Looking for one of the top 50 restaurants in the world? D.O.M, by Chef Alex Atala, chosen by British magazine "Restaurant" one of "Top 50" in the world, unique in Latin America. Looking for a unique experience where waiters sing famous Broadway songs? Go to Brooklyn, and prepare your heart and taste.

Prefer a relaxing environment with famous appetizers, like a ‘coxinha’, at Frangó, or a huge mortadella sandwich, at Mercadão? A traditional ‘pastel de feira’ in one of the tents in front of Pacaembu Stadium?

Pizzas? São Paulo improved the pizza making and made it an ‘institution’. Go to Veridiana (Higienópolis) or Leona (Campo Belo), thin pizza at Camelo or Cristal, in Jardins. Thicker pizza, at Castelão, in Brás, or even at bakeries, another institution in São Paulo. There are several bakeries all over the city preparing much more than simple bread. Preferring a ‘rodizio’? Choose a traditional churrasco (barbecue), soups or even sushi.

A true cultural mosaic of 50 nationalities and people from other states has also influenced our cuisine; São Paulo is one of the hugest cuisine centers in the world. 

More than 12,500 restaurants offer their specialties in 52 nationalities, races and regions – from typically Brazilian salsa to international trends of contemporary cuisine creating an incomparable mix – you must try. And figures keep high: 15,000 bars, 600 Japanese restaurants, 3,200 bakeries, 6,000 pizzerias and 500 churrascarias preparing  10,400,000 bread (7,200/min.), 1,000,000 pizzas (720/min.) and 400,000 shushis (278/min) every day.

You have only to think of a certain cuisine. In São Paulo, you always find a restaurant, bar or ‘balada’ meeting your expectances. Everything depends on your money and desire. No matter your index, nobody stays quiet, as you always find a restaurant fitting your profile and pocket.

It may be translated by mixing colors and tastes at Mercado Municipal (Municipal Market, aka Mercadão), where gourmets and gourmands find everything from condiments, sweets, vegetables, meat, fish and petis fours until the most famous cod pastry and jerked beef pastry or mortadella sandwich.

Uncountable Japanese restaurants and ‘pastelarias’ (pastry shops) spread over Liberdade district. Bixiga is the district for Italian cantinas. In Vila Madalena, you will find typical bars, with appetizers that make your mouth waters. São Paulo crossed these boarders a long time ago. Japanese restaurants are not only in Liberdade district – you find excellent sushi in Jardins, Pinheiros or Morumbi. Kibbehs and esfihas in Vila Mariana, Paraíso and Higienópolis. French cuisine in Consolação or Vila Madalena.

The city that never sleeps offers also a number of fast-food options – from international chains to the most luxury. Try ‘first class’ hamburgers,  Most of them in Itaim, where you will find ‘hamburger’s lane’: In Rua Joaquim Floriano and neighborhoods, this sandwich is carefully prepared at Joakin's and New Dog. Or General Prime Burger, by Chef Sergio Arno.

In Moema and Ibirapuera, higher concentration is on Avenida Lavandisca: Several bars and also Italian canteens. Pizza is well represented in Brás, right beside the excellent bar Original, both in Moema.

Confectioneries are also excellent, some of them are 24-hour, like Ofner, on Avenida Ibirapuera or Rua João Cachoeira. German presence is strong here, including German Konstanz and Windhuk (and its trout) and Swiss Florina and Platz.

If you go to Vila Mariana, try Arabian Catedral and Jaber or any other around. Also try Rancho da Empada, a filled pastry that makes your mouth waters. On Rua Joaquim Tavora, a crowd of university students go to local bars. You will always meet lively and beautiful people in the table beside.

The Paulista Avenue neighborhood also offers several options. Some of the best restaurants are there. From sandwiches to fine restaurants in Jardins, including the most modern and ‘hippie’ environments. On Haddock Lobo street neighborhood, Arabia, offering its Moroccan cuscus every Saturday and Jewish rotisserie Z-Dei, with its excellent gefilte fish. For wealthy people only, Figueira Rubayat and Fasano – at the luxury hotel of this family – are the symbol of high cuisine in São Paulo.

If you do not know if you want to meet a celebrity or be one, take a moment to think at Spot. Two blocks from Paulista Avenue, Mestiço is crowded every night, full of famous and beautiful people, making difficult to choose a Thai little pack or an acarajé de Bahia. If you are hungry late in the night, Galeria dos Pães, is an excellent option. This 24-hour bakery on Rua Estados Unidos serves delicious sandwiches and an incredible soup buffet. Villa Grano is another excellent 24-hour bakery, in Vila Madalena, on Wisard Street.

