Restaurant in São Paulo, Brazil
Michelin-recognised Japanese without the tasting-menu commitment.
Kosushi holds Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025, making it one of the more consistently validated Japanese restaurants at the $$$ tier in São Paulo. Based in Itaim Bibi, it suits diners who want technically serious Japanese cooking without committing to a $$$$ omakase price point. Book one to two weeks ahead for weekends.
Seats at Kosushi move. The restaurant has held a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, and its Itaim Bibi address puts it squarely in the most competitive dining corridor in Brazil. If you are comparing Japanese restaurants at the $$$ price point in São Paulo, Kosushi belongs on the shortlist — but book ahead. This is not a walk-in venue on a Friday night.
At $$$, Kosushi sits in the middle tier of São Paulo's Japanese dining market: above the casual neighbourhood spots but below the top-end omakase counters that push into $$$$ territory. Two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) are a meaningful signal here. The Michelin Plate designation is awarded to restaurants serving food of good quality — it sits below the star tier but represents a positive Michelin recommendation, which in a city with São Paulo's depth of competition is not given lightly. A Google rating of 4.4 across 638 reviews adds a second data layer: that score, at that volume, suggests consistent execution rather than a single exceptional visit inflating the average.
For the value-focused diner, the question is whether $$$ Japanese in Itaim Bibi delivers meaningfully more than $$$ Japanese elsewhere in the city. The evidence points toward yes. The Michelin recognition two years running suggests the kitchen is not coasting. When you compare Kosushi against Jun Sakamoto, the other $$$ Japanese benchmark in São Paulo, you are choosing between two technically credentialled restaurants , the difference will come down to format preference and availability on your chosen date.
Kosushi's cuisine type is listed as Japanese, and within São Paulo's Japanese dining tier it sits alongside venues like Kinoshita, Kuro, KANOE, Huto, and Kan Suke. São Paulo has one of the largest Japanese diaspora communities outside Japan, which means local diners are not grading on a curve. The standard expected of Japanese cuisine here is high, and Michelin's repeat recognition indicates Kosushi is meeting that standard at the technical level.
Brazilian-Japanese cooking in São Paulo has its own identity , it is not the same as flying to Tokyo and eating at Myojaku or Azabu Kadowaki. Decades of Japanese-Brazilian culinary exchange have produced a distinct register, and Kosushi operates within that tradition. If you are chasing Tokyo-style precision above all else, that context matters. If you want technically accomplished Japanese food with the benefit of São Paulo's ingredient access and local culinary intelligence, Kosushi is a strong answer.
Kosushi is at R. Viradouro, 139 in Itaim Bibi, one of the city's most active dining neighbourhoods. Itaim Bibi is well served by rideshare, and parking in the area exists but is competitive on weekend evenings. Plan for rideshare or allow extra time if driving. Booking difficulty is rated moderate , not the hardest table in São Paulo to secure, but not a spontaneous dinner either. For weekend dining, book at least one to two weeks ahead. Midweek tables are easier to come by, and a Tuesday or Wednesday booking is the lower-friction option if your schedule is flexible. The most direct route to a reservation is through the restaurant directly; with no booking platform listed in the record, calling or emailing the venue is the reliable method.
São Paulo's climate is relatively stable year-round, but the city's restaurant rhythm favours the drier months from April through September for easier logistics. The wet season (October through March) brings afternoon and evening storms that can complicate movement around the city, particularly if you are relying on rideshare during peak demand. For an evening out in Itaim Bibi, a midweek dinner between May and August gives you the most comfortable conditions: drier weather, slightly less weekend-level competition for tables, and the neighbourhood at a manageable pace rather than a Friday-night peak.
Kosushi is the right choice if you want Michelin-recognised Japanese cooking at the $$$ tier without committing to a $$$$ tasting menu format. It works well for a business dinner, a date with some seriousness behind it, or a group of diners who know Japanese food and want a kitchen that has been externally validated two years running. It is less suited to very large groups or anyone who needs a casual, no-reservation fallback. If the occasion demands the highest available tier in São Paulo, venues at $$$$ with star-level recognition will deliver a different level of service formality , but at a materially higher price point. For most diners weighing quality against spend, Kosushi at $$$ with two Michelin Plates is a defensible choice.
For broader context on where Kosushi sits within the city's dining map, see our full São Paulo restaurants guide. If you are planning a full visit, our São Paulo hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of your itinerary. And if you are travelling more broadly around Brazil, strong dining options outside São Paulo include Oteque in Rio de Janeiro, Origem in Salvador, Birosca S2 in Belo Horizonte, Mina in Campos do Jordão, Orixás | North Restaurant in Itacaré, and State of Espírito Santo in Rio Bananal.
Itaim Bibi restaurants at the $$$ tier generally expect smart casual at minimum , no dress code is listed for Kosushi specifically, but the neighbourhood and price point suggest you should dress as you would for any serious dinner reservation. Clean, put-together attire is the safe call. Avoid beachwear or athletic wear.
