In a charming 1950s house in Paraíso, Jiquitaia serves up comforting, regional Brazilian dishes with flair, featuring everything from petiscos to feijoada.
"If you're looking for typical homemade Brazilian cuisine prepared with quality ingredients, then this is the perfect place! Jiquitaia occupies a charming 1950s house surrounded by greenery, with a large, elegantly decorated dining room, where a plethora of wood and beautiful photos on the walls provide the decorative backdrop. Here, chef Marcelo Corrêa Bastos conjures up comforting traditional cuisine that feeds body and soul. During the working week, the playful “executive” menu is complemented by a concise menu featuring delicacies such as “coxinhas de frango caipira” (deep-fried dough filled with chicken), fish “moqueca” with shrimp, and grilled fish of the day served with a tasty pirão porridge. It's also worth noting that Jiquitaia also has a superb array of cachaças from across Brazil which have been carefully selected by the owner." - Michelin Inspector
"Jiquitaia may have upgraded from a townhouse to an airy, elegant space in the Paraíso neighborhood, but the kitchen has maintained its quality. The no-frills restaurant, led by siblings Nina and Marcelo Bastos, still focuses on Brazilian regional cuisine. The menu starts with petiscos, local snacks usually eaten with your hands, like coxinhas and pork rinds. Main dishes include local classics, such as feijoada (the ubiquitous bean and pork stew) and maniçoba (made with ground and cooked cassava leaves, here served with pork knuckle), but diners will also spot more creative preparations, such as fried fish with green papaya salad. It is, without a doubt, one of the best places to get to know the culinary diversity of Brazil." - Rafael Tonon
