Packaged cutlery, paper bag to store the masks, menu reader in QR codealcohol gel, distanced tables and waiters with face shields became routine in restaurants after the establishments reopened in July. Since the first half of October, São Paulo entered phase 2, green, and restaurants and bars began to operate with extended opening hours. So now, they stay open until 11pm. But even with all the safety measures adopted in the establishments we visit, it is worth remembering that we are still facing a pandemic. Therefore, You Must Go! selected eleven open-air restaurants in SP for you to enjoy an experience that is not only delicious, but also safe.
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11 open-air restaurants in SP
1- Capim Santo
In a garden of delights inside the Museu da Casa Brasileira, in Faria Lima, the new Capim Santo, by chef Morena Leite, is a great choice for those looking for light, tropical food in an environment that makes you forget you’re in São Paulo. With benches spread among the trees – like a jabuticaba tree – and even a rocking chair, the restaurant, opened in September, serves starters such as, for example, guacamole with chips from Brazilian roots, tapioca churros with vatapá and main dishes like cod in cream with sweet potato chips and shrimp in curry sauce with coconut milk, vegetables and red rice. You will certainly want to rest under the umbrellas spread throughout the museum, on the adjacent lawn. Capim Santo is on the Michelin 2020 list in the Bib Gourmand category – restaurants with an excellent quality/price ratio.
End: Avenida Faria Lima, 2705 – Museu da Casa Brasileira – Jardim Paulistano. Tel: 11 3032-2277 / Whatsapp: 11 98189-0082
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday, from 12pm to 3pm. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, from 12pm to 5pm.
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2- Banzeiro – open-air restaurants in SP
Chef Felipe Schaedler, known for Banzeiro de Manaus, has already gained a loyal clientele for his São Paulo unit, opened just over a year ago. The Amazonian climate can be felt right at the entrance, with a real canoe acting as a bench. The walls of the hall are covered with wattle and daub. In addition, the restaurant has four tables in the outdoor area, in a friendly little village with hanging polka dot lights. Among the flagships, for example, shrimp with tucupi and mushroom pirão, tambaqui ribs roasted over coals with creamy baião and matrinxã roasted in banana leaves. The dishes are explained in detail by waiters from Manaus, brought from the Manaus unit, and the drinks are designed by mixologist Alex Mesquita.
End: Rua Tabapuã, 830, Itaim Bibi, São Paulo. Tel.: 11 2501-4777 / 11 93235-7003
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, from 12pm to 3pm and from 7pm to 10pm.
3- Cepa
Opened in a cozy house in Tatuapé, the neighborhood where chef Lucas Dante was born and raised, in the east zone of São Paulo, the Cepa restaurant breaks the mold. After all, it is outside the usual area of original restaurants, located in the west or central zone of the city. The menu is itinerant and varies according to the seasonality of the ingredients. Among the week’s suggestions, tuna starter with wasabi cream and octopus toast with gochujang mayonnaise. For the main course, for example, creamy polenta with mushroom ragu or grilled sausage with Santarém beans, farofa and cabbage. To get drunk, as the menu itself jokes, ask sommelière Gabrielli Fleming, Lucas’s partner and wife, for a suggestion.
The restaurant was opened just over a year ago and underwent renovations to give it a look that was half grandma’s and half modern restaurant. Even those vintage shards were placed on the floor of the internal hall to compose the look. Cepa is also on the Michelin 2020 list in the Bib Gourmand category.
End: R. Antônio Camardo, 895, Vila Gomes Cardim, eastern region. Tel: 11 2096-0687
Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday, from 12pm to 3pm. Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 4pm.
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4- Gula Gula – open-air restaurants in SP
An oasis in the bustling area of Avenida Paulista. The Gula Gula from Rio opened its São Paulo branch in September last year in an elegant 1911 mansion listed as a Historical Heritage site, on the corner of Alameda Santos and Rua Padre João Manuel. The property belonged to Francisco de Paula Vicente de Azevedo, son of Baron de Bocaina, banker and farmer from São Paulo, and preserves in the garden a giant fig tree, brazilwood, jabuticabeira and imperial palm trees. On the menu, seared tuna limbo with tamarind sauce, quinoa and vegetables, and spagetti with shrimp and arugula. In fact, for dog parents, the restaurant is pet friedly and there are little pots of water spread out in the garden for them. Additionally, spices such as mint, sage, coriander and thyme are planted throughout the house.
End: Rua Padre João Manuel, 109 – Jardim Paulista (corner of Alameda Santos). Tel: 11 4420-2140
Opening hours: Sunday: 12pm to 7pm, Monday to Saturday: 12pm to 10pm.
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5- Lead
After the great success of its first unit in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Imakay arrived in São Paulo, in April last year, in Itaim, a neighborhood considered to be the new Jardins. The restaurant has a large pet-friendly outdoor area and combines Japanese and Peruvian cuisine in a very interesting mix. The careful aesthetic presentation of the dishes and performance elements draws attention, such as, for example, the chargrilled scallop with preserved kimchi and cassava chips, which arrives on a steaming plate with dry ice. Chef David Rodrigues is from Piauí and one of the few specialized in tuna in Brazil. The decor of the house is modern and the side walls are painted by artist Julian Gallasch. According to them, Imakay means concept in Quechua, an indigenous language spoken in the countries of the Andes mountain range.
