, 482, São Paulo, Brazil.
Find this branch on Google Maps
4. Ikemen Ramen
We arrived at Ikemen before we had even checked into our hotel in São Paulo. Tired from travelling and looking for something hot, we sat in front of the open kitchen and ordered one classic and one red, spicy tonkotsu ramen. The rich, creamy broth, noodles, egg and thin slices of pork were just what we wanted.
This is a useful change of pace if your food plans have started to revolve entirely around grilled meat and sandwiches. The tonkotsu ramen we ate was pork-based. If that affects your choice, ask about both the broth and the toppings before ordering rather than assuming that removing a slice of meat changes the whole bowl.
What to order: Classic or spicy tonkotsu ramen.
Address: Rua Doutor Rafael de Barros, 34, Paraíso, São Paulo, Brazil.
Phone: +55 11 2364-2297
Find this branch on Google Maps
5. Churrascaria Estância — Catumbi
We spent our final São Paulo evening at Estância’s Catumbi branch before taking the bus to Rio. We started at the buffet, where there were options such as ceviche, then moved on to the meats carried to the table on skewers. It was an introduction to rodízio service with a pace you quickly notice.
The garlic picanha was our favourite, although some other pieces were tougher than we had expected. We did not enjoy every cut equally. The green card tells the servers you would like more meat; turn it to red when you want a pause. Use that pause to enjoy what is already on your plate, rather than waiting until you are completely full.
What to order: Rodízio; garlic picanha was our favourite.
Address: Rua Catumbi, 1393, Belenzinho, São Paulo, Brazil.
Phone: +55 11 2692-2322
Find this branch on Google Maps
How to plan your São Paulo meals
Group the Jardins stops together. Haddock Lobo and the Alameda Lorena Z Deli belong in the same area plan, with the cheese bread as a short break and the sandwich as a main meal. Check transport separately for Muli, Ikemen and Estância from wherever you are staying.
Leave room between substantial meals. A generous pastrami sandwich and a rodízio dinner need not compete on the same day. At Muli, sharing makes it easier to try both the burger and Tuna Fries. At Estância, the red card is useful for a pause at any stage of the meal.
Check the branch and the current menu. Our Z Deli visit was on Alameda Lorena, and our Estância meal was at Catumbi. Prices, menus and service arrangements can change. For dietary requirements, ask about sauces and broths as well as the most visible ingredients.
Watch our São Paulo food tour
Our São Paulo episode is in Turkish, but the footage shows the dishes and service from the trip. Z Deli starts at approximately 07:06; Estância starts at 16:50.
Questions about eating in São Paulo
What should I try on a first visit to São Paulo?
For Brazilian food in this selection, start with pão de queijo and a rodízio meal. Pastrami sandwiches, seafood and ramen also formed memorable parts of our trip.
Where did we eat pão de queijo?
At Pão de Queijo Haddock Lobo on Rua Haddock Lobo. We would plan the little shop as a short stop for warm cheese bread when exploring Jardins.
Which sandwich did we prefer at Z Deli?
We tried the Wagyu Pastrami and French Dip, sharing both. Our favourite was the Wagyu Pastrami. This visit was to Restaurante & Delicatessen on Alameda Lorena.
Where did we go for seafood and ramen?
For seafood, we visited Muli and particularly remembered the octopus burger and Tuna Fries. For ramen, we went to Ikemen in Paraíso; the classic and spicy tonkotsu bowls we ate contained pork.
How does rodízio work at Estância?
Servers bring skewered meats to the table and offer portions. Green signals that you would like service; red asks for a pause. At the Catumbi branch, garlic picanha was our favourite, while some other cuts were tough.
These five stops gave us very different meals, from a quick cheese bread to an evening of meat served from skewers. If Rio is next on your itinerary, see our guide to eating in Centro and Copacabana. Have a São Paulo address you return to? Share it in the comments.
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Editor’s note
Last checked: 23 October 2026. This English guide adapts our own São Paulo visit notes and photographs. The numbering is an order for reading, not a scored ranking or a single-day itinerary. Branch addresses were checked against business pages and listings; the meals described are from our visits, and current menus, prices and hours may differ.
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