People often ask me what my favorite restaurant in the world is. Considering how much I travel for food, it’s a fair question. I’ve been fortunate enough to dine at Michelin-starred restaurants, experience many of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and eat my way through some of the greatest culinary destinations on earth.
My answer never changes: Evvai in São Paulo.
This restaurant is one of the biggest reasons I look forward to returning to the city. The food matters, of course. But so do the explanations, the illustrated course cards I still keep, the disciplined kitchen, and the fact that a meal this carefully put together can still be so much fun.
More Than Italian. More Than Brazilian.
Chef Luiz Filipe Souza describes Evvai’s cuisine as Oriundi, a philosophy inspired by the Italian immigrants who helped shape Brazil’s culinary identity.
It’s not Italian. It’s not Brazilian. It’s both.
Throughout the tasting menu, classic Italian techniques meet ingredients native to Brazil. Jambu, tucupi, cupuaçu, priprioca, native honeys, heart of palm, Amazonian fish, and regional fruits become the foundation for dishes that feel both familiar and completely new.
Nothing is included simply because it’s unusual. Every ingredient has a purpose. Every course tells a story.
A Menu That Never Stops Evolving
One of the reasons I continue returning is because no two meals have ever been alike.
Chef Luiz isn’t interested in creating a menu that stays the same year after year. Every visit brings new ideas, new ingredients, and new interpretations while remaining unmistakably Evvai.
I’ve compared the menus and collectible cards from each visit, and it’s remarkable how much they evolve.
One visit introduced me to King Crab with fresh coconut and caviar, White Moqueca with squid and heart of palm, Duck Tortellini with eel and tucupi, Wild Boar with savage orange, Tongue with oxtail and priprioca, and the unforgettable Popcorn and Ice Cream dessert.
Another visit featured Bluefin Tuna with wagyu bresaola, Cod Tortellini, Fish of the Day with moqueca, Lamb with fregola, Green Corn with Oscietra caviar, Rebel Tiramisu, and a choice between Xinxim Chicken or Japanese A5 Wagyu.
The philosophy never changes. The creativity never stops. Every return feels like discovering Evvai all over again.
Every Dish Has a Personality
I’ve had tasting menus where every course was technically perfect, yet by the end of the evening I struggled to remember what I had actually eaten.
That has never happened at Evvai.
The King Crab with fresh coconut, delicately topped with caviar, perfectly balanced sweetness, richness, and salinity while proving that elegance doesn’t have to be complicated.
The White Moqueca challenged everything I thought I knew about one of Brazil’s most iconic dishes. By removing its vibrant colors, Chef Luiz created something visually unexpected while preserving every bit of the soul and flavor that makes moqueca so beloved.
The Duck Tortellini with eel and tucupi remains one of the most memorable pasta courses I’ve ever eaten.
One of my favorite surprises was a playful green corn ice cream cone topped with Oscietra caviar. At first glance, it makes you smile. Then you taste it. Sweet corn and luxurious caviar shouldn’t work together as well as they do, yet somehow the combination feels completely natural. It’s whimsical, technically brilliant, and unmistakably Evvai.
The scallop crisp pictured here is another example of how much there is to look at during the meal. The crisp itself is scallop-based, rather than simply a garnish beside a scallop.
Desserts That Remember to Have Fun
Popcorn and ice cream doesn’t sound like something you’d expect from one of the world’s best restaurants. Until it arrives.
Finished with popping candy, every bite combines creamy sweetness, buttery popcorn, and the crackling sensation of Pop Rocks. It’s nostalgic, interactive, and impossible not to smile while eating it.
That perfectly sums up my experience. Now recognized with three Michelin stars. World-class technique. Yet it never forgets that dining should be fun.
The frozen dessert pictured above is the Pop Rocks ice cream bar. That playful presentation belongs in this story just as much as the pasta, the caviar, and the technique. It is part of why I remember the experience so clearly.
Every Course Tells a Story
Every course begins before the plate ever reaches your table.
The service team introduces each dish, explaining the ingredients, techniques, and inspiration behind Chef Luiz Filipe Souza’s vision. Their knowledge is remarkable, and they present every course with the same care and precision that went into creating it.
Then the storytelling continues.
Throughout the meal, you’re handed beautifully designed collectible cards inspired by vintage comic books and pop art. Each card corresponds to one of the courses you’ve just experienced.
Some make you laugh before you’ve even taken the first bite.
A halo-wearing crab proclaims “Holy Crab!”
