Brazil isn´t the most vegetarian-friendly place- few restaurants have a vegetarian section on the menu, and usually the only option is a grilled cheese sandwich or fried cheese pastry. When I go out with my friends to eat at a sandwich or snack shop, I always have to get a roll with greasy cheese… cheap but not always appetizing. However, Brazil has a few unique restaurant options that make it easier than other Latin American countries for both the vegetarians and non-vegetarians to enjoy: the self-service restaurant, the pizza rodizio and the lanchonete (sandwich/snack shop, pronounced laun-choh-neh-chee).
* Self-serve restaurants can look like downscale delis or very nice restaurants. They have food laid out buffet-style and the price is based on weight. There are rarely “all-you-can-eat buffets” here in Sao Paulo. Some of them include pricey items like sushi for additional costs, and most have staples like spaghetti with garlic and oil, green salad, mashed potatoes, potato salads and various meat dishes. You can find places where the food is certainly questionable and others where the food is some of the most expensive food around. Every buffet will have the Brazilian standard though... rice, beans and french fries.
* The second veggie-friendly option is the pizza rodizio, an all-you-can eat pizza fest that many restaurants have after 6pm. For one price, varying from 6 USD- 12 USD, you sit at a table with an empty plate and a series of waiters making the rounds with trays of different types of pizza… including dessert pizzas! At some places, they are super aggressive and actually start shoving slices of pizza on your plate before you stop them... it´s like they want you to get the most for your money. Shocking! You only have a split second to survey the pizza before the waiter runs away or forces it on you, so it can result in many strange slices ending up n your plate (e.g. dried anchovies, unshelled shrimp and garlic, etc)... but there is usually an empty plate that you can use as a trash can for rejected pizza slices. This is actually a dangerous dining option (for the waistline), since you can stuff yourself with delicious pizzas and then invariably can´t resist the rounds of nutella, strawberry and banana dessert slices. Yum! I’ve only been once, but it was definitely worth it.
*Finally, the lanchonete is another option. The picture here a very standard lanchonete... but unusually empty! There are at least 1-2 of these on each block. They are sandwich/snack shops that sell many types of fresh juices, fried snacks, and cheap platters that include rice, beans, french fries, salad and meat/omelet for about 4 or 5 USD! It is certainly confusing at first and takes a bit of practice. First, order from a cashier and get a receipt. Then, bring the receipt to the counterperson, fight your way through the crowd and thrust the receipt in the workers face because there is usually a crowd of people and the system works… you must be aggressive because no one will wait for you! Finally, check to make sure it is the right dish you were given in all of the chaos. While a chaotic and intimidating situation, the food is usually decent and cheap… two pluses for a student!
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