4 Best Restaurants in Serra Negra, Side Trips from São Paulo

Café Boteco

$$$ Fodor's choice

Located by João Zelante Square in what was once a department store, Café Boteco incorporates elements of the traditional Brazilian boteco (dive bar) in some of its recipes and decor, but the comparisons end there: smartly dressed, friendly waiters serve excellent picanha (rump steak) and costelinha com polenta (pork ribs with polenta chips), as well as salad and pasta dishes with a local twist. The owners also run a small shop next door selling souvenirs, fine wines, and cold cuts.

Bar da Fonte

$$$
A delightful restaurant oozing charm, Bar da Fonte serves excellent dishes based on a mix of cuisines. A small cachaça distillery is based on-site, and the owner Marcos Kaloy offers tours that include a tasting.
Rua Joaquim de Oliveira 116, São Paulo, 13910-000, Brazil
19-3899–2204
Known For
  • eclectic mix of dishes, including Indian-inspired stews and steaks, and feijoada served on Saturday
  • local beers
  • live music

Gelato Donato

$
A small ice-cream parlor at Praça João Zelante, Gelato Donato is a good destination for dessert and a coffee after a meal. The ice cream is made in Serra Negra using locally sourced ingredients, and the typically Brazilian flavors, such as the strange sounding but delicious guava and cheese, change often.
Praça João Zelante 1393, Serra Negra, São Paulo, Brazil
19-3892–7794
Known For
  • Brazilian flavors like guava and cheese
  • eat in or take a container home
  • lactose-free options

Recommended Fodor's Video

Padaria Serrana

$

Located at the heart of Serra Negra, Serrana is a bakery that serves breakfast, light snacks, and also meals, as well as sharing platters. Grab a pao na chapa (grilled bread) and coffee for breakfast here on a Sunday morning and sit at one of the tables outside to watch the hordes of motorcycling aficionados—they flock to Serra Negra on weekends from other cities on their amazing touring bikes.

Rua João Batista Lavelo 21, Serra Negra, São Paulo, 13930–000, Brazil
19-3892–2289
Known For
  • bolinhos de bacalhau (cod fritters)
  • local draft beer Ecobier
  • empada de palmito (mini heart-of-palm pies)