Mercado Municipal Paulistano

São Paulo is a city to be experienced rather than seen. Known for its lack of beauty, it is, however, the country’s commercial and cultural center. And to get a quick sense of the city, one of the best stops to make is to São Paulo’s Mercado Municipal. Located in the oldest part of the city, the eclectic style building opened its doors in 1933 and, to this day, remains one of the most important commercial and wholesale establishments pertaining to food. Recently, the market gained greater notoriety when it was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. Walking around the market, it is quite obvious what Brazilians favor in their diet. While there is no shortage of meat, a vegetarian can take advantage of the cultural affinity towards fresh, tropical fruits, cheeses, and fried snacks. If you’re lucky (or unlucky) enough to be a woman, you will most likely find yourself awkwardly flirting with the fruit vendor while you sample custard-apples, star fruit, dragon fruit, and other tasty delights that you’ve probably never seen or heard of.

Among fruits that are native to Brazil is the açai berry, an item that is becoming more popular in the U.S. This “superfruit” is usually eaten as a dish called açai na tigela or “açai in the bowl. “ It consists of frozen and mashed açai that has the consistency of a smoothie. It is served in a small but deep bowl and topped with granola and banana slices. At the market, you can try this dish at one of the vendor stalls, where the pulp is made fresh for your consumption.

Another ubiquitous snack you’ll find at the market is the pastel (plural: pasteis).  A pastel is essentially a crispy, fried pastry that can have several different types of fillings. It can be made with a sweet filling but most pasties are found in their savory rendition. Vegetarian versions most often involve cheese such as requiejão cremoso or mozzarella. A pizza pastel is one that has fresh tomotoes, cheese and oregano. Cheese and guava jelly is another favorite among Brazilians.

Yet another cheesy bite you can find at the market is pão de queijo. Pão de queijo is a palm sized cheese roll that made with corn flour and cheese powder. It is crispy on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside.  Forget counting calories while you enjoy a plateful of them. Remember to also sip on a Brahma and watch/flirt with the animated, fun and friendly locals. After all, São Paulo is a city to be experienced!

Mercado Municipal Paulistano
Rua de Cantareira 306
São Paulo, SP
011/3326-340