Yes, with the right expectations. Two Michelin Plates and a $$$ price point put Kosushi in the serious-dinner category. It is a credible choice for a birthday, anniversary, or business dinner where you want external validation that the kitchen meets a consistent standard. If you need a grander, more formal occasion setting, a $$$$ venue like D.O.M. or Evvai will deliver more ceremony , but Kosushi offers Michelin recognition at a lower spend.
Tasting menu availability and pricing are not confirmed in the available data, so a direct verdict on format is not possible here. What is confirmed: Michelin Plate recognition two years running suggests the kitchen executes at a standard where a tasting format, if offered, is likely to be technically sound. Check directly with the restaurant for current menu options before booking.
At $$$, with two consecutive Michelin Plates and a 4.4 Google rating across 638 reviews, the price-to-quality signal is positive. You are paying for consistent, externally validated Japanese cooking in one of São Paulo's better dining neighbourhoods. For the same spend, Jun Sakamoto is the closest peer comparison. Both are credible; availability on your preferred date may be the deciding factor.
Bar seating availability is not confirmed in the available data. Japanese restaurants at this tier in São Paulo sometimes offer counter or bar seating , often the better seat in the house for watching the kitchen work , but you should confirm directly with Kosushi before assuming walk-in counter access is an option.
For Japanese at a similar price point, Jun Sakamoto is the most direct peer. For a step down in spend with strong Brazilian cooking, A Casa do Porco at $$ delivers one of the city's most talked-about dining experiences at a lower price. For $$$$ with a tasting menu and higher formality, Maní, D.O.M., or Evvai are the alternatives. Within the Japanese category specifically, Kinoshita and Kuro are also worth considering depending on format and availability.
Book ahead , this is not a spontaneous dinner. Kosushi is in Itaim Bibi, which is well connected by rideshare and easier to reach that way than by navigating São Paulo traffic independently. The venue holds Michelin Plate recognition, so the kitchen has been vetted externally, but first-timers should confirm current menu formats, hours, and reservation policy directly with the restaurant, as those details are not published in the available data.
Booking difficulty is rated moderate. One to two weeks ahead is the practical minimum for weekend tables; midweek reservations are more available and sometimes bookable with less lead time. If your dates are fixed, book as soon as they are confirmed. For São Paulo's Japanese dining tier with Michelin recognition, last-minute availability is not a safe assumption on Thursday through Saturday nights.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kosushi | Japanese | Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | Moderate | — |
| D.O.M. | Modern Brazilian, Creative | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Evvai | Contemporary Italian, Modern Cuisine | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Maní | Brazilian - International, Creative | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Jun Sakamoto | Sushi, Japanese | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| A Casa do Porco | Regional Brazilian, Brazilian | World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how Kosushi measures up.
Itaim Bibi's dining scene generally runs dressed-up casual to business casual. At the $$$ price point and with a Michelin Plate recognition two years running, arriving in clean, put-together clothes is the safe call. There is no documented formal dress code in the venue data, but underdressing in this neighbourhood tends to stand out.
Yes, with the right expectations. Kosushi's Michelin Plate status in both 2024 and 2025 gives it the credibility to anchor a celebration dinner, and its $$$ tier means you can spend on the meal without the four-figure bill of a top-end omakase. It works best for occasions where you want a serious kitchen without a locked-in tasting menu format.
Menu format details are not confirmed in the available venue data, so a direct verdict on a tasting menu is not possible here. What is documented is the $$$ price tier and two consecutive Michelin Plates, which position Kosushi as a mid-tier Japanese option rather than a full omakase-style commitment. Check current format directly with the restaurant before booking.
At $$$, Kosushi sits above casual Japanese in São Paulo but below the top-end omakase counters, and two consecutive Michelin Plates suggest the kitchen is operating consistently at that tier. If you want Michelin-recognised Japanese cooking without paying $$$$ prices, this is a defensible spend. For higher technical ambition, Jun Sakamoto is the comparison to make.
Bar or counter seating specifics are not confirmed in the venue data. Given the Itaim Bibi address and $$$ positioning, counter availability is plausible but unverified. check the venue's official channels before assuming walk-in counter access is an option.
For Japanese at a similar or adjacent tier, Jun Sakamoto is the benchmark name in São Paulo and sits above Kosushi in technical reputation. Kinoshita and Kuro operate in comparable territory. If you are open to a different cuisine at the $$$ to $$$$ range, Evvai and Maní both carry stronger editorial profiles for contemporary cooking.
Kosushi is at R. Viradouro, 139 in Itaim Bibi, one of São Paulo's most active dining neighbourhoods — rideshare is the practical way in. It holds a Michelin Plate for 2024 and 2025, so the kitchen clears a documented quality threshold. Come with a sense of what format you want; this is not a budget meal, and knowing whether you prefer à la carte or a set format will help you order well.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
