Paulistanos are reputed to be always in a hurry and on just about every block there's somewhere serving fast food . Lanchonetes do snacks and cheap, light meals and - in direct competition - so too do the likes of McDonalds and Pizza Hut. Claiming to have invented the traditional Bauru sandwich (made with roast beef, salad and melted cheese) is the Ponto Chic at Largo do Paissandu 27, Centro, while sandwich bars popular with a younger crowd include the Frevo, Rua Oscar Freire 603, Cerqueira César, the Companhia Paulista de Sanduíches at Rua Prof. Arthur Ramos 395, Jardim Europa, and The Bagel Factory, Rua Padre João Manoel 881, Jardim Europa. There are plenty of pizzerias , with the Margherita, at Alameda Tietê 255, Cerqueira César, the Marco Polo, Rua Franz Schubert 35, Jardim Europa, Castelões, Rua Jairo Góis 126, Brás (one of the most traditional pizza houses in the city), and the long-established Camelo, Rua Pamplona 1873, Jardins, all highly recommended.

Oddly, for a city built on immigrants and coffee, São Paulo has no café tradition. Coffee , though, is drunk endlessly in the form of cafézinhos (small cups of strong, black coffee). It's not usually lingered over, but if you want to take your time look out for one of the ever-increasing number of places with an espresso machine. Among several branches of Fran's Café in downtown São Paulo, the most popular is on the ground floor of the Edifício Itália just round the corner from Praça da República. Open 24 hours a day, it serves delicious canelinha - espresso with milk and cinnamon.

There are a few good tearooms , among which Jasmin at Rua Haddock Lobo 932 and La Baguette at Rua Haddock Lobo 1604 (both in Jardins) are especially inviting. At As Noviças, Rua Gaivota 1216, Moema (closed Mon), waitresses dressed as nuns serve teas against a background of religious music. For a splurge and to escape the city crowds and fumes, head out to the Fundação Maria Luiza e Oscar Americano, where superb English-style high teas are served.

Perhaps it's due to the Italian element in the population that you can find such good ice cream in São Paulo. La Basque at Alameda Lorena 1444, Cerqueira César, is always reliable, but for Italian-style ice cream and fruit sorbets at their absolute best try Gelatería d'Arte at Alameda Lorena 1784 or, almost as good, Gelatería Parmalat at Rua Oscar Freire 518, both in Jardim Paulista.