By Lindenberg Junior
Interior of Café Brasil 2 in Los Angeles, located on Washington Blvd in Culver City.
Having consulted with restaurateurs in Los Angeles and São Paulo, coupled with decades of marketing and media expertise, I confidently assert: any restaurant that endures for over 15 years has already achieved a level of excellence. But what of those that have thrived for over a century?
Beyond excellent cuisine – which doesn’t necessarily mean expensive fare – true longevity demands four core ingredients: warm ambiance, courteous service, and a genuine marketing flavor that’s heartfelt, authentic, and timeless. While the first three ingredients win loyal patrons across generations, the fourth helps attract new ones.
Iconic Restaurants in Brazil: Centuries of Flavor
1) Café Lamas (Rio de Janeiro, founded 1874)
Located in Flamengo and revered as a “time capsule,” Café Lamas has long been a favorite haunt for politicians, intellectuals, artists, and journalists. In 2025, it remains a cultural landmark with its original atmosphere, traditional service, and a menu that still delights.
2) Restaurante Leite (Recife, founded 1882)
As Brazil’s oldest restaurant, it blends aristocratic charm with a no-frills approach. Its historic legacy includes serving iconic figures and introducing favorites like bacalhau and cartola. Despite a prolonged legal dispute within the founding family, the restaurant continues to operate.
Leite Restaurant, in Recife
3) Gambrinus (Porto Alegre, founded 1889)
Situated in the Mercado Público, Gambrinus is the city’s oldest restaurant, famous for its bacalhau à Gomes de Sá and enduring over 120 years of history. After flood-related closure, it reopened once again in 2024, reaffirming its resilience.
4) Carlino (São Paulo, founded 1881)
Offering Italian-influenced cuisine in the Vila Buarque neighborhood, this restaurant has maintained a solid reputation for atmosphere, service, and approachable pricing, as reflected in traveler reviews like at Tripadvisor
Pioneering Brazilian Cuisine in the USA
- Via Brasil (New York, opened 1978)
On Little Brazil Street in Manhattan, this churrascaria is celebrated for its consistent quality, welcoming ambiance, and dishes like feijoada, churrasco, and moqueca. Diners continue to rave about the experience well into 2025. - Café Brasil (Los Angeles, opened 1991)
Though once a beloved Los Angeles establishment on Venice Blvd, by late 2024 this location was closed. However, still fondly recall its ambiance and flavors in another location on Washington Blvd in Culver City. - By Brazil (Torrance, opened 1991)and Pampas Grill (LA, opened 2002)
Both remain influential fixtures in the South Bay area and Farmers Market in L.A Brazilian culinary scene, offering churrascaria classics and the iconic “food-by-the-pound” concept. The Pampas Grill have also another location, in Culver City, opened years later. - Zabumba (LA, opened 1994 – now closed)
Once famed for drawing Brazilian celebrities during the 1994 World Cup, it sadly closed after the tragic death of its owner in Cancun, Mexico.
Barbecue grill at By Brazil in Torrance
The history of these restaurants,- whether in the bustling streets of São Paulo, the seaside charm of Recife, the cultural heart of Porto Alegre, or across the ocean in Los Angeles and New York – shows that cuisine is more than food on a plate. It’s heritage, storytelling, and community. Each of these establishments has survived changing tastes, economic challenges, and even political upheavals by staying true to their roots while adapting just enough to remain relevant.
In 2025, they are not just places to eat – they are living museums of flavor, where recipes are passed down like family heirlooms and every dish carries the memory of generations. Whether you’re sitting in the time-worn wooden chairs of Café Lamas or savoring churrasco at Via Brasil in Manhattan, you are tasting a slice of history that connects Brazil’s rich culinary past with its ever-evolving global presence.