A revolver loaded with pasta reads “Pasta La Vista, Baby…”
A duck relaxing in tucupi jokes, “Like a Hot Tub After a Busy Day…”
Others challenge your expectations with “No Tongue, Really?!”, “Popcorn… Ice Cream… Sinners…”, and “Give Me That Hand!”
Then you flip the card over.
Instead of simply listing ingredients, Chef Luiz explains the thought process behind the dish, the techniques used, and the inspiration behind its creation.
It’s one of the most thoughtful touches I’ve experienced in any restaurant. I still have every single card from every visit to Evvai. They’re more than souvenirs. They’re a collection of memories.
Every time I flip through them, I remember not only the dish itself, but the conversations, the presentation, and exactly how I felt experiencing it.
Most restaurants leave you with photographs. Evvai also gives me something I can hold onto and revisit long after dinner.
Fine Dining Without the Pretension
At some fine-dining restaurants, the formality can take over the evening. The room becomes silent. Guests whisper. Everyone seems afraid of making too much noise. While I appreciate that level of refinement, it can sometimes feel more like attending a ceremony than enjoying dinner.
Evvai feels alive. Everything about the restaurant is polished, professional, and worthy of three Michelin stars. Yet it never feels intimidating. Guests laugh. Servers joke with the tables. Courses surprise you. The playful comic-book cards become conversation starters.
An ice cream cone topped with caviar appears. A dessert crackles with Pop Rocks. The atmosphere is relaxed without ever sacrificing professionalism.
That balance is incredibly difficult to achieve, and I honestly can’t think of another Michelin-starred restaurant that does it quite the same way.
Chef Luiz Filipe Souza’s Leadership
I believe that atmosphere starts with Chef Luiz Filipe Souza.
His creativity is obvious in every dish, but what impressed me just as much was the culture he’s built inside the restaurant.
One of my favorite moments at Evvai doesn’t happen at the table. It happens in the kitchen. Throughout service you’ll hear Chef Luiz, or whoever is leading the brigade that evening,calling commands. Instantly, the kitchen responds together with a loud, unified:
“YES, CHEF!”
It’s authentic. It’s disciplined. It’s organized. You can hear the respect the team has for one another and the pride they take in their craft. That passion extends beyond Chef Luiz himself.
The pastry program is led by Bianca Mirabili, whose creativity perfectly complements the rest of the tasting menu. In 2025, she was recognized as Latin America’s Best Pastry Chef, an honor that feels completely deserved after experiencing her work.
Together, they have built something incredibly special.
The kitchen’s call-and-response has a military precision to it, but the experience at the table stays warm. The team explains what is arriving and why it matters. That combination of discipline and personality is a big part of what makes Evvai feel different to me.
More Than Just a Restaurant
Over time, Evvai has become much more than my favorite restaurant. It’s become one of those rare places that feels familiar every time I walk through the door.
I make restaurant reservations all over the world whenever I think there’s even the slightest chance I can get away. Sometimes work wins, plans change, and I end up cancelling.
But Evvai is different.
When I started planning my return to São Paulo for Formula 1 in November 2026, there was one reservation I refused to leave to chance.
Evvai.
In fact, I confirmed my dinner reservation before I even purchased my Formula 1 ticket. That probably tells you everything you need to know. If Formula 1 were cancelled tomorrow…
I’d still make the trip.
That’s the highest compliment I can give any restaurant. The service is impeccable. The food is extraordinary. The storytelling is unlike anything I’ve experienced anywhere else. Most importantly, despite now standing among the very best restaurants in the world, it has never lost its personality.
It remains warm. It remains welcoming. It remains creative. It remains fun.
I’ve traveled thousands of miles chasing unforgettable meals and have been fortunate enough to experience some of the finest restaurants on the planet.
Only one has ever made me say, without hesitation, that I’d book a flight just for dinner.
That restaurant is Evvai.
Planning Your Own Evvai Dinner
The menus photographed here are from my previous visits, and that distinction matters. Part of the reason I return is that the cooking keeps changing. Go for the experience rather than expecting every dish in these photographs to appear in exactly the same form.
Start with the restaurant’s official website for the current offering and reservation process. If you have dietary restrictions or a particular question about the meal, confirm it directly before booking.
For more of my firsthand restaurant stories, explore Food & Drink. If you are building a trip around a meal, my travel page is a place to keep exploring. And if you have eaten at Evvai, I would love to hear which course stayed with you.
