São Paulo is a city that rightly prides itself on its gastronomic excellence, offering not only the best of Brazilian cuisine, especially the barbecue houses, but also a truly eclectic mix of restaurants serving dishes from the four corners of the globe. For many food critics, São Paulo now boasts the best selection of top restaurants in the world.
For that reason alone you will want to know what are the picks from Veja São Paulo’s restaurant guide “Comer & Beber”, which like Veja Rio is celebrating its 25th edition. Not exactly the same categories as Rio, but Veja’s best in São Paulo for 2021 are (and see if you agree):
Despite all the challenges faced by the hospitality industry, the annual list of “Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants” was announced on 3 December. Bragging rights for the top spot went to Don Julio in Buenos Aires.
Nine restaurants on the list of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants are to be found in Brazil. They are A Casa do Porco, D.O.M., Maní, Evvai, Mocotó and Corrutela in São Paulo; Oteque and Lasai in Rio de Janeiro; and Manu in Curitiba.
The full list to give food for thought is:
1. Don Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina
2. Maido, Lima, Peru
3. Central, Lima, Peru
4. A Casa do Porco, São Paulo, Brazil
5. Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico
6. Boragó, Santiago, Chile
7. El Chato, Bogotá, Colombia
8. Mishiguene, Buenos Aires, Argentina
9. Rosetta, Mexico City, Mexico
10. Osso Lima, Peru
11. Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico
12. Oteque, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
13. D.O.M., São Paulo, Brazil
14. Pangea, Monterrey, Mexico
15. Alcalde, Guadalajara, Mexico
16. Tegui, Buenos Aires, Argentina
17. Sud 777, Mexico City, Mexico
18. Kjolle, Lima, Peru
19. Chila, Buenos Aires, Argentina
20. Isolina, Lima, Peru
21. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
22. Astrid y Gastón, Lima, Peru
23. Maní, São Paulo, Brazil
24. Mayta, Lima, Peru
25. Harry Sasson, Bogotá, Colombia
26. Evvai, São Paulo, Brazil
27. Leo, Bogotá, Colombia
28. Parador La Huella, José Ignacio, Uruguay
29. Rafael, Lima, Peru
30. Le Chique, Cancún, Mexico
31. Nicos, Mexico City, Mexico
32. De Patio, Santiago, Chile
33., Mocotó, São Paulo, Brazil
34. Gran Dabbang, Buenos Aires, Argentina
35. Mil, Cusco, Peru
36. Máximo Bistrot, Mexico City, Mexico
37. Mérito, Lima, Peru
38. Osaka, Buenos Aires, Argentina
39. El Baqueano, Buenos Aires, Argentina
40, Narda Comedor, Buenos Aires, Argentina
41. Restaurante 040, Santiago, Chile
42. Maito, Panama City, Panama
43. Aramburu, Buenos Aires, Argentina
44. Manu, Curitiba, Brazil
45. La Mar, Lima, Peru
46. Ambrosía, Santiago, Chile
47. El Preferido de Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Despite Covid-19 and lockdown Veja São Paulo has also managed to produce its annual guide to São Paulo’s bars and restaurants and pick its best in a number of categories. The city, without question, is one of the world’s great centres for gourmands.
As a taster the top three for Brazilian cuisine in São Paulo are Jiquitaia, Tordesilhas and Banzeiro; for contemporary it is D.O.M., Maní and Corrutela; for meat, Varanda (photo), Rubaiyat and Templo da Carne Marcos Bassi; for French, Bistrot Parigi, Chef Rouge and Président; for Italian, Evvai, Picchi and Fasano; for Trattoria, Lido Amici, di Amici, Moma (Modern Mamma Osteria) and Antonietta Cucina; for Pizza, Deveras Pizza, Carlos and Leggera; for Japanese, Kan Suke, Shin-Zushi and Murakami; for Portuguese, Tasca da Esquina, Costa Nova and Quinta de Santa Maria; and for Arab, Monte Líbano, Miski and Farabbud.
The Mayor of São Paulo, supported by the Governor of the State, has signed a new five year contract, with a possible five year extension, to continue to host a Formula One Grand Prix in the city.
