Manu

“I was raised in the countryside among goats, cows, and vegetable gardens; I learned to value land, animals, and everything they offer when treated with affection. We focus more on small producers because they will be the future of food. I developed a fishing community that became a cooperative, and through urban gardens, we try to develop products together with each community that we work with.”

Manu has changed a lot. Since opening in 2011 as an elegant address in Curitiba city (400 kilometers south of São Paulo’s gastronomic centre), it now has a more casual atmosphere and is less expensive. True to her beliefs, Chef Manu Buffara works closely with producers to provide ingredients that are better for taste and for the soul.

Although made with modern skills and techniques (she worked with chefs such as René Redzepi and Grant Achatz), her daily sophisticated tasting menus always bring deep, local flavors from regional small producers. Expect to find wild seafood from a fishing community along with vegetables from dozens of urban gardens that Buffara helped to organize.

“Restaurant Manu is an intimate spot with a dozen tables​ and a constantly evolving menu that emphasizes local ingredients with creative flair.”

Fodor’s Travel