A Casa do Porco

A Casa do Porco, the House of the Pig, is the restaurant of chef Jefferson Rueda and his partner Janaína Torres in República, in the old centre of São Paulo. As the name suggests, the menu is devoted to pork and uses every part of the animal. It ranked number 25 on the Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants list for 2025, and it also holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for good value.

Since 2020 the pork and much of the produce have come from Sítio Rueda, a farm the chef bought in São José do Rio Pardo, his home town in the interior of the state. The main tasting menu, Porco D.O.C., starts with small bites such as a raw pork soufflé with curd, radish and horseradish, moves on to a pork burger with fries and a milkshake, and arrives at the house classic, Porco San Zé: pork served with sausage, beans, banana tartare, farofa and vegetables from the garden. Dessert brings Brazilian fruit such as soursop, cupuaçu and sapodilla with vanilla. A vegetarian menu has been added in recent years, with dishes such as mushroom sushi and a cheese crackling.

The drinks are just as playful. Try the cachaça served in a juice box with lemon and jam, or the Porco Veio, which blends cachaça and whiskey with bacon-infused corn, honey and orange bitters. There are non-alcoholic cocktails and wines too. The dining room is decorated in a quirky, irreverent style that matches the food.

According to the Michelin listing, the restaurant is open from Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 23:00 and on Sunday until 17:00; check before you go. Given its reputation, it is wise to plan ahead and arrive early.

A Casa do Porco suits food lovers on any budget: it is far more affordable than the city's tasting-menu restaurants while still offering serious cooking. It is in República, in the city centre, so it fits naturally into a day exploring downtown São Paulo. Groups can share several dishes from the à la carte menu, while the tasting menu works well for couples who want to try a bit of everything.