Tordesilhas

What Tordesilhas does

Tordesilhas is an artisanal Brazilian restaurant founded in 1990 by chef Mara Salles, her sister Zélia, and their mother Dona Dega in São Paulo's upscale Jardins neighborhood. The establishment operates a single dine-in location at Alameda Tietê, 489, with a 9-person team, and is dedicated to the research, refinement, and presentation of Brazilian regional cuisine drawn from the country's diverse biomes. Mara Salles is widely regarded as one of the leading protagonists of the Brazilian gastronomy movement over the past 30 years, and the restaurant has been recognized 10 times as the best Brazilian cuisine restaurant of São Paulo by the Guia Comer e Beber of Veja São Paulo. The target customer is food enthusiasts and culinary tourists seeking an elevated, culturally rooted experience of Brazilian national cuisine, supplemented by São Paulo residents using the takeaway and delivery offerings.

The business runs three primary revenue streams: dine-in service in the salão (dining room) under per-item pricing; phone-based takeout orders with a 5% discount; and delivery via the iFood marketplace, launched in 2020 under the Tordesilhas em Casa sub-brand. The menu is structured around shareable appetizers, weekly lunch specials (e.g., PF Nordestino, Bife à Dona Dega, PF Caiçara), traditional national dishes (Bobó de Camarão, Moqueca Capixaba, Barreado, Baião de dois), a Saturday-only Feijoada Completa, vegetarian options, and family-size desserts available only by 24-hour advance order. The beverage program is a distinct asset: an extensive cachaça collection sourced from multiple Brazilian regions, an independent curated wine list, and cocktails including the signature caipirinha. Distribution is geographically limited to São Paulo, with reservations handled by phone, TagMe, and La Fourchette.

The underlying technology is minimal and deliberately non-platform oriented. There is no proprietary mobile app, no AI/ML component, and no data infrastructure of note; the digital footprint consists of a Squarespace website, marketplace integrations, and Chef Mara Salles' Spotify podcast and Instagram presence. The business model is experience-driven and revenue mechanics are fundamentally physical: covers per service night and average check, augmented by delivery commission economics on iFood. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the restaurant operates as a privately held, independent establishment with no disclosed parent company, venture capital, or institutional investment.

Name

Tordesilhas

Legal name

Tordesilhas

Website

https://tordesilhas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tordesilhas is a São Paulo-based fine dining restaurant founded in 1990 by chef Mara Salles, specializing in refined Brazilian regional cuisine. The single-location establishment serves food enthusiasts and São Paulo residents through dine-in, takeout, and iFood delivery, anchored by a curated cachaça and wine program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Service: Traditional restaurant service in the dining room (Salão) with full menu of Brazilian regional cuisine, including traditional dishes, cachaça selection, cocktails, and wine list.
2. Delivery via iFood: Delivery service through iFood marketplace platform for Brazilian comfort food andafeto (comfort and affection) prepared with the same quality and delicacy as the restaurant.
3. Takeout/Phone Orders: Customers can call to place orders for pickup at the restaurant, with 5% discount for takeout orders.
4. Family-size Desserts on Order: Full family-size desserts (Cocada de Tabuleiro, Pudim de Tapioca) available only by advance order with 24 hours notice.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tordesilhas is a chef-driven, single-location Brazilian regional cuisine restaurant in São Paulo's Jardins neighborhood serving refined classic Brazilian dishes (Bobó de Camarão, Moqueca Capixaba, Barreado, Feijoada, weekly PFs) with an extensive cachaça selection, curated wine list, and cocktails. It complements the dine-in experience with a delivery and takeout service (Tordesilhas em Casa) available by phone or via iFood. Reservations are handled through the restaurant directly and through TagMe/La Fourchette.

Product overview

Tordesilhas is an artisanal Brazilian restaurant founded in 1990 by Chef Mara Salles in São Paulo. The restaurant operates as a unified dining experience focused on Brazilian regional cuisine, with its core offering being the dine-in restaurant service featuring seasonal menus and traditional dishes. The product portfolio includes the main restaurant, the Tordesilhas em Casa delivery/takeout service, various specialized menus (food, delivery, cachaças, cocktails, wines), and Mara Salles' podcast. The offerings are interconnected through the restaurant's commitment to Brazilian culinary traditions and Chef Mara Salles' philosophy of showcasing Brazil's diverse food heritage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tordesilhas em Casa: A delivery and takeaway service launched in 2020, offering Brazilian comfort food with the same quality and delicacy as the restaurant, available via phone order or iFood.

Products and services

• Tordesilhas Restaurant (Dine-in) A fine dining Brazilian restaurant specializing in regional Brazilian cuisine from various biomes, offering a journey through Brazil's culinary traditions with classic dishes (Bobó de Camarão, Moqueca Capixaba, Barreado, Baião de dois, Feijoada) refined and elevated by Chef Mara Salles, plus an extensive cachaça selection, cocktails, and a curated wine list.
• Tordesilhas em Casa Delivery and takeout service offering the same Brazilian comfort food from the restaurant, available via phone order for pickup (with a 5% discount) or through the iFood delivery marketplace for São Paulo residents.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• KLM Royal Dutch AirlinesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Tordesilhas and Chef Mara Salles were invited by KLM to create an in-flight menu for the airline's flights for two months. Passengers from various nationalities tasted classic Brazilian dishes including Bobó de Camarão, Moqueca, and Carne Seca at 30,000 feet.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Lasai: One-Michelin-star contemporary Brazilian restaurant in Rio de Janeiro led by chef Rafael Costa e Silva. Comparable as a chef-driven, regionally rooted Brazilian fine-dining venue with a similar craft-ingredient narrative and tasting-menu format.
• Mocotó: Iconic São Paulo restaurant specializing in Northeastern Brazilian comfort food, founded by chef Rodrigo Oliveira. Comparable to Tordesilhas as a long-running, chef-driven São Paulo restaurant that champions a specific regional Brazilian cuisine identity.
• D.O.M. Two-Michelin-star fine dining restaurant in São Paulo led by chef Alex Atala, focused on Brazilian ingredients and Amazonian gastronomy. Directly comparable to Tordesilhas as a flagship São Paulo destination defining modern Brazilian regional cuisine at the highest price point.
• Casa do Porco: São Paulo chef-led restaurant focused on pork-centric Brazilian cuisine, recognized on The World's 50 Best Restaurants lists. Comparable as a contemporary São Paulo destination elevating a specific Brazilian culinary tradition with a strong chef brand.
• Oro: Two-Michelin-star contemporary Brazilian restaurant in Rio de Janeiro led by chef Felipe Bronze, focused on Brazilian ingredients and innovative technique. Comparable as a chef-driven Brazilian fine-dining venue with national media visibility and a tasting-menu format.
• Roberta Sudbrack: Chef-led Brazilian contemporary restaurant in Rio de Janeiro with a Michelin Green Star, focused on regional ingredients and seasonality. Comparable as a chef-driven Brazilian fine-dining venue emphasizing terroir and Brazilian producers.
• Maní: São Paulo contemporary Brazilian restaurant led by chef Helena Rizzo, blending regional Brazilian techniques with international fine-dining execution. Comparable as a São Paulo-based, chef-led Brazilian cuisine restaurant targeting culinary enthusiasts and a similar premium clientele.

Broad incumbents

• Fasano: Long-established São Paulo restaurant group (and broader hospitality brand) offering Italian-leaning fine dining alongside hotels and catering. Comparable as a São Paulo premium dining institution but operating as a broader hospitality portfolio rather than a single chef-led venue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/marasallestordesilhas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tordesilhas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tordesilhas