Local Eye for the Gringo: the top affordable culinary delights in Sao Paulo by Petri Glad

Petri Glad is an insidesaopaulo reader who moved to São Paulo last November. I had the chance to meet him on the first event organized by the blog, entitled "Insidesao Paulo Experience", where several readers could meet each other and have some beers. Petri was very excited about his recent experience of living in Sao Paulo, so I invited him to write few advices for you guys. Check it out!

1. Fresh Açai at any shopping mall or stand. For about R$ 8 you can enjoy a huge portion of this famous Brazilian health food. It’s usually eaten with granola, banana or strawberry and any combination.
What: Açai
Where: All over the city

2. Get your barbecue meat fill at Churrascaria D'Ouro at various locations throughout the city. It’s a great budget alternative to more well-known, expensive "churrascarias" such as "Fogo De Chão".
What: Churrascaria D'Ouro - Jabaquara
Where: Avenida Engenheiro Armando de Arruda Pereira, 1578
Website: www.churrascariapicanhadeouro.com.br/

3. Churros’ stands, an amazing dessert consisting of a "thick coiled fritter of fried dough", best with "doce de leite" (caramel) topping. This hot, sweet treat can be had for only R$ 1 in some neighbourhoods.
What: Churros
Where: All over the city

4. Food section at the Praça Benedito Calixto Saturday Street Fair. Once you find this amazing "hidden food section", located in the heart of the fair, you can enjoy authentic food fare such as “Acarajé” (Bahian, shrimp snack), “Tapioca com leite condensado” (Tapioca with condensed milk) washed down with a premium "Bohemian" beer
What: Praça Benedito Calixto
Where: Rua Lisboa, 700
Website: www.pracabeneditocalixto.com.br/

5. When starving for a hearty meal on a road trip, check out the "by the kilo" Graal roadside stops. This restaurant offers home style cooking in a very clean space and is charged by the weight of your plate
What: Graal Restaurants
Website: www.redegraal.com.br/

6. Sao Paulo hot dog stands. If you're used to the plain jane hot dog stands, these "cachorro-quentes" will delight you with amazing flavors and its original presentation. The Cachorro-quente da barraca do Allemao across from the Grand Hyatt Sao Paulo is a heavy recommendation even though great stands are found scattered all over the city.
What: Cachorro-quente
Where: All over the city

7. The Barraca de Ze, literally translates to "Ze's stand". Ze used to sell coconuts from the back of his truck and now he has a restaurant of the same name. At this 24/7 restaurant you can indulge yourself with fresh coconut juice (plus tons of other fruit/food choices) any day and time of the day. Have you ever craved a freshly cut coconut at 3am in the morning? Well, here's your chance. Located in the Jabaquara, a south zone neighborhood.
What: Barraca de Zé
Where: Avenida Jabaquara, 3180
Website: www.barracadoze.com.br/

I hope you enjoyed and I would like to invite you to share your advices on the comments below. It will be great for us, for Petri who loves to find new places to eat and everyone that is reading this post. Thank you very much Petri. It's great!