Posto do Açaí
R. Vergueiro, 1694 (R. Estela)
São Paulo, SP 04102-000
Only in Brazil, right? While we previously rated our favorite açaí spots in Salvador, açaí bowls are extremely popular all across Brazil. São Paulo, of course, is no exception, and as usual we were excited to find a relatively crowded local açaí watering hole only a block from where we were staying in Sampa. Normally, we would usually give little credence to a restaurant in a gas station – technically sandwiched in between two gas stations – but that is exactly where we found Posto do Açaí. Our first time through was by accident – just stopping under their roof to get out of the all-too-typical Sampa drizzle – and we were initially baffled by the Brazilian jiu-jitsu paraphernalia on the walls. Turns out it’s a chain, and they sponsor a series of Brazilian martial arts groups. But, even better for us, we found Posto do Açaí to be surprisingly decent açaí in the heart of São Paulo.
The menu, similar to most açaí joints, contains no real surprises: açaí na tigela with various toppings; juices; and juice milkshakes (batidas). However, points to the Posto for offering an interesting twist, presumably descended from São Paulo’s rich history of Italian immigration: a wide variety of Italian flavor syrups to add to any açaí bowl or drink (for a surcharge of R$2). We sampled the Sicilian orange and lime beaten into a bowl, topped with granola, and felt it was on par with some of our favorite places in Salvador, especially given the extra exotic fruit. We also sampled one of their range of Italian sodas – not bad for a gas station joint!
Eating The World 