11 Essential Brazilian Restaurants You Need To Know in Los Angeles

Run by chef Rodrigo Oliveira, of renowned São Paulo restaurants, Mocotó and Balaio IMS, and partner-chef Victor Vasconcellos, Caboco bills itself as the first modern Brazilian restaurant in Los Angeles. Adorned with colorful art and decor, the restaurant serves a combination of traditional Brazilian dishes, some of the most popular items from Oliveira’s São Paulo outposts, plus newly conceived dishes only available at this location. Early standouts include starters like dadinhos de tapioca, or cheesy tapioca fries served with a sweet chili sauce, and mains such as a vegetarian moqueca stew with cashew fruit, hearts of palm, plantains, ora-pro-nobis (Brazilian cacti), tucupi (juice that’s extracted from cassava), and coconut broth. Caboco is also home to LA’s only artisanal caipirinha bar, where you can order cocktails with Brazil’s signature sugarcane-based liquor cachaça.
How to book: Make reservations online.

This casual spot that recently sprang up along Honolulu Avenue features a Brazilian-Korean menu that celebrates Brazil’s skewer culture. Owned by chef Tony Park, a Brazilian-Korean chef who hails from São Paulo, along with his wife, Joyce Kim, the causal restaurant digs into Park’s dual heritage with made-to-order items like marinated Bulgogi beef skewers, hot and sweet chicken wings, chicken hearts, crispy pork belly, unique pão de queijo waffles, and more—whatever you get, make sure you sprinkle it with some farofa and Park’s housemade ten-spice hot sauce.
How to book: Walk-ins welcome.

Opened in spring of this year, Nossa is owned by duo Simone Bonelli and John Borghetti, who seamlessly bridge their Italian and Brazilian backgrounds, while simultaneously paying homage to the Italian influence that’s prominent in Brazilian cuisines thanks to multiple waves of migration since the late 19th century. The menu features an assortment of tagliatelle pastas, as well as chicken lasagna, plus a succulent half-roasted chicken that’s served with nossa rice (organic coconut, lime zest, and cilantro stems), black beans, plantains, farofa (a toasted cassava mixture), salsa campanha, and chimichurri. Small plates like pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), fried artichoke, and striped bass and plum ceviche are ideal for sharing, as are salads like the grilled lettuces with gem lettuces, peanut romesco, crispy shallots, and feta. Stop by during happy hour (Wednesday and Thursday from 5-6 pm and Friday and Saturday from 3-6 pm) for $2 off glasses of wine & sangria, $1 off draft beer, $3 off pitchers/carafes plus discounts on some of the small plates, the Nossa burger (picanha, short rib and brisket burger with roasted tomato, cheddar, red onion, lettuce, palmito, malagueta mayo, sweet potato fries, and chimichurri), and linguiça sandwich (Brazilian sausage, pineapple, cilantro, avocado, and spicy mayo).
How to book: via their website.

Owned by chef Natalia Pereira who hails from Vianópolis, Brazil, Woodspoon recently earned a Bib Gourmand designation by the Michelin Guide for high-quality dishes that showcase the flavors of the Minas Gerais region in southeastern Brazil. You can’t go wrong with any of the dishes listed under “Woodspoon Favorites,” especially the Brazilian chicken pot pie with tender shredded chicken, hearts of palm, olives, and corn, that’s served alongside a mixed salad and housemade green salsa. Or tuck into moqueca, a traditional seafood stew with black cod and a secret coconut sauce that’s served over cilantro rice. The menu also features popular street foods like coxinha, which translates to castle in Portuguese and describes the shape of this towering chicken-stuffed pastry. Wash it all down with a glass of Woodspoon’s signature sangria, available with red or white wine.
How to book: via Tock.

Established in 2019, H&H Brazilian Steakhouse takes a modern approach to the traditional churrascarias of Rio Grande do Sul, a state in Brazil that embraces the gaucho (South American cowboy) culture. Helmed by Henrique Huyer, H&H offers all-you-can-eat and a la carte menus, both of which prioritize organic produce and grass-fed beef, and can be enjoyed in the restaurant’s elegant dining room or on the string-lit patio. Treat yourself to a Brazilian-style weekend brunch for just $39.95, with unlimited picanha (prime culotte), fraldinha (bottom sirloin), maminha (prime tri-tip), galeto ao primo canto (chicken drumstick), baby-back pork ribs, and Brazilian sausage served tableside, plus the option to add bottomless mimosas for just $22 more. If your appetite isn’t quite that large, the eight-ounce truffle filet mignon and Brazilian sea bass that’s served with a housemade special sauce and Brussels sprouts also make for compelling options. Stop by for weekday happy hour from 5–7 pm to enjoy discounts on Brazilian cocktails, beers, and wines by the glass. The restaurant also hosts live jazz every Tuesday evening.
How to book: via their website. Walk-ins for dine-in are accepted before 9:30 pm.