If you love tradition, go to Bixiga (Bela Vista). On Treze de Maio Sreet and neighborhoods, several old Italian canteens are together. In common, all of them serve abundant dishes. Speranza, one of the most traditional pizzerias in São Paulo, located in Bixiga, is responsible to introduce margherita pizza in Brazil, as well extraordinary sausage bread. If you go towards Consolação, in Higienópolis district, close to Paulista Avenue, try the most traditional polpetone in São Paulo at Jardim di Napoli. Also take some parmesan cheese as an appetizer.

If you enjoy bohemian life, go to Vila Madalena, in Western Region. There are lots of bars along streets with weird names, like Aspicuelta (named after a Spanish priest), Girassol (sunflower) and Purpurina (purpurine): From ‘classical’ bars, serving cold beer and black bean soup, at Filial; São Cristóvão is the ideal place for journalists and football lovers; for gays and lesbians, Farol Madalena is great. If you want to have a cup of wine, go to Posto 6, Zé Menino and Salve Jorge serves a wide range of beer from all over the world.

‘Churrascarias’ are another great attraction. There are several options for all pockets and tastes. São Paulo gathers more than 500 ‘churrascarias’, most of them are located on 23 de Maio Avenue and Marginal Tietê and Marginal Pinheiros. Some famous ‘rodízios’ are Fogo de Chão (23 de Maio and Bandeirantes), Jardineira (Bandeirantes), Rodeio (Haddock Lobo), Vento Haragano (Rebouças) and Paulista Grill (also on Rebouças). If you live meat, Rubaiyat chain restaurants (Baby Beef and Figueira), located in Paraíso, Itaim and Jardins, are excellent options for a la carte service; considered the best beef in São Paulo by wealthy people.

As we are talking about meat, there are plenty of Argentinean and Uruguayan restaurants serving their traditional juicy beef: Argentinean Bárbaro, in Itaim, Parrilla Argentina, in Saúde, and La Caballeriza, on Alameda Campinas, in Jardins, and Uruguayan El Tranvía, in Higienópolis. Do not forget to order a cheese soufflé. Do you prefer the original Spanish restaurant? Go to Don Curro, the best Spanish restaurant in São Paulo, and order their ‘paella’.

Japanese restaurants are spread all over the city; you will find one to fit your pocket. Jun Sakamoto is one of the most sophisticate restaurants while Nakombi is cheaper, as well as Koi, in several locations. In Pinheiros, Vila Madalena and Jardins, you will find Japanese food 'rodízio', like Mori Sushi and Kabuki, or in Vila Olímpia and Itaim, like Noyoi. Forneria São Paulo and Pasta e Vino are some excellent options for special environments in the end of the night. Prefer a romantic place? During the winter, you will find lots of options for two, like fondue at Casa da Suíça, in Pinheiros, or Chalet Suisse, at São Paulo Othon Hotel, Downtown.

There are excellent cheap options in downtown if you do not want to spend much money. Bar do Léo, on Rua Aurora, is among the most traditional bars, as well as Estadão, on Avenida Nove de Julho, in Anhangabaú. For MPB lovers, Bar Brahma completes one of the most famous corners in the city – the crossing between Ipiranga Avenue and São João, like in Caetano Veloso's song. There are other charming options in this neighborhood, like Café Girondino, with decoration from the beginning of century XX, monks’ rotisserie at São Bento Monastery or the traditional Terraço Italia, on the 44th floor of Italia Building with a 360º view of the city.

Another must-to-see visit is Skye, on the top of Hotel Unique, on Avenida Brigadeiro Luis Antonio, run by Chef Emanuel Bassoleil, or The View, in Jardins. Special environments include French La Tambouille and Italian La Risotteria. Other options are contemporary cuisine by famous chefs, like Carla Pernambuco (Carlota), Morena Leite (Capim Santo), Bella Masano (Amadeus) and always famous Sergio Arno (La Vechia Cuccina). You feel like in an authentic Italian town when visiting Il Viccolo Nostro, in Brooklin, Southern area.

But you can go beyond bars and restaurants. Pastry shops, like Cristallo, Argentinean alfajores at Havana Café, chocolate at Chocolat Du Jour, ice-cream at Häagen-Dazs, Stuppendo, Sottozero or Gelateria Parmalat, all of them in Jardins, but some branches spread over the city, especially in Shopping malls.

Another doubt for people in São Paulo is to choose the best coffee. Espresso is an import way of coffee making that became a local institution; there are some points where you find several tastes and smells.  Try Suplicy, on Alameda Lorena, or one of 24-hour Frans Café, spread all over the city, and Starbucks, with one of the most famous coffee in the world.

Another great doubt: What is the best beer in São Paulo? The best way to find out is to try as much as you can. Go to Vila Madalena, Pinheiros, Vila Mariana and Downtown. Side dishes make the difference: choose from black bean soup to roasted chicken. Devassa, on Alameda Lorena, has been considered the best happy hour (another costume in São Paulo). Some people say it is the traffic, but the fact is that happy hour is part of people living in a multiple metropolis.