Tag: recipes

My January 2025 meal at Nelita São Paulo was one of the best I’ve had in the city. I sat at the counter directly in front of the kitchen, watching chef Tássia Magalhães and her team work. The food gave me plenty to remember. So did the people behind it.

Tássia is exceptionally talented, yet she is also one of the most humble and warm chefs I’ve met. Her love of cooking and flavor came through in the meal. Sommelier Danyel Steinle brought the same care to the wine pairings, making the food even more enjoyable.

That connection between kitchen, wine and hospitality is what makes me want to return.

Visit: January 2025. Updated October 2026. The dishes below describe my visit; awards and practical information have been checked separately for this update.

My seat at the Nelita São Paulo kitchen counter

The counter was a big part of the experience. Being directly in front of the kitchen let me see the work going into the dishes as the evening unfolded. I could appreciate the food and the people making it at the same time.

Nelita felt cozy and refined. Tássia’s warmth made it easy to feel comfortable, and watching the kitchen added another reason to pay attention. It is a seat I would ask for again.

The restaurant is in Pinheiros, a neighborhood with plenty of reasons to plan an evening around dinner. For more of the places I’ve personally eaten, my São Paulo restaurant guide puts Nelita alongside other meals that have stayed with me.

Tássia Magalhães and the food I remember

The Italian influence was clear in the pasta and other dishes, while Brazilian ingredients gave the meal its own character. Nelita’s own description of the kitchen connects that approach to Tássia’s roots in Guaratinguetá, in the Vale do Paraíba, and to the memories and ingredients of the region.

These are the dishes I remember from my meal at Nelita São Paulo. They are a record of that evening, rather than a promise of what will be on the menu when you visit.

Pão de queijo gougère

The pão de queijo gougère introduced the restaurant’s personality early. It was a memorable way to bring a Brazilian reference into the meal, and it belongs among the details I still associate with Nelita.

Pumpkin cappelletti and eggplant ravioli

Pumpkin cappelletti and ravioli with eggplant and smoked tomato were two of the pasta dishes that stayed with me. There was comfort in those combinations, with the precision I want from a restaurant cooking at this level. The pasta was an important part of what made the meal so satisfying.

Beef tongue with polenta and passionfruit sorbet

Beef tongue with polenta gave me another dish to remember beyond the pasta. The passionfruit sorbet brought a welcome freshness to the meal. Together with the earlier courses, these are the flavors and combinations I think of when someone asks me about Nelita.

Danyel Steinle and the wine pairings

The wines deserve real space in this review. Danyel, Tássia’s partner in the restaurant and now her husband, was an essential part of what made the evening work.

I loved seeing the connection between them. Their teamwork carried through to the pairings: the wines brought more out of the food and made an already excellent meal feel more complete. The attention given to the glass matched the attention given to the plate.

That is what I want from a pairing. I want to enjoy the wine, of course, but I also want it to help me appreciate the dish. At Nelita São Paulo, the two belonged together, and Danyel’s contribution deserves as much attention as the cooking.

The recognition since my visit

The awards Tássia, Danyel and their restaurants have received since my January 2025 visit feel thoroughly deserved.

Tássia was named Latin America’s Best Female Chef 2025 and Chef of the Year at Prazeres da Mesa’s 2026 awards. Nelita reached No. 12 on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list for 2025.

In the 2026 VEJA SÃO PAULO COMER & BEBER awards, Nelita won Best Italian Restaurant and Danyel was named Sommelier of the Year. Their wine bar, Lita, also won Best Wine Bar in the same edition.

I’m happy to see their work recognized. My enthusiasm started with the meal itself, and the awards give me another reason to look forward to seeing what they do next.

Why Lita is on my list for November

When I return to São Paulo in November 2026, I also want to visit Lita, Tássia and Danyel’s wine bar across the street. It opened in September 2025, after my Nelita visit.

I haven’t been yet. After experiencing their cooking, wine pairings and teamwork at Nelita, I’m curious to see how that partnership translates to a wine bar. It is one more place to fit into a trip that already has plenty of meals I’m looking forward to.

Planning a meal at Nelita São Paulo

Nelita is at Rua Ferreira de Araújo, 330, in Pinheiros. The restaurant says tasting-menu visits require a reservation. Use Nelita’s official website for the current menu and booking options, and ask about counter seating if you want the perspective I enjoyed.

Confirm the available menu, pairing options, price and cancellation terms before booking. My January 2025 dishes are memories of that visit, and menus can change.

If you’re building a longer trip, my São Paulo travel guide covers the wider city. For two other very different tasting-menu experiences, read my Evvai and Tuju comparison.

Would I return to Nelita

Absolutely. I remember the food, the counter and the way Tássia and Danyel worked together to make the evening feel complete. Tássia’s warmth and humility stayed with me just as clearly as her talent.

Nelita gave me one of my best meals in São Paulo. I would happily go back for the cooking and the wine pairings, and for another chance to sit in front of that kitchen.