The race is now to be called the São Paulo Grand Prix, rather than the Brazilian Grand Prix, presumably to leave the door open for Rio de Janeiro to build its new circuit to host a Brazilian Grand Prix.
The 2020 Brazilian GP, scheduled originally for 15 November 2020, was cancelled like many races due to Covid-19, but São Paulo is provisionally, at least until the ink dries, on the 2021 schedule to host a race on Sunday, 14 November 2021.
The decision should be popular with the Formula 1 teams given the size of the Brazilian market for many of the sponsors.
Michelin has announced the restaurants in Rio and São Paulo to be awarded the prestigious Michelin Star for 2020. With two stars are Oro and Oteque in Rio de Janeiro and D.O.M. and Ryo Gastronomia in São Paulo. One Star was awarded to Cipriani, Lasai and Mee in Rio; and Evvai, Huto, Jun Sakamoto, Kan Suke, Kinoshita, Maní and Picchi in São Paulo.
In “Michelin 2020 Bib Gourmand,” the category that recognises more informal restaurants with good quality and good value cooking, six restaurants in Rio de Janeiro are listed in the 2020 Michelin Guide (Artigiano, Didier, Miam Miam, Lilia, Pici Trattoria, and Maria e o Boi) and 33 in São Paulo (AE! Cozinha, Ama.zo, Arturito, Baianeira, Balaio IMS, Banzeiro, Barú Marisquería, Le Bife, Bio, Bistrot de Paris, Brasserie Victória, Casa do Porco, Casa Santo Antônio, Cepa, Charco, Corrutela, Ecully – Perdizes, Fitó, Kith 2º Andar, Komah, Manioca, Mimo, Mocotó, Nit, Petí Gastronomia, Petí Americana, Piccolo, Più, Più Iguatemi, Tanit, TonTon, Tordesilhas, and Zena Caffè).
According to Michelin 85%, as of 20 September 2020 of Michelin Starred restaurants worldwide at 35 destinations are currently open for dining either inside or outside. In Brazil 72% of the Michelin Starred restaurants are now open, but in the US just 14% of Starred restaurants are welcoming guests again. In Europe, Belgium has 95% of its Michelin Starred restaurants back open; in Spain and Portugal, the percentages have risen to 86% and 93% respectively; while the UK it is at 73%.
The documentary “Narciso em Férias” (“Narcissus off Duty”) will premiere out of competition on 7 September during the 77th Venice Film Festival. The documentary looks at the great Brazilian sing songwriter, Caetano Veloso’s experience during the military coup in Brazil in 1968 which resulted in him being imprisoned for 54 days.
“Narcissus Off Duty,” paints an intimate portrait of Caetano’s incarceration as he recalls painful memories and performs songs that marked his imprisonment. He also presents new information about why he was detained, exposing the regime’s view of him and shedding light on the arbitrary brutality of the time.
On 13 December 1968, the Brazilian military dictatorship passed Institutional Act Number Five (AI-5), and it marked the beginning of the regime’s most repressive and violent phase. Two weeks later Caetano was arrested. He was taken from his home in São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro, where he was shut in solitary confinement for one week and ultimately imprisoned for 54 days. It was the most difficult experience of his life.
Written and directed by Renato Terra (“A Night in 67”) and Ricardo Calil (“Cine Marrocos”), “Narcissus Off Duty,” is produced by Uns Produções (Paula Lavigne) and co-produced by Walter Salles and João Moreira Salles’s VideoFilmes.
110 years ago, between 22 August and mid-September 1910, Corinthian-Casuals Football Club made its first tour of Brazil, and on 1 September 1910, Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, now one of Brazil’s most famous and successful football clubs, was born based on an admiration of some Paulistas for the elegant play of the Corinthians.
It was on 24 August 1910 that Corinthian Casuals played its first game against Fluminense in Rio, winning 10-1. The next game was against a Rio XI and saw Corinthians score eight to their opponents’ one. The next day there was a cricket match, played against the English Cricket Club, which ended in a draw. The final football match in Rio on 28 August was against a Brazilian National team and saw the game end in a 5-2 win for Corinthians.