End: Urussuí Street, 330 – Itaim Bibi
6- Santiago Winery
The view from the skyline of the city is an added charm at the Adega Santiago unit in rooftop from the Cidade Jardim shopping mall, in Morumbi. With external heaters for cold nights, the Spanish with Portuguese influence has acrylic plates between the tables for greater customer safety. On the menu, options to share, such as tapas and garlic prawns and scallops served in the shell. In fact, you can sit at the fish and seafood counter and watch the oysters being prepared. As a main dish, the traditional paella of the house and oven-baked cod with cabbage farofa and Portuguese chestnuts.
End: Av. Magalhães de Castro, 12000 – Shopping Cidade Jardim – 4th floor. Tel: (11) 3758-4446
Opening hours: 4pm to 10pm.
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7- Junji Sakamoto
With Christmas lights hanging from the treetops of the Iguatemi Shopping Parking lot in the background, Junji Sakamoto’s balcony is the restaurant’s most popular and popular space – a more relaxed and affordable version of the award-winning Jun Sakamoto. For starters, it’s certainly worth trying the sensational soft-boiled egg with breaded yolk stuffed with capelin roe and the tuna tartare with roe and dashi-shoyu gelatin. In addition to traditional sushi, sashimi and teishokus, the virtual menu features Jun’s classics such as black Merluza Missoyaki, grilled and marinated in miso sauce and Tyawan mushi truffled in olive oil, with egg pudding with chicken and mushrooms. The chopsticks come wrapped in a transparent plastic bag. But it’s worth remembering that Junji only opens for dinner.
End: Av. Brig. Faria Lima, 2232 – Shopping Iguatemi – Jardim Paulistano. Tel: 11 3813-0820 / WhatsApp: 11 93204-3361
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, from 7pm to 10pm.
8- Beanie
The house, in the gardens of the Museum of Image and Sound (MIS), is a success. That’s why it was chosen as Premiere of the Year in the 2019 Comer & Beber award from Veja São Paulo magazine. The execution of the dishes continues to be done with mastery by the chef duo Henrique Ide and Rafaela Dossi. Furthermore, the technique and power of fire are always reinforced by them, a unique characteristic of Felipe Bronze. To accompany it, the award-winning Argentine sommelière and winemaker Cecilia Aldaz continues to invest in the balance between classic and established labels and the search for new grapes and wines from lesser-known regions, both in Brazil and abroad. On the menu, snacks such as Mushroom Guioza, pastas such as Rib Lasagna, and desserts such as the “best pudding ever”. However, it is possible to do a tasting, a tour of the complete menu (R$ 230).
End: Av. Europa, 158 – Jardim Europa – Jardins, São Paulo – SP. Tel: (11) 3530-1760
9- Loup Restaurante – open-air restaurants in SP
Loup Restaurante makes a big impact not only with its pleasant atmosphere and service, but also with its beautiful and well-executed dishes. In fact, a true journey of the senses, even better in its outdoor, wooded area. The house reopened following a strict security protocol but also continues with the delivery. We loved the Thai Tartar and the seafood risotto.
Loup brings the concept of indulgence, perfection to details from start to finish. A cuisine without borders, designed to provide a rich and varied gastronomic experience, which pleases different profiles and palates. Classic dishes and snacks to share from around the world, with a contemporary reinterpretation.
End: Rua Dr. Mário Ferraz, 528 – Jardim Paulistano. Tel: 11 3078-1089 3078-0484
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10- Like this
The delicious Italian restaurant is run by the duo Leonardo Recalde and chef Renato Carioni. It is located in Jardins and presents authentic and simple Italian dishes, such as risotto al Gamberi and peach palm raviole. And the mouth-watering desserts, such as Baba with rum, pie al limone, Tortino di banana and Tiramissú. The atmosphere is relaxed, with two floors and, of course, a super cozy balcony. Ideal for those who like airy spaces. The decoration was made by Galeria Verarte and will change from time to time. In fact, there is a QR code on some walls and on the shelves where you access the gallery’s website and see everything that is for sale. Uncomplicated quality Italian food, without a doubt, in a charming atmosphere.
End: Rua Haddock Lobo, 1589 – Cerqueira César, São Paulo – SP
11- Pig House
Considered the best restaurant in Brazil, Casa do Porco could not be left off our list. In the environment, metal structures at sidewalk level, Atlantic forest plants in concrete pots and tables, certainly respecting distancing. All of this makes the establishment and, especially, the balcony cozy and with very private tables. The menu features classic dishes from chef couple Janaína Rueda and Jefferson Rueda. Among them, for example, papada sushi, guava panceta and street barbecue. And to accompany it, be sure to order Cachaça da Lage, a favorite of the house.
End: R. Araújo, 124 – República, São Paulo – SP
Text by Denise Meira do Amaral, Mari Mallemont and Renata Araújo.
Photos by Denise Meira do Amaral, Renata Araújo, Rubens Kato and Rômulo Fialdini.
