Occupying a small house in the heart of the Jardim Paulistano district, Maní comes as something of a surprise with its three inter-connecting rooms featuring a contemporary Mediterranean decor of different white tones and simple furniture. Here, renowned chef Helena Rizzo, who is currently working as part of a successful collaboration with Belgian counterpart Willem Vandeven, aims to offer guests a pleasurable gastronomic experience based around consistency. To do this, she focuses on Brazilian ingredients (the restaurant boasts that 90% of these are organic) which are transformed through cutting-edge techniques and creativity. The choice here is extensive, although for a truly unique experience we recommend the tasting menu, available in a version with three dishes (starter, main course and dessert) or a special menu prepared by the chefs. One of the standout dishes is the refreshing “Atlantic forest salad”, which combines a passion fruit vinaigrette with a charcoal-infused oil. We suggest booking ahead to avoid waiting for a table.