Minas Gerais restaurants in São Paulo are true ambassadors for our neighboring state, bringing a gastronomic experience full of flavors and tradition to the capital. Tutu de feijão, torresmo de barriga, pãozinho de queijo, goiabada com doce de leite? It makes your mouth water just thinking about it, doesn’t it?
Marked by indigenous, African and Portuguese influences, Minas Gerais food offers unique dishes that reflect the history and culture of the region, from the gold rush to the present day. Visiting a traditional restaurant in Minas Gerais is not only a delight for the palate, but also a kind of cultural journey to the farms and wood-burning stoves of colonial Minas.
Here are some of the places that serve Minas Gerais cuisine in São Paulo – from the most traditional to the most contemporary – where tradition and innovation go hand in hand to provide an unforgettable gastronomic experience.
Minas Gerais restaurants in São Paulo that you need to know about
Belô Café
Originally from Belo Horizonte, Belô opened an address here this year. The place is a must-try for authentic Minas Gerais cuisine in São Paulo, from brunch to dinner. On the menu, you’ll find typical dishes with a contemporary twist, such as the cheese bread tile with chicken liver pâté and jiló caponata.
The star of the menu could only be cheese bread. Our tip is the roll stuffed with carne de panela and Canastra cheese, which will make you feel like you’re in “Beagá”.
📍 Rua Padre João Manuel, 881 – Jardins
Dona Lucinha
Next up is Dona Lucinha, another of Minas Gerais’ restaurants that was born in Belo Horizonte and ended up opening an address in São Paulo as well. The house is inspired by Minas Gerais cuisine from colonial times, bringing flavors that have been a hit in Minas Gerais kitchens since the gold and diamond cycle.
Among the dishes, we recommend the Diamantina, which has chicken with okra accompanied by rice, cabbage, pork rinds and the famous angu à mineira. And although there is a lot of meat involved in Minas Gerais food, there is also an option for vegans! It’s the veg dish, which is a no-meat version of the typical food: rice, beans, canjiquinha, plantain and okra in a red onion sauce.
📍 Avenida Bem-Te-Vi, 312 – Moema
Hot from the Mouth
Quente da Boca pays homage to Guimarães Rosa, one of the most prominent Minas Gerais writers in Brazilian literature. It brings reinterpretations of Minas Gerais cuisine to SP, whether for breakfast or lunch. To start the day, for example, the tip is the Cróc Minas, which has house-made bread stuffed with semi-cured cheese, ham, corn cream au gratin and a fried egg on top.
For lunch, we have the Galinhada do Paraíso, which was one of Guimarães Rosa’s favorite dishes. It includes chicken with pequi – a very important ingredient in the cuisine of the Sertão Mineiro – chili peppers, pururuca and maxixe pickles.
📍 Rua João Moura, 519 – Pinheiros
Consulado Mineiro
With three units in the capital, this restaurant brings the typical cuisine of Minas Gerais farms to São Paulo. One dish that really hits the spot is the ribs with okra, which go very well with sautéed cabbage and loose rice. We also recommend trying the Patos de Minas dish, which includes pork shank accompanied by rice, tutú, cabbage and fried manioc.
📍 Check out all the units here
Tempero das Gerais
With abundant dishes and fair prices, Tempero das Gerais is a great choice for those who want to try tasty food from Minas Gerais in São Paulo. After all, the place has more than 30 options on the menu, offering typical dishes such as chicken with okra and sun-dried meat scramble.
📍 Check out all the addresses here
Sobreiro
Finally, we have Sobreiro, housed in a charming townhouse in the South Zone. The restaurant serves contemporary Brazilian cuisine with a touch of Minas Gerais. Among the delicacies, don’t miss the Crost, a boneless chicken thigh with basmati rice, Cerrado baru nuts, cashews and dehydrated cupuaçu, black plums, leeks and carrots.
📍 Rua Pascal, 1882 – Campo Belo