Known in the UK for its colourful carnivals, stunning beaches and vast rainforests, but not so much for its unique cuisine, Brazilian restaurants aren’t that easy to find in London but the popularity of this cuisine is on the rise.
To find the authentic stuff you’ll have to head a little further out of the city to the suburbs where family run Botecas (to Brazilians what cafés are to Parisians) are hidden among countless Indian, Italian and Chinese restaurants. These fun, family-friendly places attract crowds as much for their live music as for their food.
For those of us who aren’t too familiar with the Brazilian cuisine, here is a quick run-down of all the basics you need to know. First thing's first, be prepared to see a lot of meat on the menu, and we mean a lot. With many of the restaurants on this list revolving around large meat skewers carved directly on to your plate, we suggest vegans avoid these ones. Other dishes you can expect to pop up a lot throughout include feijoada – a stew of black beans that usually has chunks of pork or beef in it to bulk it up – and moqueca, a fish based stew with shellfish and a coconut milk base. As mentioned earlier, meat is king in this cuisine so expect to see lots of grilled or barbequed meats commonly called churrasco on all the menus mentioned.
To get you started on your journey into Brazilian cuisine, we’ve put together a list of the best and most authentic restaurants in the city so next time you’re looking to try something new or different, look no further than the below.
Tia Maria
Why: Bringing the spirit of Brazil to Vauxhall through authentic dishes and live music, Tia Maria has been serving up Brazilian drinks and dishes for over ten years. As with most Brazilian restaurants, expect to find a lot of meat on this menu. Espetos meat skewers, lamb chops from the grill and petiscos small plates are just a few of the items you’ll find. All washed down with a fresh fruit juice and some upbeat samba music to keep you entertained all night.
Where: 126 South Lambeth Road, SW8 1RB
Why: Combining influences from Brazil, Japan and Peru, this popular restaurant located on the 38th and 39th floor of the Heron Tower in the city not only boasts incredible views of the City, but an incredible menu too. The menu serves up the likes of sushi, taquitos and, from its Brazilian pickings, churrasco Rio Grande served with black beans, sautéed green, farofa and its special dipping sauce. Despite the name Sushisamba, this isn’t just a sushi place.
Where: 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY
Café Brazil
Why: Not two cuisines you’d typically group together but after the owners of Café Brazil moved from Italy to Brazil they took their pizza making skills with them. After arriving in London in the 80s they brought with them a fusion of Italian and Brazilian cuisine, which strangely works. The menu features traditional dishes including Feijoda and Picanha but don’t forget to try the Brazilian inspired pizzas either.
Where: 511 Fulham Rd, SW6 1HH
Why: Claiming to be the first Churrascaria in the UK, Rodizio Rico now has three restaurants in the UK specialising in barbequed meats. Watch as waiters walk between tables with huge skewers of meat ready to carve straight on to your plate. Once you’ve had enough meat simply turn the card on you table over to red and tuck in to all the meaty goodness. To accompany your barbequed meat, pick from a range of salads at the bar.
Where: 77-78 Upper Street, N1 0NU
Why: Fitting right in with its Camden neighbours, Made in Brasil’s Christ the Redeemer art piece on a backdrop of the Brazilian flag sits perfectly above the front of the restaurant and pays homage to both its roots and its home in one of London’s street art capitals. Food-wise, feijoad (a Brazilian black bean and pork stew), picanha na chapa (beef with vegetables and rice) and petiscos tapas dishes all feature on the menu. Don’t forget to have a caipirinha cocktail to accompany your dishes either.
Where: 12 Inverness Street, NW1 7HJ
Galpão
Why: A little bit out of the centre of the city, but well worth the journey, this family run restaurant offers up home-style Brazilian cooking and you guessed it, a lot of meat. With the backdrop of Samba and Bossa Nova and a caipirinha in hand, try the signature mixed grill, fried seabass with rice and beans and small plates of cassava fries and salt-cod fishcakes for a real feast.
Where: 1024 Harrow Road, NW10 5NN
Why: Sitting among people walking around with skewers and carving knives would be a fairly unsettling situation to find yourself in at most times. At Omnino however, the closer you are to the people with the skewers, the better. With a range of different meats carved straight onto your plate and a selection of tapas style dishes and South American wines to accompany said meat, you may have to be rolled out of Omnino.
Where: 7-9 Bride Street, EC4A 4AS
Fogo De Chao
Why: Following the popular Brazilian restaurant trend of skewered meats and salad buffets, Fogo De Chao has over twenty different varieties of meat to choose from. Start your meal with the aptly named Girl From Ipanema and fill your plate with the likes of cap of rump, pork belly and chicken wrapped in bacon. If you fancy sticking to the more traditional dishes, or just don’t fancy going back and forth to the salad bar, order its ‘famous’ Feijoada or Tropeiro beans instead.
Where: 126 Clapham High Street, SW4 7UH
Café Rio
Why: Mixing Brazilian cuisine with British dishes, this coffee house come bar's exposed brick surrounds and red leather seating makes for a comfortable place to enjoy a quick lunch. On the menu you’ll find, as with most Brazilian restaurants in the city, feijoada pork stew alongside a full English and cassava alongside grilled sandwiches and chicken salads. Perhaps not the place to go for a truly authentic Brazilian experience, but worth a try if you happen to be in the area.
Where: 66 Grafton Way, W1T 5DS
Barraco
Why: Modelling itself on a traditional Brazilian ‘boteca bar’, Barraco brings authentic, quirky and homely décor and dishes that include feijoada, calabreza acebolada – Brazilian sausage with onions – and a selection of moqueca stews. Live music is also a huge part of Barraco’s charm with regular bossa nova nights happening from Friday through to Sunday. If you’re looking for an authentic Brazilian boteca experience, look no further than Kilburn’s Barraco.
Where: 10 Kingsgate Place, NW6 4TA
Fancy trying another up and coming cuisine? Take a look at our list of the best Korean restaurants in London