The 35 Essential São Paulo Restaurants

"After a decade running Banzeiro in Manaus — a city at the entrance to the Amazon forest — chef Felipe Schaedler decided it was time to open a branch in São Paulo to bring his unconventional dishes and rainforest ingredients to the city. The space reflects the union of those two places, with elegant furniture and tableware accented by a green wall, tropical plants, and a massive canoe hanging on one wall. Schaedler begins diners with finger food like Amazonian tambaqui fish ribs with sweet-sour sauce, bao stuffed with fried pirarucu (another Amazonian fish), and pickled victoria amazonica (an Amazonian flower) with wild arugula. Check out the chef’s special, a whole tambaqui slow-roasted over coals and served with classic regional side dishes such as tiny, yellow santarém beans and farofa (toasted flour sautéed with mix-ins) made with manioc flour from Uarini." - Rafael Tonon