The team then moved on to São Paulo at the invitation of former Corinthian Charles Miller, the man credited with introducing football to Brazil, and won all three games. Beating Associacão Atlética das Palmeiras (no relation to the current Palmeiras) 2-0 on 31 August; Paulistano 5-0 on 2 September; and São Paulo AC 8-2 on 4 September. Miller scoring one of the SPAC goals.
Corinthians returned to Brazil in 1913 and 1914. Upon arrival in 1913, Corinthians played Rio de Janeiro in their first match, losing 1-2, their only defeat on the tour. They won 4-0 against the Estrangeiros, the final game in Rio seeing Corinthians beat the Brasilieros 2-1. In Sao Paulo, Corinthians won two games against MacKenzie College and Club Athletico Paulistano before being held by Associação Atlética das Palmeiras. The crowds on this tour were all between 6,000 and 10,000 which highlighted what popular visitors they were.
The 1914 tour sadly resulted in no matches being played due to the outbreak of the First World War, which meant the players returned to Britain almost as soon as they arrived.
Brazil will be represented in competition at the Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival by Marco Dutra and Caetano Gotardo’s period drama “All The Dead Ones” (Todos os Mortos), a film set in late 19th century São Paulo, shortly after the abolition of slavery.
The film focuses on a mother and her two daughters from a formerly wealthy coffee plantation-owning family that has gone into financial decline amid the changing backdrop of Brazil at the turn of the century. At the same time, the film follows the women’s former slaves who are struggling to find their place in society.
Dutra’s credits include “Good Manners” (As Boas Maneiras), edited by Gortardo, which won over 31 festival awards including the Locarno Film Festival jury prize in 2017, and at Festival do Rio l Rio de Janeiro Int’l Film Festival it won best film, best cinematography, best supporting actress, the festival’s Felix Award and the FIPRESCI prize.
The list of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2019 was revealed on 10 October 2019 at the seventh annual Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, that was held at Usina del Arte in Buenos Aires, Argentina. With seven new restaurants and entries across eight countries, the 2019 list reflects the diversity of the ever-evolving Latin American gastronomic scene.
Brazil claims nine spots in the top 50 – including new entries Evvai and Manu. The “Best Restaurant in Brazil” was judged to be São Paulo’s A Casa do Porco, at No.6 overall. D.O.M. (São Paulo) is at No.10; Maní (São Paulo) is No.18; Oteque (Rio) is No.23; Lasai (Rio), which won the Art of Hospitality Award, is No.24; Olympe (Rio) is No.35; Evvai (São Paulo) is No.40; Manu (Curitiba) is No.42; and Mocotoó (São Paulo) is No.43.
Maido in Lima took the No.1 spot for the third consecutive year, retaining its status as The Best Restaurant in Latin America. Maido, or ‘welcome’ in Japanese, is the flagship restaurant of chef Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura, serving inventive tasting menus of Peruvian-Japanese bites such as fish hotdog and sea urchin rice, alongside à la carte options and a classic sushi counter.
Three-time former winner Central is at No.2. Pujol, in Mexico City, is ranked at No.3, followed by Don Julio in Buenos Aires at No.4 and Boragó in Santiago at No.5 – receiving the titles of The Best Restaurant in Mexico, Argentina and Chile, respectively.
The Art of Hospitality Award 2019, which recognises excellence in restaurant service and dining experience, was awarded to Lasai in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The restaurant itself is very much the product of the partnership between chef and co-owner Rafa Costa e Silva and his wife Malena Cardiel. Cardiel runs the small but elegant dining room, ensuring that Costa’s plates are enhanced through knowledgeable service, exquisite drinks pairings and creating that all-important atmosphere of conviviality.
Mexico and Peru lead the 2019 list with 11 entries each, including Alcalde for Mexico, winner of the Highest Climber Award, and Central for Peru, recipient of the Sustainable Restaurant Award. Brazil claims nine spots, followed by Argentina with eight entries and Chile with six.
