His career started in his mother’s kitchen, aged seven and has seen him clock up stints at an esteemed flock of local and international restaurants from Brazil’s Maní to Mugaritz in Spain. Now, chef Ivan Ralston has finally taken the plunge and gone solo with a new dining room that celebrates his combined passion for contemporary cuisine and locally sourced ingredients- in this case from just upstairs. Comprising its own rooftop greenhouse, which produces a fair portion of the herbs and vegetables found in the restaurant’s dishes, Tuju gives new credence to the concept of farm-to-table dining, and offers a succinct and playful menu that blends traditional Brazilian dishes with global flavours. Located in Vila Madalena, the boho-chic neighbourhood in western São Paulo, the restaurant has been designed by local architects Vapor 324, who have created an industrial yet warm space with a contemporary edge. Highlights include custom-designed lighting fixtures by São Paulo-based firm NeuteChvaicer and modern artwork by Marilá Dardot. Outside, a mural of the restaurant’s namesake by artist Deco Farkas looms large; the native bird is nocturnal, making it a cheeky backdrop for the buzzing outdoor lounge area. Here, try The Last Word- a gin tipple infused with lemon, green chartreuse and maraschino.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
Rua Fradique Coutinho 1248
São Paulo
Brazil
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 showsThe Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to knowDesigning the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spotHeritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the worldCelebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
-
Brazilian island hotel Auka Boipeba offers a unique approach to the alfresco experienceDesigned by architecture studio FGMF, Auka Boipeba describes itself as an inn, though it’s certainly unlike any inn we’ve ever been to
-
Tune into the rhythm of São Paulo at the Arthur Casas-designed Pulso HotelHoused within a dramatic tower designed by Brazilian architect Arthur Casas, Pulso Hotel is where art, gastronomy and luxury hospitality revel
-
Soho House’s beloved home-from-home concept lands in fun-loving, hard-working São PauloSoho House São Paulo is the brand's first foothold in South America, occupying a historic corner of the Brazil mega-metropolis
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico -
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland -
Tattersalls Hotel — Armidale, Australia -
KLoé Hotel — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
