Looking for a sublime Brazilian meal near you?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Brazilian spots around New York City, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to venture next time you're on the hunt.
1. Churrascaria Plataforma
Topping the list is Churrascaria Plataforma. Located at 316 W. 49th St. in Hell's Kitchen, the steakhouse and Brazilian spot is the most popular Brazilian restaurant in New York City, boasting four stars out of 1,249 reviews on Yelp.
The steakhouse is an all-you-can-eat type of place, allowing you to grab food from a salad bar that offers various sides and appetizers. The meats are brought around by passadores, who carry the meat options on skewers, which they cut at your table. Meats include top sirloin, garlic steak, filet mignon, pork ribs, leg of lamb, turkey with bacon and more.
Jessie R. said, "So in love with this place! The food was so delicious, but what I enjoyed even more was the ambiance and the service. Aesthetics are so nice and they had a live band playing mellow music."
2. Samba Kitchen
Next up is Hell's Kitchen's Samba Kitchen, situated at 661 Ninth Ave. (between 45th and 46th streets). With 4.5 stars out of 339 reviews on Yelp, the Brazilian spot has proven to be a local favorite.
Try the Frango Tropical with grilled chicken breast sauteed with mango, pineapple, banana and peach, or the Feijoada black bean stew with bacon, pork shoulder, sausage, collard greens and more. Then there's the Moqueca with whitefish, shrimp, mussels, coconut milk, onion and rice. (View the full menu here.)
Eric H., who reviewed it on Aug. 9, said, "This is the best Brazilian restaurant I've been to outside Brazil! The food is authentically Brazilian with good sized portions and very good service. The ambiance is nice and comfortable. We had the Picanha and the Bife a Portuguesa, and they were both very good."
3. Ipanema Restaurant
Midtown's Ipanema Restaurant, located at 43 W. 46th St. (between Avenue Of The Americas and Fifth Avenue), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the Brazilian and Portuguese spot four stars out of 1,082 reviews.
Try the Abacate Recheaado (avocado stuffed with crab meat and remoulade sauce), the Lulas Empanadas (fried calamari with sweet chili mango dipping sauce) or the Vatapá (grilled monkfish and shrimp stew). (Check out the full menu here.)
Steven B., who reviewed it on Oct. 23, wrote, "I had a great experience here last week. Highly recommend the caipirinha (Brazilian cocktail) and the churrasco. This dish included generous portions of four different meats, seasoned just right. ... The service was outstanding, too."
4. Villa Brazil Cafe Grill
Villa Brazil Cafe Grill, a Brazilian buffet spot that offers barbecue and more in Long Island City, is another much-loved go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 307 Yelp reviews. Head over to 43-16 34th Ave., Suite A2, to see for yourself.
The buffet, which is priced by the pound, offers various Brazilian options, including grilled chicken, falafel, okra, plantains and rice. You can select just the buffet, or go with a combo like the buffet + barbecue, buffet meats only, barbecue + salad and other options.
Eduard P. said, "Best place for lunch with an all-you-can-eat selection. If you want to eat healthy like fresh salads, fruits and veggies, you must try this place. For those who like sweets, Villa Brazil offers great selection of tasty deserts"
