São Paulo's Iconic Sandwiches Will Make Your Mouth Water

Lusophones among you may realise that “cachorro quente” in Portuguese literally translates as hot dog. Because, well, that’s what it is. However, in São Paulo, a hot dog is a completely different beast and is the preferred late-night snack of many a clubber walking home from Rua Augusta. The two rules for a cachorro quente in São Paulo are as follows: first, the sandwich is pressed on a grill, making the roll flat and crispy; second, there are no rules.

In São Paulo, anything goes in a hot dog. At most vendors, ordering a “completo” will get you a sandwich as big as your shoe, with two hot dogs, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese sauce, creamy Brazilian requeijão cheese, ketchup, mayo, mustard, sweetcorn, mashed potato, shoestring potatoes, lettuce and maybe even a fried egg, if you’re lucky.

Yes, it sounds like an abomination and will have hot dog aficionados running for the hills, but after a long night of clubbing, how could you say no?

Literally translating as “crazy beef”, carne louca is a super-traditional Brazilian recipe, often served at birthday parties and Brazil’s midwinter Festa Junina celebrations. Oddly enough, despite being staple party food, the origins of the dish are unknown, as is its “crazy” name.

Preparing carne louca consists of cooking a beef eye-of-round roast in a pressure cooker, before shredding the meat and stewing with peppers, tomatoes, onions, olives and garlic, creating a gorgeously rich and flavorful mixture which is piled into bread rolls and scarfed down in amazing proportions by party-goers of all ages. Most sandwich vans will sell carne louca sandwiches, but to guarantee getting your hands on one, head over to a Festa Junina – or crash a birthday party.

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Soccer, or futebol, is Brazil’s national sport and nowhere is it taken more seriously than in São Paulo. With three major clubs based in the city, there is always a match on at weekends and thousands flock to the stadiums to cheer on their favorite team.

Going to watch soccer in São Paulo is full of rituals, particularly when it comes to food. Whereas in Brazil’s northeast the pre-match food of choice is barbecued meat on skewers, and in Minas Gerais fans chow down on massive bowls of feijão tropeiro, Paulistano’s futebol food of choice is a good hearty sandwich.

While the aforementioned pernil (slow-roasted pork shoulder) is a popular choice, another soccer match staple is calabresa no pão, a grilled Calabrian sausage sliced lengthwise and served on a bread roll, topped with salad and vinaigrette. Streets outside soccer stadiums are filled with vendors selling these delicious sandwiches from the backs of their cars. Attending a match without eating at least one is heresy.