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tl;dr – While in São Paulo, I tried a few of the city’s lauded restaurants, one of which is Jun Sakamoto an Omakase restaurant. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience – it’s an excellent choice if you’re in the mood for Japanese cuisine while visiting the city.
Japan in Brazil
Located in Pinheiros, the eponymous Jun Sakamoto is a one-star Michelin restaurant many feel is the best Japanese restaurant of the 600-plus in São Paulo. I had long known the ties between Japan and Brazil were significant; São Paulois home to the largest Japanese diaspora in the world, with over 1.5 million Japanese descendants living in the city, and as such, I thought there would be a good chance to find some standout Japanese cuisine. By the way, a visit to the Museo de la Inmigración Japonesa en Brasil greatly enhanced my understanding of the historical relationship between Japan and Brazil. If you’re in São Paulo, I highly recommend you head over to Japantown and check out this museum, as it was one of my most informative, enjoyable experiences.
The Museo de la Inmigración Japonesa en Brasil was one of my favorite stops in São Paulo
Our Meal
Jun Sakamoto is located in an unassuming building fronted by a large white retractable gate. It’s the type of spot that could have been anything from a single family home, to an foreign consulate, to a house for an undergrown card game – or somehow all three at the same time. It was pretty dark when we arrived in an Uber, and it took me a minute to spot the one doorman outside. After giving a few assurances to the driver that we were in the right place and would be safe we shuffled inside to check in.
We reserved seats at the sushi bar for an omakase prepared by Itamae (or second-chef) Ryuzo Nishimura. You can book a sushi bar omakase by Chef Sakamoto himself, or choose to sit at a table as well. Reservations can be made directly through the restaurant’s website.
If you’re unfamiliar with it, omakase translates to ‘I’ll leave it up to you,’ and as such, you can expect to enjoy selections of the chef’s choice. I only snapped a few photos or videos so as not to disrupt the experience, but here’s a quick snapshot showing the journey of one course—from Chef Sakamoto’s hand to my plate.
It was an intimate setting. In the main room, two other groups were dining at the sushi bar, and one party was seated at the tables. On rotation were some softer 70s funk jams. The service was on-point—attentive servers popped in between courses to tidy up your sushi plate, refresh your water, and field any other beverage orders. Shout out to Chef Sakamoto’s sous chef for the evening.
The food was as advertised. Each nigiri course featured an incredibly fresh, delicate bite of fish that left you longing for a second pass but even more excited to explore the flavors of the next piece. Highlights included the yellowtail amberjack, bonito, scallops, and I’m always a sucker for some toro – fatty tuna.
As for dessert, this matcha-dark chocolate creation was a strong finish.
Ten courses in total and a very satisfying meal. It’s worth the stop when in São Paulo.
