Mata Citta
Located in the Rosewood Hotel, Mata Citta is a massive Italian restaurant specializing in classic Italian cuisines, including pizza, pastas, and grilled dishes. I was told the layout of this area is actually composed of a multitude of different restaurants. Each room has a unique Italian themed decor. We were seated in what appeared to be the library. We arrived here without reservations, and there was a wait to get in. There were multiple lines, and in Sao Paulo, there’s a law that they need to accommodate elderly sooner than later. We had my partner’s parent in the group, so we were able to get in within 10-15 minutes.
Ambiance & Service
Each room had plenty of diners, and they were all dressed in a trendy fashion. It was strange to see so many people on a weekday out and about. There were a lot of girl dates, couple dates, and group dates all happening at the same time. Each room had different decors, including an outdoor glass covered patio, a library (the one we were seated in), a bar, etc. Many women were taking selfies of themselves in each of the rooms because there were also mirrors all over.
The service was extremely prompt in serving food, and you also didn’t feel rushed to get out.
Food
The Carpaccio Di Manzo (R$65) came with thin slices of meat, classic mustard sauce, arugula, and pecorino. This tasted pretty good. The carpaccio meat was fresh, and with all the condiments, it was quite tasty.
The bottle of Tenute Ornellaia Le Volte Dell’Ornellaia 2023 (R$539) came from Italy, Bolgheri, Toscana. This had 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. It had very nice luscious blueberry and blackberry aromas. The flavor of this wine was very nice and balanced in both acidity and tannins. It was definitely a medium body wine, and I was lucky to have pick this one for our early dinner.
They provided Bread non-stop. It was pretty good, and it could be used to soak up whatever sauce you’d want.
The A Sua Moda (R$60) came with artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, pepper paste, and eggplant. As condiments for the bread, this was OK.
The Mista (R$180) came with a medley of things including parma ham, salami, mortadella with pistachio, Grana Padano, goat cheese, taleggio cheese, and tulha cheese. With any cheese and charcuterie platter, this was all pretty good and tasted how it looks.
The Lasagna Della Mata (R$68) came with housemade bolognese and parmesan cream. This lasagna is similar to those pinwheel lasagnas. I was not a fan of the excess cream sauce, and I wish there was more lasagna pasta. Flavor wise, it tasted OK, but texturally it was just too sauced with cream.
The Salmon Arrosto (R$128) came with tomatoes, olives, capers, herbs, and rice. The salmon was insanely oversalted, and for me, it was difficult to eat. The salmon was actually dry and overcooked.
The Carbonara (R$55) came with spaghetti, guanciale, egg yolk, black pepper, and pecorino cheese. For some reason, the carbonara in 2 Italian restaurants, including this one, comes out bland. Maybe the chefs don’t know how to season this, but it’s just very forgettable.
The Semifreddo al Pistacchio (R$52) was a pistachio semifreddo with pistachio cake, raspberry gel, and tuile. This was a very pistachio forward dessert. Whatever you bit, there was pistachio. Other than that, the sweetness was not too sweet and was balanced.
Overall Impression
Mata Citta overall was just an OK Italian restaurant. The food was very forgettable, and compared to other Italian places in New York, it’s just not as good. For the locals there in Sao Paulo, I’m sure it’s received decent approvals.
Yelp & Google Jabs
Overall, everything was fine except for the excessive wait time. The service and experience were otherwise good. However, it’s hard to understand how, in 2026, it’s still not possible to make an online reservation. That really needs to be updated.
We were lucky we didn’t have to wait since we came on a weekday, but I definitely would be upset if I had to wait for this restaurant. It’s decent, but not 90 minute-wait good.
An incredible experience, and I think a special category should be created for places like this, like five stars with excellence
Apparently in social media, many influencers are creating awareness of the restaurant, which is creating a huge buzz for others. However, the one thing that continues to be discussed is that people with any palette for Italian food find that the food does not match the buzz. I think if you wanted to try this restaurant out and didn’t need to wait for more than 30 minutes, then it wouldn’t hurt to wait it out. However aside from the ambiance, I thought the food was very forgettable unfortunately.
Revisions
- Mar 9, 2026 - Initial revision.