Hamburger Restaurants

Image: Ormuzd Alves

The introduction of the hamburger in Brazilian cuisine is due to the American Robert Falkenburg, tennis champion in Winbledon, who opened in 1952 the first diner that followed the American standards. In São Paulo there are numerous places where you can taste the sandwich, among them restaurants and fast food chains. Check out some establishments with the best handmade hamburgers in the city.

Serving in two addresses in the Western region, Zé do Hamburguer has a 1950s-inspired retro feel, with photos of pin-ups and old advertising posters hanging on the walls. In addition to the classics, the house surprises with the El Mariachi sandwich (French bread, grilled flank steak burger, barbecue sauce, creamy cheese, American lettuce and nachos, optional jalapeño pepper) and side dishes such as the green corn milkshake and flavored Coke.

With several units scattered throughout São Paulo, The Fifties is an ideal place to enjoy a hamburger with fries and a milk shake. The chain was the first to serve filet steak burger, the famous Pic Burger, several times named the best hamburger in the city.

The two units of the traditional PJ Clarke’s snack bar outside the United States are located respectively in Itaim Bibi and the famous Oscar Freire. On the tables with checkered towels imported from New York, you will find sandwiches named after cars like Cadillac (American cheese, bacon, lettuce and a side dish), Mini Cooper (3 small burgers with Emmental cheese, American cheese, mozzarella and a side dish) and Ford Ranchero (cheddar, chilli beans, American lettuce, cheddar sauce and a side dish).

The trendy Ritz has eight burger options on the menu, and the clients can choose how they want their meat and up to two servings of fresh salad, fries, onion rings or the famous Brazilian rice fritters for the side dish, plus there is a chance of bumping into some celebrity while visiting the place.

For those who prefer something healthier, Fit Burger is an option, from the A Chapa snack bar. The sandwich is a normal burger, but instead of bread, it comes wrapped in chard leaves. Another differential of A Chapa is that it opens at 7:30 a.m., offering an exclusive Breakfast Menu with pancakes, grilled cheese, fresh fruit, among others, plus the Veggie Burger Salad – vegetarian tofu hamburger, made of organic ingredients, served on brown bread with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.

Many hamburger restaurants are inspired by American diners from the 1950s and 1960s, but Beale Street Memphis chose to honor the great rock and roll idols of that era – and of all time: the establishment offers Elvis Presley cover performances, and also the Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich, the King of Rock’s favorite.

Having occupied the same address for more than 40 years, Joakins was one of the first hamburger restaurants of São Paulo. Its classic hamburger and milkshake are considered by many to be the best in the city, and the place, which remains open until 5 in the morning, is an almost obligatory stop for the post-party snack.

There are also Steakhouses, which despite not being specialized in hamburgers, offer some delicious choices, like America, with Pub’s Burger (onions caramelized with black beer, grilled provolone, olives tapenade, frisée lettuce and mayonnaise on the Australian bread); Applebee’s, with Quesadilla Burger (burger covered with Jack-cheddar, bacon, tomato, purple onion, lettuce, pickles and jalapeños, served between two wheat tortillas) and Outback, with Barbie Chook’n Bacon (grilled chicken breast with barbecue sauce, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato and fries).

Services:

Zé do Hamburger
Address: Itapicuru Street, 419 – Perdizes and Caiubi Street, 1450 – Perdizes
Phone: (11) 3868-4884 / 3672-5532

The Fifties
Address: Praça Villaboim, 77 – Consolação and other addresses
Phone: (11) 3666 7362

PJ Clarke’s
Address: Doutor Mario Ferraz Street, 568 – Itaim Bibi and Oscar Freire Street, 497 – Jardins
Phone: (11) 3078 2965 / (11) 2579-2765

Ritz
Address: Al. Franca, 1.088 – Jardim Paulista and other addresses
Phone: (11) 3088 6808

A Chapa
Address: Alameda Santos, 24 – Cerqueira César and other addresses
Phone: (11) 3051 4545

Beale Street Memphis
Address: Juscelino Kubitschek Avenue, 201 – Itaim Bibi
Phone: (11) 3045 2625

Joakins 
Address: Joaquim Floriano Street, 163 – Itaim Bibi
Phone: (11) 3168 0030

America
Address: Avenida Paulista, 2295 – Cerqueira César and other addresses
Phone: (11) 3067 4424

Applebee’s
Address: Al. dos Arapanés, 508 – Moema and other addresses
Phone: (11) 5051 1946

Outback
Address: Marechal Hastinphilo de Moura Street, 641 – Portal do Morumbi and other addresses
Phone: (11) 3743 6411 / 3743 7901 / 3743 7963