Parties, events and awards expand palates and put the city in the spotlight on the world stage
For food lovers, São Paulo is the capital of diverse and creative cuisine. In one day, you can travel to three different continents using only the subway: have breakfast at a Bulgarian diner in Bom Retiro, have lunch at a trendy Arabic restaurant in Pinheiros, and end the night in Liberdade enjoying a Japanese restaurant. If you want a snack to complete your world tour, you can head to República to try the very Brazilian pork rinds.
The rise of gastronomy in São Paulo is evident in practice. A survey conducted by the Tourism and Events Observatory (OTE), a research and market intelligence center of SPTuris, part of the City of São Paulo, during SP Gastronomia – an event that took place for the first time in the city between June 29 and July 2 – revealed that 97.7% of those interviewed believe that the city is an international gastronomic destination and 92.5% regularly visit restaurants in the city.
“Promoting gastronomy has become inevitable, as São Paulo has been systematically recognized by international awards and by tourists themselves as a place that concentrates the most innovative, sustainable, diverse and rich gastronomy in Brazil,” says the Municipal Secretary of Tourism, Rodolfo Marinho. “Giving visibility to this work that is being done in our city is a way of promoting a trend that is confirmed as the city’s calling, in addition to generating employment and income opportunities,” he concludes.
The quality of the food served in São Paulo establishments is gaining international recognition. In early 2023, the report The World’s Best Cities – carried out by the international consultancy Resonance Consultancy, indicated the city of São Paulo as the 3rd best gastronomic destination in the restaurant category, behind only Tokyo, Japan, and Seoul, South Korea.
With something for everyone, according to a December 2022 survey by the American platform Happy Cow and the British non-profit organization Veganuary, the capital is currently the Latin city with the largest number of vegan restaurants. For those who do not consume animal products, there will be no shortage of options.
According to the Event Tourism Observatory, in 2018, the city had around 20,000 restaurants serving almost 60 different types of cuisine. Among them, there are 500 steakhouses, 350 burger joints, 600 Japanese restaurants, which serve approximately 400,000 sushi rolls per day, 80 vegetarian restaurants and 3,500 pizzerias. The data is currently being updated, but the expectation is that the numbers will be even more impressive.
Flavors from different countries
Another piece of data from the survey conducted during SP Gastronomia shows that the most popular restaurants are Italian (53.6%), Japanese (47.3%) and Brazilian (30.2%). In São Paulo , the number of establishments serving Arabic cuisine is also growing, also considering the so-called “street food”.
Diversity extends to countries such as Nepal, Armenia, Israel and Palestine, providing an experience of new flavors and an immersion into different cultures.
Another notable characteristic of São Paulo is the neighborhoods that concentrate typical dishes from certain countries. While Mooca is known for its concentration of Italian restaurants, Liberdade is renowned for its many Asian-themed establishments. In fact, São Paulo is the city with the largest population of Italian descendants outside of Italy and the largest community of Japanese descendants outside of Japan.
To highlight this gastronomic boom that has been taking over the capital, events linked to the sector have gained more and more space. This year alone, three major fairs stand out.
One of them was the first edition of SP Gastronomia, held by Grupo Globo with support from the City of São Paulo. The event brought together gastronomy, music, workshops and a producers’ fair.
The Comida di Buteco competition, which promotes popular cuisine, has also brought a boost to the sector. It takes place every year and participating establishments compete for the title of best in the city in various categories by preparing a dish based on a theme. In 2023, 113 establishments, located in all regions of the city, were mapped for the award.
The Smorgasburg Festival, which originated in New York, has now arrived in São Paulo and is now in its third edition. Focusing on creative cuisine, the event has free admission and attracted a large audience to the area around Ibirapuera Park.
When it comes to food, the traditional street parties that pay homage to the patron saints of the neighborhoods and are also responsible for helping with the charitable works of the parishes cannot be left out. Two are very famous.
The first is Nossa Senhora Achiropita, in Bixiga, which is in its 97th edition – in August and September. The San Gennaro festival, in Mooca, has traditionally taken place in October for 50 years.
Both focus on Italian cuisine and have several stalls selling typical delicacies at an excellent cost-benefit ratio. Both events attract thousands of people every year in search of delicacies such as pizza, fogazza and pasta.
By the City of São Paulo , a city for everyone!
