A Casa do Porco

In beef-obsessed Sao Paulo, where churrascarias still reign supreme, Casa do Porco has carved out a cult following by daring to go all in on pork. Chef Jefferson Rueda, once a butcher's apprentice and now a star on Latin America's 50 Best list, has created a restaurant that captures Sao Paulo's restless spirit - rooted in tradition, yet unafraid to experiment, and always ready to surprise you with just how far pork can go.

The vibe is pure Sao Paulo - informal, energetic, with an open kitchen buzzing like a busy avenue downtown. Diners lean into caipirinhas while choosing between a la carte indulgence or the much-talked-about IN.TE.RI.OR tasting menu, which fuses childhood memories with high-wire technique. Signature dishes like the six-hour roasted Porco Sanze deliver melt-in-your-mouth depth, while Porco Cru (pork loin with anchovy, capers and fermented mustard) shows off a sharper, contemporary edge.

There's wit, too: ceiling ornaments remind you pigs really do fly here, and a humble pork sandwich can be as rewarding as the full 15-course marathon. Casa do Porco isn't just a restaurant - it's Sao Paulo's noisy, generous ode to pork, served with reverence and mischief.