Café Brasil

When you walk into Café Brasil, chances are you’ll see Fatima proudly running the kitchen of her 30-year-old restaurant. For generations, Brazilian families have found a slice of home in her food at Café Brasil. Whether it’s the restaurant’s all-day breakfast or delicious feijoada, Fatima ensures that everything is as freshly homemade as possible. Late mornings at Café Brasil usually involve scrambled eggs with collard greens, fried plantains, pão de queijo, and freshly squeezed passion fruit juice.

If you’re coming for lunch, expect some great pasteis, which are fried empanadas stuffed with ground beef, cheese, or hearts of palm. These crispy pockets pair well with a glass of freshly squeezed sugar cane juice or a plate of steaming feijoada for a big afternoon meal. What makes Café Brasil so special is the significance it holds for Brazilians either passing through LA or who now call it home. It’s a spot to enjoy a Guarana soda and a small bite, watch a soccer match, or meet up with friends for a strong cafézinho.

photo credit: Andrea D'Agosto

Food Rundown

photo credit: Andrea D'Agosto

Feijoada

This stew comes full of wonderfully salty pork that’s super flavorful without being overpowering and goes great with the sides of rice, farofa, and garlicky collard greens. The orange slices also add a nice sweetness as you eat your way through this very hearty plate of food.

Empadinha

Mini savory pies come filled with either shredded chicken or a creamy hearts of palm mixture, which are both really tasty. While these empadinhas are plenty flakey, they’re also a bit dense, so you might get some crust stuck to the roof of your mouth or need a drink to wash it all down.

Pasteis

These fried and puffed-up empanadas come in a handful of delicious variations, but our favorite is the mixto with ground beef and cheese that oozes out once you bite in. You might be disappointed by how much air you’ll find inside, but we kinda like how light these bites are.

Scrambled Egg Breakfast

We appreciate a good morning spread, and this plate certainly delivers. There’s a lot going on here, from the scrambled eggs with peppery collard greens to the sweet fried plantains and chewy pão de queijo on the side. Also, the coffee is ultra-strong, but gets mellowed out with a swirl of fresh cinnamon sticks.