Zena Caffè, in São Paulo's Jardins district: great neighbourhood Italian

By Alexandra Forbes

There's nothing fancy or pretentious about Zena Caffè, owned by chef Carlos Bertolazzi.
But sometimes that's just what the doctor ordered: a casual meal, well-executed.

And the place is charming, with plenty of tables on a leafy terrasse, which also doesn't hurt...

The food is Italian and the best thing on the menu is this thin, crackly focaccia bread stuffed with gooey stracchino cheese:







Nice, classic carpaccio:





The gnocchi is the chef's pride and comes with a cheesy foam on top:








Trenette with pesto, also nice:




Even the burger is Italianized... served on focaccia bread!





Silky pannacotta:




Chocolate mousse laced with rosemary and olive oil:







All in all, a nice dinner in a charming ambiance!






Zena Caffè: Rua Peixoto Gomide, 1.901, São Paulo, Tel: 3081-2158