Where to have lunch on a regular weekend in São Paulo?

I lived in São Paulo for over fifteen years and one of the most enjoyable and rewarding things after a week of hard work was going out to lunch with family or friends. The city is known for its gastronomy and its thousands of restaurants of all types, but here I put those that I have a special affection and that I really enjoyed going out to eat on weekends. What I can guarantee is that in any of these, you will eat very well and have a great time.

Nandemoyá, the most family-friendly Japanese restaurant in São Paulo

I absolutely have to kick off this list with a Japanese restaurant. As I've mentioned a few times, sushi is my all-time favorite food, and this place is super special to me. It's been around for ages – over 30 years – in Liberdade, and they did move locations once, but it's still got that same awesome vibe. They have this massive buffet with a million different kinds of sushi, sashimi, gyoza, skewers... My tip is: don't go crazy and pile up your plate right away, because the buffet is huge and there's so much good stuff. I've totally made that rookie mistake before and ended up with a mountain of food.

So, yeah, grab some lunch there and then wander around Liberdade. It's the coolest spot, known for its Japanese community. You have to check it out!

Price: $10-$15.

Address: R. Galvão Bueno, 451 - Liberdade, São Paulo - SP, 01506-000, Brasil

Casa Garabed, my favorite Arabian food

This is a truly unique restaurant. It's located a bit outside the center of São Paulo, it's nothing fancy, but it has a lot of originality. First of all, it's in the garage of a house on a super steep residential street. In other words, you would never guess that there's a restaurant there, let alone one that's worth traveling to from another neighborhood. But it is! I guarantee it. Another interesting story is that they say the oven they use to bake Kibe and Esfihas has been burning continuously since it opened in 1951. I don't know if that's true, but it's a cool story, right?

The restaurant serves Armenian food and has several delicious dishes like raw Kibe, all kinds of Esfihas, mutton, etc. My tip is to try the Ayran, a yogurt drink, with a Zaatar esfiha. It's simply amazing

Price: $10-$15.

Address: R. José Margarido, 216 - Santana, São Paulo - SP, 02021-020, Brasil

Paellas Pepe, a classic near the Ipiranga Museum

You know that place you go when you're in the mood to splurge? That's exactly where Paellas Pepe fits in. Every day they prepare the Spanish classic in huge "paelleras" and ring the bell to let customers know the dish is ready. The restaurant offers an all-you-can-eat system, where you pay a price and have the right to repeat as many times as you want. Today I'm not very fond of all-you-can-eat buffets, but here I guarantee it. On weekends they serve oysters and Iberian ham, as well as other Brazilian treats like shrimp pastel. It's delicious!

Combining a visit to the Ipiranga Museum, a walk in Independence Park, with a lunch at Paellas Pepe is simply perfect.

Price: $20-$30

Address: R. Bom Pastor, 1660 - Ipiranga, São Paulo - SP, 04203-002, Brasil

Ugue's, a classic old school restaurant in SP

Ugue's is a place that my partner Alana introduced me to not too long ago, but it feels like it's been a part of my life for decades. There, you can order classic dishes like feijoada, strogonoff, and Portuguese bacalhau (cod fish), but my favorite is the Filé à Parmegiana. For those who've never had it, parmigiana is a filet mignon wrapped in wheat flour and breadcrumbs, fried and covered with tomato sauce and melted cheese. Just talking about it makes my mouth water.

A highlight for me is the service, which is provided by older waiters who have worked there for decades. In my opinion, any place that has people working for many, many years is a sign not only that the restaurant must have very good food but also that it treats its people well. That alone earns my utmost respect.

Price: $10-$15.

Address: R. Marquês de Itu, 1018 - Higienópolis, São Paulo - SP, 01223-001, Brasil

Bar do Biu, "for me", the best feijoada in São Paulo

The discussion about the best dish in the city is kind of cliché, and when we're talking about feijoada, it's even worse because everyone has their own preference. For me, a good feijoada needs to have plenty of sausage and paio (a different type of sausage), the black beans need to be cooked just right, and, most importantly of all, the feijoada needs to have what I call ˜connection˜. This last part is harder to explain, but feijoada in particular is a dish that needs to give you that feeling that everything makes sense, you don't need to add or take anything away, the whole thing is perfect. At Bar do Biu, the feijoada is like that. That's why, for me, it's the best feijoada in the city.

The bar has also been open for over 40 years and is located in the heart of Pinheiros, the coolest neighborhood in the city. There's nothing better than strolling through the antique fair at Benedito Calixto Square on a Saturday morning and then eating a feijoada at Biu with an ice-cold beer. This is an unmissable weekend outing in SP.

Price: $10-$15.

Address: Rua Cardeal Arcoverde, 772/776 - Pinheiros, São Paulo - SP, 05408-001, Brasil

I hope you like my tips! :)