Eat in Mooca, Brás and Tatuapé, São Paulo

Casa do Pastel ★ 4.1

Casa do Pastel keeps its Rua Tuiuti pastel counter in Sao Paulo's Tatuape district open 24 hours, the brand's first unit, opened on that street in 1981.

TryPastel (fried Brazilian pastry)

Festa de San Gennaro ★ 4.5

Festa de San Gennaro has run since 1973 on Rua San Gennaro and Rua Lins in the Mooca, its weekend street stalls serving handmade pasta, focaccia and polenta.

Festa do Imigrante ★ 4.4

Museu da Imigração's Festa do Imigrante gathers over 40 nationalities for a free weekend of music, dance and gastronomy at the old immigrant hostel, entry by a 1kg food donation.

Castelões ★ 4.5

Castelões has baked its wood-fired pizza on Rua Jairo Gois in Sao Paulo's Bras district since 1924, now run by third-generation owner Fabio Donato.

TryPizza Casteloes (thin-sliced artisanal calabresa and mozzarella)

Casa do Pastel ★ 3.9

Casa do Pastel keeps its Rua Tuiuti pastel counter in Tatuape open around the clock, the brand's first unit since 1981, frying pastel, esfiha and pizza.

TryPastel (fried Brazilian pastry)

Cantina D'Irene ★ 4.2

Cantina D'Irene runs a family pasta rodizio in Alto da Mooca, Sao Paulo, sending around 20 dishes to the table, from pasta and risotto to stuffed polpettone.

Why locals goIt serves only a pasta rodizio, an alternative to the a la carte model of the older cantinas around it.

TipThe rodizio brings about 20 dishes, pastas, risottos and some meats, with bread and a dessert, usually a cannoli, included.

Don Carlini ★ 4.1

Don Carlini has made handmade pasta in a Mooca casarao in Sao Paulo since 1985, its recipes still passed down inside the founding Carlini family.

Why locals goA Carlini-family cantina since 1985 making its own handmade pasta, with recipes still passed down inside the same family.

TipArthur Carlini and Maria do Carmo opened the house in 1985 to share the recipes of their Sunday family lunches; their family still runs it.