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Evvai

São Paulo

Italy meets São Paulo in style

On the Pass

Luiz Filipe Souza

Pastry Chef

Bianca Mirabili

Behind the pass: Luiz Filipe Souza opened Evvai in São Paulo’s upmarket Jardins neighbourhood in 2017, after training in Italian restaurants including Fasano and Piselli in São Paulo and Reale in Castel di Sangro, Italy. In 2018, he represented Brazil in the Bocuse D’Or competition, reaching the finals in Lyon.

Cozinha Oriundi: Souza coined the phrase ‘Oriundi cuisine’ at Evvai, which refers to descendants of Italy all over the world and is translated in the kitchen into immigrant-inspired dishes such as mini tortellini stuffed with crab and linguine served with pea sauce and sea urchin.

What to order: Evvai’s à la carte offers Italian-style snacks, antipasti, pasta, meat and fish. For an overall experience, the five- or nine-course tasting menus work through signature dishes such as the foie gras lollipop and smoked pumpkin bonbons.

What’s the setting? A row of banquette seating lines one wall of the intimate restaurant, with larger tables set out down the centre of the dining room, all offering a glimpse of the open kitchen. There’s a superb wine list and classic and creative cocktails such as Negroni or chai-infused gin.

Bonus point: In 2019, Souza and his business partner Fábio Moon opened Fat Cow, a fast-food restaurant inspired by 1980s burger joints, with products such as the ‘Gangnam Style’ burger, with caramelised onions and fermented Korean sauce.

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