While strolling São Paulo's upscale neighborhood of Jardins, you may get hungry. As a matter of fact, all the luxurious clothing stores may give you a peculiar hunkering for pizza. If that happens, fear not: Cantina do Bero will come to your rescue, sating your stomach while adhering to the laws of kashrut.
The restaurant's pizza includes uniquely Brazilian toppings such as hearts of palm, while their non-pizza offerings, including their excellent ravioli and delicious Portuguese-style cod fish, promise to leave even the most adamant pizzeria-hater satisfied. The restaurant is under strict Orthodox kosher supervision, and is excellent for people-watching; on a recent visit I ran into an Orthodox Jewish dayschool principal from Miami.
Kosher Pizza
Due to the restaurant's kosher supervision, no meat items may be served in the restaurant, since kosher laws prohibit mixing meat and milk. This means that popular toppings such as pepperoni are not available (the restaurant does offer a vegetarian fake pepperoni option). No shellfish are allowed either, so forget about washing that slice of pizza down with a side of shrimp.
Atmosphere
Those going to Cantina do Bero in search of a fast-food pizza experience will be severely disappointed. The sleek tables and waiter service are part of a sit-down operation. Customers can expect a nice, leisurely meal – as well as a long wait for their pizza. The restaurant has a family atmosphere; most of the customers are families in search of a night out. This makes the restaurant an excellent place for people-spotting. The tables are bit close together and the restaurant gets very crowded after eight, so make sure to go earlier if you want a more intimate experience.
Food
Perhaps the restaurant's elegance is due to the fact the Cantina do Berry is not only a pizza restaurant. Indeed, it has pasta and fish entrees, as well as sushi twice a week. Some of their pies come with interesting toppings, such as hearts of palm, or the Middle Eastern spice, zaatar. Their French fries are good, and their sushi is excellent. What the restaurant is most famous for, in addition to its pizza, is its delicious ice-cream. If you eat here, make sure to save room for desert.
Price
The restaurant is reasonably priced for a nice kosher restaurant in São Paulo; personal pies cost about 24 reais, whereas family pies cost 29. I found the personal pie quite big; it could easily be split among two children or two adults who are only moderately hungry. The main fish entree is 40 reais, which is standard or even on the slightly cheap side for a kosher fish entree at a decent restaurant in São Paulo.
Service
The restaurant fills up at night, meaning that the waiters are overworked, leaving you with a long wait between when you order and when you eat. The restaurant would do well to hire another waiter for the post-8 o'clock rush. If you are extremely hungry and have not yet left your house, I actually recommend you nibble on some fruit before making your way to the restaurant. That being said, both the waiters and the owners are very nice, and will go out of their way to try to accomodate any needs you have, other than speed. The food is well worth the wait, and the atmosphere is pleasant enough when one does not mind spending extra time at the restaurant.
All in all, eating at Cantina do Bero makes for a uniquely Brazilian culinary experience, not to mention a delicious meal and a pleasant evening.
Cantina do Bero – Rua Padre João Manuel 881, Jardins, São Paulo. Phone number: 30649022. The restaurant is open from 6-11, Sun-Thursday. Saturday: 8-12 midnight. Credit cards accepted (Visa, Mastercard). Reservations accepted.
Shayna Abramson - Shayna Abramson is an alumnus of Johns Hopkins University, where she was an active member of the Johns Hopkins Interfaith Center. She ...
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