Best Brazilian Bites in NYC
New York is well known for its vibrant, microcosmic communities, including Little Italy, Chinatown and Korea Town, but did you know that a single block of 46th Street (located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues) is actually referred to as Little Brazil? And now that we’re smack dab in the middle of the Rio Olympics, there’s no better time to get acquainted with the restaurants within the South American stronghold (not to mention the surprisingly sizable contingent beyond), serving everything from all-you-can-eat grilled meats to savory seafood and coconut milk stews and distilled sugar cane-based caipirinhas; also known as Brazil’s national drink.
Churrascaria Platforma
In addition to offering a staggering array of grilled meats, this rodizio-style (all-you-can-eat) steakhouse is known for a gourmet salad bar that goes well beyond tomatoes and lettuce, including platters of Salpicao (a classic cold shredded chicken concoction, tossed with lime juice, apples and raisins), and various Salgadinhos; fried croquettes crafted from bulgur wheat, pastry dough or yucca flour, and stuffed with beef or cheese.
Read MoreBerimbau do Brasil
Decidedly more intimate than NYC’s over-the-top churrascarias, this West Village eatery merely hints at its Brazilian origins with a bright green painted trim. But there’s no mistaking the focus of its menu, which features mainstays like acaraje (black eyed pea cakes with vatapa), Frango à Passarinho (tidbits of fried chicken) and of course, the national Brazilian dish of Feijoada; pork and black bean stew accessorized with rice, collards, farofa and orange slices.
Read MoreRestaurante Brasiliero
Following in the footsteps of her father, a restaurateur in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, chef Samira Soares opened this Midtown eatery serving comidas tipicas; think Frango com Quiabo (sautéed chicken, polenta and okra), Bife a Cavalo (grilled steak served with eggs and potatoes) and Camarao na Moranga; acorn squash stuffed with shrimp, hearts of palm and catupiry cheese.
Read MoreIpanema Restaurant
This 35-year-old Little Brazil staple showcases the inherent Portuguese influence on Brazilian cuisine, serving dishes like Caldo Verde (a potato and collard green soup with linguiça sausage), Gambas a Mocambique (tiger shrimp tossed in piri-piri sauce), and Massada de Peixe, a monkfish stew ladled over elbow pasta.
Read MoreThe Coffee Shop
This innocuously-named Union Square stalwart is not only known for its gorgeous model-servers, but it’s Brazilian-accented greasy spoon fare, served 24-hours a day. So forgo BLT’s and Burgers for Sopa de Peixe Bahia (seafood chowder with saffron), Pastel De Camarao (Bahian shrimp dumplings) and Feijoada Completa, which even includes a caipirinha shooter.
Read MoreFogo de Chao
Consider fasting in advance of a visit to Fogo de Chao; an international, all-you-can-eat churrascaria chain featuring counters brimming with fire-roasted steak, chicken, lamb, shrimp and pork skewers, side dishes such as pao de queijo (cheese rolls) and farofa (yucca flour sautéed in bacon), as well as veggie selections such as kale salad, studded with hearts of palm.
Read MoreVia Brasil
A series of larger-than-life signs on the outside of Via Brasil mimic the in-your-face flavors found within; in the form of shredded, Brazilian-style Beef Jerky, patterned with diced acorn squash, Picadinho de Carne, red wine-sauced filet, topped with poached eggs and fried bananas, and Feijao Tropeiro; red kidney beans mixed with sausage, onions, yucca flour and collard greens.
Read MoreMalagueta
While Midtown boasts the greatest density of Brazilian restaurants in New York, you can still find highly traditional fare, like Salt Cod Fritters, palm oil-tinged Moqueca (shrimp stew) and lime and cachaca-spiked Caipirinhas as far out as Queens, thanks to the family-run Astoria favorite, Malagueta.
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