This pioneering Brazilian restaurant first opened its doors in 1991, offering a glimpse into Brazil’s culinary diversity with a cozy and vibrant environment that immediately transports guests to the bustling, beachfront streets of Rio. Traditional dishes like feijoada, a black bean stew with slow-cooked pork, rice, farofa, collard greens, and an orange slice, are on offer, as well as an array of meat and seafood mains that are marinated in Brazilian spices and served with white rice, black beans, salsa, fried plantains, and a soup or salad. Breakfast is served all day, and the acai bowl with granola and seasonal fruits is a must-order, though you can also grab an acai smoothie if you’re in a rush. Popular among LA’s Brazilian communities, Cafe Brasil offers Brazilian coffee served with rapadura (an unrefined sugar from Brazil) and Guarana soda (similar to ginger ale), plus a variety of Brazilian empanadas made with mozzarella cheese.
How to book: Walk-ins only for dine in or order pickup and delivery online.

Pampas Grill is another gem that offers an authentic churrascaria experience, utilizing a “pay by the pound” method, although a few cuts can be purchased a la carte. You’ll find all of the popular Brazilian cuts on their menu, such as picanha, top sirloin, spicy chicken thighs, pork loin, Brazilian sausage, and leg of lamb, plus some less-common options like chicken wrapped with bacon and garlic beef. Salads, including potato salad, hearts of palm, pasta salad, and more, are also available by the pound, as are hot dishes like fried yucca, fried plantains, pão de queijo, and feijoada. If you have room after your pound-for-pound meal, dip into Brazilian desserts like passion fruit mousse and flan. Stop by the Culver City location for happy hour Monday through Thursday from 3-6 pm to enjoy 15% off your food.
How to book: Walk in or select one of the takeout and delivery options from their website based on your preferred location.

Panelas Brazil Cuisine is a lanchonete, or Brazilian deli-style restaurant, that’s committed to serving dishes inspired by the traditional flavors of Porto Alegre, a region in Southern Brazil. In addition to the popular national dishes that you’ll find at most of the restaurants on this list, you’ll also find regional specialties like a Bauru sandwich with your choice of steak, picanha, pot roast, or chicken, plus a fried egg, mozzarella cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo, and mini pot pies available with chicken, shrimp, and hearts of palm. Brazilian coffee, Guarana soda, Brazilian beers, and caipirinhas are also on offer.
How to book: Walk-ins only for dine in or order takeout via Toast.

While Brazilian-style steakhouses have become popular in recent decades thanks to high-end chains like Fogo De Chão, other regional Brazilian cuisines have yet to experience the same rise to recognition. Family-owned Moqueca features dishes that are popular in the Southeast Brazilian state of Espirito Santo and serves their hearty seafood stews in handcrafted black clay pots. While most Brazilian restaurants offer one moqueca dish, here you can opt for a small, eight-ounce or large, 16-ounce bowl with your choice of mahi-mahi; sea bass; a mix of shellfish like clams, mussels, calamari, and shrimp; lobster; or vegetarian with broccoli, zucchini, green beans, bell peppers, and carrots. Seafood paella gets a similar moqueca spin and is served with plantains, and Brazilian stroganoff and other pasta dishes are available as entrees. If you’re ordering to-go, make sure you take advantage of their four for $28 caipirinha special.
How to book: Reservations are recommended and can be made on their website.

Sabor da Bahia is a mobile caterer based out of Culver City that highlights the popular Afro-Brazilian dishes from the Northeastern state of Bahia. The menu features recipes that have been passed down from one generation to another, including mains like acarajé, a fried black bean fritter that’s stuffed with vatapá (shrimp stew), tomato salad, and hot sauce, and bobó de camarão, shrimp in a yucca puree. A variety of moqueca options are available, as well as xinxim de galinha, a Bahian-style stew with chicken, rice, black eyed peas, and toasted yucca flour, in addition to side dishes and desserts.
and a variety of traditional sides.
How to book: Call 310-841-2729 for pickup orders. All orders should be placed within 48 hour prior to pick up.

Established in 1979, Fogo De Chao Steakhouse is an international chain and one of the most well-known churrascarias across the globe, offering diners an authentic Southern Brazilian culinary experience. Here in LA, we now have three elegant outposts at our disposal: one in Beverly Hills on La Cienega’s iconic Restaurant Row, another in Downtown LA near the Staples Center, and the most recent in El Segundo, featuring Brazilian architecture and design elements that pay homage to the brand’s gaucho roots, plus a lively bar area where you can enjoy all-day happy hour and sip on South American wines and Brazilian-inspired cocktails. The churrasco experience includes tableside service; a market table and feijoada bar with seasonal salads and soups, cured meats, imported cheeses, and more; traditional cuts like picanha, filet mignon, prime lamb chops, and ribeye; as well as indulgent Wagyu cuts and a 36-ounce dry-aged tomahawk steak that can be purchased for an additional cost. 
How to book: Choose your preferred location and book via their website.