Still buzzing as the restaurant of the moment, Beato strikes a careful balance between hip design, good food and that rare-to-find bonus of reasonable prices. Opened on an increasingly gourmet end of Rua dos Pinheiros, this former car mechanic’s has undergone a radical facelift to become a cool, colourful spot. 

It’s in the details, though, that those of a curious disposition will delight. From the grass growing on the ceiling upstairs and the wooden barrel lampshade, to the seats fashioned out of tree trunks and fruit crates, and – most curious of all – the super-sized white chairs, it’s an odd hybrid of furniture showroom and Alice in Wonderland fantasy world. 

The food isn’t as creatively ambitious as the décor, with a simple, unfussy menu peppered with the odd attention-grabbing dish. We ordered the prime rib (R$45) – pork rib with a generous amount of tender meat attached, served with a rosemary risotto. The tagliarini ao limone with crunchy Parma ham (R$39) was perfectly al dente and not overly lemony, though the promised ham was mostly notable by its absence. 

On the lighter side, the Beato salad (R$29) – a dainty dish of leaves, Parma ham, grilled pupunha (palm fruit), meaty eryngui mushrooms and Parmesan shavings – was pleasant but more of a significant starter than a main course. All in all, these are tasty dishes that look gorgeous (of the carefully-balanced-chive school of presentation), but whose bijou portion sizes may leave big appetites unsated. And with desserts disproportionately pricey, costing up to R$20, you’d be well advised to load up on the couvert of breads and olive oil (R$6) first.