This year, Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants features seven new entries: Kjolle, Pía León’s rising restaurant based in Lima, receives the Highest New Entry Award, occupying the No.21 spot on the list. De Patio in Santiago, Chile enters the list at No.34; Mil in Cusco, Peru sits at No.36; La Docena in Mexico City’s Polanco district occupies No.38; while Manu in Curitiba, Brazil enters the list at No.42. The seventh new entry is Mayta from Lima, Peru at No.49.
1
Maido (Lima, Peru) *The Best Restaurant in Latin
America/The Best Restaurant in Peru
26
La Mar (Lima, Peru)
2
Central (Lima, Peru) *Sustainable Restaurant Award
27
Rosetta (Mexico City, Mexico)
3
Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico) *The Best Restaurant in Mexico
28
Máximo Bistrot (Mexico City, Mexico)
4
DonJulio (Buenos Aires, Argentina) *The Best Restaurant in
Argentina
29
Chila (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
5
Boragó (Santiago, Chile) *The Best Restaurant in Chile
30
Ambrosía (Santiago, Chile)
6
ACasadoPorco (São Paulo, Brazil) *The Best Restaurant in
Brazil
31
Nicos (Mexico City, Mexico)
7
ElChato (Bogotá, Colombia) *The Best Restaurant in
Colombia
32
LeChique (Cancun, Mexico)
8
Leo (Bogotá, Colombia)
33
ParadorLaHuella (José Ignacio, Uruguay) *The Best Restaurant in
Uruguay
9
Osso (Lima, Peru)
34
DePatio (Santiago, Chile) *New Entry
10
D.O.M. (São Paulo, Brazil)
35
Olympe (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
11
Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico)
36
Mil (Cusco, Peru) *New Entry
12
Isolina (Lima, Peru)
37
Restaurante040 (Santiago, Chile)
13
AstridyGastón (Lima, Peru)
38
LaDocena (Polanco, Mexico City, Mexico) *New Entry
14
Alcalde (Guadalajara, Mexico) *Highest Climber
39
ElBaqueano (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
15
Pangea (Monterrey, Mexico)
40
Evvai (São Paulo, Brazil) *New Entry
16
Sud 777 (Mexico City, Mexico)
41
LaDocena (Guadalajara, Mexico)
17
Maito (Panama City, Panama) *The Best Restaurant in
Panama
42
Manu (Curitiba, Brazil) *New Entry
18
Maní (São Paulo, Brazil)
43
Mocotó (São Paulo, Brazil)
19
Rafael (Lima, Peru)
44
Osaka (Santiago, Chile)
20
Mishiguene (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
45
Elena (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
21
Kjolle (Lima, Peru) *Highest New Entry
46
GranDabbang (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
22
HarrySasson (Bogotá, Colombia)
47
99 (Santiago, Chile)
23
Oteque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
48
Malabar (Lima, Peru)
24
Lasai (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) *Art of Hospitality Award
Brazil has announced the 12 films from which one will be chosen to be submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles as Brazil’s Oscar entry in the new category of best international feature film (previously Foreign Language). The list includes two documentaries (“Humberto Mauro” e “Espero tua (re)volta, two films that premiered in Cannes in May 2019, and a number that premiered at Festival do Rio in November 2018
The 12 films are:
“Bacurau”, by Kleber Mendonça Filho
“Los silencios”, by Beatriz Seigner
“A vida invisível”, by Karim Aïnouz
“Sócrates”, by Alex Moratto
“A última abolição”, by Alice Gomes
“A voz do silêncio”, by André Ristum
“Bio”, by Carlos Gerbase
“Legalidade”, by Zeca Brito
“Humberto Mauro”, by André Di Mauro
“Espero tua (re)volta”. by Eliza Capai
“Chorar de Rir”, by Toniko Melo
“Simonal”, by Leonardo Domingues
The jury to choose the film to go forward is made up of directors Anna Muylaert, David Shürmann and Zelito Viana; producers Sara Silveira and Vania Catani; diretor of photography, Walter Carvalho; screenwriter Mikael de Albuquerque; critic, curator and founder of the festival É Tudo Verdade, Amir Labaki; and the director of Festival do Rio, Rio’s international film festival, Ilda Santiago.
Rio the Guide 