10 Things I love about São Paulo

With Brazilian and Italian roots, Rafael Cagali, chef-owner of east London's Da Terra, showcases both cuisines on his menus - but here shares his highlights of his home city

- By Rafael Cagali

Rafael Cagali grew up in São Paulo, and his heritage and passion for Brazilian culture helps to guide his creative vision at two-Michelin-starred Da Terra in east London. He spent years living in both Italy - where he worked with Stefano Baiocco at A Villa Feltrinelli - and Spain, where he worked with Quique Dacosta and Martín Berasategui, before moving to the UK to work at Simon Rogan's Fera and Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck. At the latter, he met his husband Charlie, who he opened Da Terra with. São Paulo, however, will always be Rafael's home.

1 Churrascaria

Churrasco is the term for a barbecue that originated in southern Brazil. It's made with a variety of meats - pork, sausage and chicken - that are cooked on a purposebuilt churrasqueira (barbecue grill), often with supports for spits or skewers and cooked over embers. NB Steak is a great place to go, and there are a few locations around São Paulo.

2 Padarias

These bakeries are everywhere in the city, and bread is baked twice a day, seven days a week. Breakfast is a very Paulistano thing to do, and we are very passionate about our bread. Order pão na chapa - a piece of french bread that's cut in half, toasted and spread with butter - with some café com leite (coffee with milk) and freshly squeezed orange juice. You shouldn't leave São Paulo without trying pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), either. It's made with tapioca flour instead of wheat, giving it a soft, chewy texture.

3 Mercadão