São Paulo kept coming up in conversations before I’d even set foot there. Travelling through South America, I’d mention I was vegan, and the response was almost always the same: “Have you been to São Paulo yet?”
A quick scroll through Happy Cow confirmed what everyone was telling me, with over 60 fully vegan restaurants across the city (though it is worth mentioning that São Paulo is vast). A large chunk of them were concentrated in the Paulista area, which is exactly where I ended up booking my hotel.
And it certainly didn’t disappoint! I had already fallen in love with the vegan scene in Santiago de Chile, but what struck me about São Paulo was the sheer variety of cuisines on offer. Everything from vegan buffet pizza and junk food to a dedicated sushi restaurant and a vegan bakery. Even the supermarkets got me excited, with a brilliant selection of oat milk brands.
This is by no means a definitive list, but below are the spots I enjoyed most during my stay. And everything here is 100% vegan!
P.S. Make sure to save my map to your Google Maps so you can navigate all the vegan restaurants whilst in São Paulo, and check out my preferred eSIM for Brazil to ensure you’ll never get lost on your travels!
My top picks
Urbã Cozinha Vegana
Urbã Cozinha Vegana was my top pick from the entire trip, and I actually stopped in on my way to the airport (it wasn’t quite en route, but close enough to the main road that it was worth the small detour!).
It is a beautiful little spot with a small menu, including the chef’s dish, a dish of the day, a handful of sweet treats and drinks. I had to try both mains on offer. These included a creamy mushroom pasta and a rice dish with falafel, creamy sauce, pickled onions and fresh herbs. Both were wonderful, but the flavours of the mushroom pasta edged it for me.
The chocolate fudge for dessert was decadent and so creamy, and the vegan alfajor (eaten at the airport later) was a must! I washed it all down with an iced mate that was lovely and refreshing.
It was a busy, buzzing spot and very easy to see why. Friendly staff, gorgeous food and a real neighbourhood feel, a little out of the centre but absolutely worth the trip.
Hera Veggie
Hera Veggie, a vegan bakery with both savoury and sweet options, was a brilliant find. Think freshly baked bread, focaccia, and even a vegan version of the classic Brazilian pão de queijo.
On the sweeter side, there were cinnamon rolls, cheesecakes, and a rotating selection of treats that seemed to change daily, which kept things exciting.
It is the perfect spot for breakfast or brunch, and honestly, just as good as a mid-morning snack stop. Crucially, it opens at 10 am, which might not sound early but is actually a rarity in São Paulo!
The owner was very friendly and helpful. She walked me through everything on offer, which made the whole experience feel really personal.
If you aren’t in a rush, the cafe itself is a lovely space to sit with a coffee and a book.
Sushimar Vegano
After a few days of indulging in heavier food, I was craving something fresh and light, and Sushimar Vegano delivered exactly that.
The menu features a great selection of vegan sushi, salads and other Asian-inspired dishes. The tofu with soy sauce, served with pickled cucumber, was lovely, and the sushi itself was inventive and beautifully fresh.
One thing worth knowing: Sushimar Vegano is actually owned by the same company as the non-vegan Sushimar restaurant, which is just a few doors down. Make sure you don’t mix them up!
That said, if you are travelling with stubborn non-vegans, it is actually a great option. You can all sit together in the non-vegan restaurant, and your vegan dishes will be prepared next door and brought over to you.
It is located in the lovely area of Jardim Paulista, which is well worth a wander while you are there.
Severina na Augusta
I fell a little bit in love with Severina na Augusta, mostly because of the waffles. They were insanely good. Crispy on the outside, wonderfully chewy, and absolutely smothered in delicious sauces and incredible ice cream.
I had a combo of peanut and chocolate, which was heavenly.
But it is not just about the sweet stuff. The savoury options are just as good, with a well-seasoned scrambled tofu breakfast. Which also came with a side of waffles. Yes, sweet waffles with your savoury breakfast!
It makes for a perfect brunch spot, opening at 10 am most days and 11 am on Fridays.
It’s Vegan
A vegan fast food spot that I was very eager to try. It wasn’t open on the day I arrived, despite the listed hours saying otherwise, which is not uncommon in South America, so just bear that in mind! Thankfully, it was open the next day, which was perfect timing as my hotel breakfast had been pretty shoddy.
The sandwiches looked incredibly enticing, and after weeks of eating a lot of choripan (see my vegan Buenos Aires guide), I went for the Austrian schnitzel sandwich. The staff were friendly, and one of the team spoke some English, which I was very grateful for, given my limited Portuguese!
It was really tasty. The schnitzel had great flavour and texture, the slaw was spot on, and the fries were perfectly crispy. Exactly what I needed.
I went back another day and tried one of their salads as well as a burger. These were also great. The salad was fresh, but not the most exciting overall. And I preferred the bread used for the sandwiches over the burger bun.
Pop Vegan Food
Pop Vegan Food is a little different from the other spots on this list. You can order from an à la carte pizza menu, but the real draw is the all-you-can-eat buffet, with a constantly rotating selection of savoury and sweet pizza slices.
There is also vegan chicken on the menu, potentially made from jackfruit, which was a great addition.
I will be honest, the dough was not the best, but the toppings were satisfying, and the half-and-half option is a nice touch if you cannot decide on a flavour. This is very much a quantity over quality kind of place, but it absolutely serves its purpose, and I would happily go back.
It was absolutely heaving when I visited, clearly a popular spot with locals. Beyond the pizza, they also had a freezer full of pre-made meals and mini pizzas to take away, plus some sweet snacks at the counter, including filled ice cream cones, which were delicious!
Um Sonho de Coxinha
Located in São Paulo’s Japanese district, Um Sonho de Coxinha made for a perfect stop after wandering around the local markets. It is a small spot specialising in both coxinha and pastel, the classic Brazilian fried pastries, with savoury and sweet options for both.
I tried two of the pastel. The savoury was filled with vegan meat and cheese, and the sweet with chocolate and cream cheese, which sounds like an odd combination but somehow worked brilliantly.
Both were huge, with beautifully crispy fried dough. Not exactly the healthiest afternoon snack, but absolutely worth it.
Vegano
Vegano is a convenient spot with a slightly unusual setup. Everything is pre-made and stored in fridges, which is great for a quick grab-and-go meal, but if you are eating in at one of the window bar stools, you decant your food onto plates yourself. A little wasteful, though I can see the logic of the system!
The food itself was tasty and fresh, with a good variety of ingredients that felt both healthy and filling. I had a look at the pasta dishes and falafel bowls, and finished with a banana dessert that was reminiscent of a banoffee pie. A lovely way to end the meal.
More vegan-friendly stuff
- Oat milk: There are loads of brilliant oat milk brands coming out of Brazil, and the supermarkets are a great place to stock up. It is still not widely used in coffee shops, but I did manage to find great oat flat whites at Soul Café SP and Urbe Café Bar, both in the Paulista area.
- Snacks: Keep an eye out for bananada cremosa, a sticky, chewy, sweet banana treat. Bananinha Paraibuna is a great brand to look out for. Paçoquita is also worth grabbing if you spot it, a crumbly, sweet peanut bar that is very moreish.
Where to stay in São Paulo
If you are planning on making the most out of the vegan food scene in São Paulo, then I recommend staying in the Paulista area. I found it to have the highest concentration of vegan restaurants in the city, plus it is easy to get anywhere else in the city using either the metro system or Uber.
I stayed at the Intercity Paulista, which was perfectly located a few blocks away from It’s Vegan, Pop Vegan Food, Hera Veggie, and so much more!
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