My dad came to visit from Brazil and we (my father, my wife, myself) spent a week and a half eating our way through some of our favorite (I Sodi, Eyval) and new (Yopparai, Blue Hill) spots.
It was hard to narrow down the list of places to take him, but our goal was to show him some of our favorite spots or take him to restaurants that serve cuisine he would not normally get to eat in Brazil (e.g., persian, dim sum).
Short sentence and accompanying pic for each place attached to this post but happy to answer any specific questions folks may have about the places we tried.
- Antica Pizzeria Da Michele: went here after we tried and failed to get a walk in appointment for Una (smh). Very solid pizza, great service, and great value prop
- Baretto at Fasano: drinks after Pizza, had an amazing table right in front of the performers. Bit on the pricier side, but the show was good and it is a very civilized Jazz experience (i.e., you have space to move)
- Birthday Cake from Brigadeiro Bakery: most traditional Brazilian chocolate cake in the city…brought me back straight to my childhood.
- I Sodi: for birthday lunch. Our favorite restaurant in the city esp. since we have a personal connection to Tuscan food. We’ve been dreaming of the risotto verde ever since we tried it on the menu 3 yrs. ago and were so happy/surprised to see it back on the menu. Just an amazing, slow, festive sunday lunch. My favorite people at my favorite place.
- Din Tai Fung: brought dad for dim sum and XLB since he can’t really get it where he is from. Great service, fun vibes, good food. Sheet size of this restaurant never seizes to amaze me
- Eyval: one of our favorite places in the city. Tried some different things this time around – very fun, casual, relaxed vibes with good food. Dad LOVED it.
- Blue Hill at Stone Barns (two pics): what an amazing treat. My dad took us here for a birthday celebration. From the moment we walked in they made our group feel special. I don’t have enough words to describe how amazing this experience was. It was INSANELY expensive though – definitely reserve this for very special celebrations
- Oyster Bar: holds an emotional place in my dad’s heart. Good oysters, good shrimp cocktail, old school vibes
- Bar Orai: my favorite bar in the city, great music, neat ambiance, and a good selection of japanese whisky. Food is good too – on the pricier side
- Yopparai: fun and very authentic izakaya. Super tiny location, but the service is top notch and the food was very good/different from japanese food you can get in Brazil
- Via Carota: last stop before dropping dad at the airport. Still prefer the simplicity of I Sodi versus Via Carota, but their vegetables/salads were amazing
Not shown: the meals we ate at home, the random hot dogs we consumed in the street, and the far too many beers drank.
Finally, just a quick note: I recognize a lot of these restaurants are on the pricier side and to be able to go to so many of them in sequence is a privilege. I finally feel like I’m at a point in my life where I’m able to treat my dad to so many of these meals, which made it extra special. Similarly, him doing the same for me/my wife was equally as special. 2024 was a milestone year for us, and this felt like an extended celebration. Happy to answer any questions folks may have!
by trader_blue