Via Brasil NYC

"The neighborhood east of Times Square along 46th Street is known as Little Brazil, and is the site of an annual festival. Once there were a dozen restaurants, now few remain. The best is Via Brasil, a semi-formal, old-fashioned place where classic Brazilian fritters, the national dish feijoada, and a handful of Afro-Brazilian dishes like shrimp moqueca are served. Cachaça flows freely." - Robert Sietsema, Melissa McCart

"Since Via Brasil opened in 1978, they’ve had to put up with a lot. They’ve watched most of the other Little Brazil businesses in Midtown disappear. Argentina has won three World Cups. But despite all that, Via Brasil seems unfazed. On weekends, there’s live Brazilian jazz, backed by a white grand piano, and on any day, you’ll find servers in suits and ties filling wine glasses and theatrically lifting the lids off steaming mini-cauldrons of feijoada. Use some rice and farofa to soak up the juices from the garlicky picanha steak, and if anyone tells you that’s against the rules, remind them how Argentina got that second World Cup." - Neha Talreja, Matt Tervooren

"Since Via Brasil opened in 1978, it’s watched the number of Brazilian shops and restaurants in Little Brazil shrink to a small handful, and it’s had to put up with Argentina winning a World Cup (and another). But for how much things have changed around it, Via Brasil seems unfazed. Come on a weekend, and you’ll hear live Brazilian jazz at a grand white piano in the middle of the white-tableclothed dining room. Formal servers fill wine glasses after theatrically lifting lids off steaming mini-cauldrons of feijoada in front of you. That feijoada is rich enough to make up for the lack of space heaters (if you sit on the streetside patio), and it comes with an extra side of beans so you can adjust the liquid-solid ratio to your liking. Use some of the rice and farofa as a mop to soak up the juices from the garlicky picanha, and if anyone tells you that’s against the rules, remind them how Argentina got that second World Cup." - Matt Tervooren

"The block of Midtown on which this elegant restaurant sits has long been known as Little Brazil, and is still the site of a festival every year at the start of September. The restaurant now has some very nice tented tables right on the street, with the same white-coated waiter service and specials that run to the national dish of black-bean feijoada, all sorts of stuffed fritters, and Afro-Brazilian specialties like shrimp-laden vatapa." - Robert Sietsema

"West 46th Street near Times Square was once known as Little Brazil, and it still hosts an annual celebration, but the number of Brazilian restaurants has dwindled over the years. One of the staunch survivors is Via Brasil, founded in 1978 and a wonderfully starchy blast from the past, with white tablecloths and formal service. In addition to excellent feijoada, the menu offers vatapá (seafood porridge), grilled meats served Brazilian style, bobó de camarão and chicken stroganoff, a Russian transplant much loved in Brazil." - Robert Sietsema, Carla Vianna