Tucked inside a Plano strip mall sits a discreet, albeit delicious establishment that needs to be on your radar. Kiosk Brazil, a small family-run grocery store owned by Wilson De Souza and his wife Marta Teixeira, is a “mini-Brazil” in the heart of Plano.
“We wanted to open a Brazilian food shop because we felt the lack of Brazilian products available in one simple location,” Marta said. They dreamed of a store where “Brazilians could find all of their basic grocery needs.”
Since July 2012, Kiosk Brazil has been providing the North Texas community with a one-stop shop for Brazilian grocery staples that are difficult to find anywhere else. A visit to Kiosk Brazil transports you to another location, far removed from the suburban hustle of Plano — a steady stream of patrons flows in and out of the store and the hum of Portuguese hangs in the air.
The ceiling is bedecked with yellow, green and blue Brazilian flags. Soccer jerseys line the small aisles of dry goods, and frozen treasures of Amazon fruits, meats and desserts fill the freezers. Cases of Guarana, the treasured Brazilian soda, are scattered about, beckoning to be consumed. A painted tribute to Christ the Redeemer, the iconic Rio de Janeiro Art Deco statue, floats next to the case filled with Brazilian cheeses and desserts.
What stands out at Kiosk Brazil is not just the selection of traditional foods and elements of Brazil. It is also the tables and chairs centered in the store and the friendly faces behind the counter. The owners don’t want you to just shop. They want you to sit and enjoy the food and talk, as if you were in Brazil.
A small menu offers a selection of Brazilian bites to enjoy in house––chicken coxinna, acai bowls, empada and esfina, to name a few. Nothing disappoints. Give your order to Marta or her daughters, Bruna or Bianca. They will warm it up in the toaster oven and serve it with genuine hospitality.
It’s not just the Plano community that Kiosk Brazil reaches. “Our patrons come from all over the Dallas Metroplex, mostly because the Brazilian community is very spread out,” explained Marta. The De Souza family has called the Dallas area home for 17 years, and has been able to successfully transport elements of home in Sao Paulo to Plano with this unique store. “The majority of our patrons are Brazilians or of South American descent, however we do have a good amount of American patrons as well,” said Marta.
Don’t let the goodies of Kiosk Brazil stay at the store. With the upcoming Rio Olympics, Kiosk Brazil can bring the flavors of Brazil to your own kitchen. “Some of the foods that would be good to enjoy during the Olympic games would be the pao de queijo (cheese bread), the party size coxinhas, esfihas and kibes,” Marta explained. “As well as the popular Brazilian soda, Guarana.”
Kiosk Brazil is a standout in Plano’s treasury of eateries. So shop for a summer party, support a local business and enjoy genuine Brazilian cuisine.
A guide to some of the Brazilian bites available at Kiosk Brazil:
acai bowl (ah-sah-ee) – acai frozen pulp, oatmeal and fruit
BIS – candy bar filled with layers of wafers covered in milk chocolate
catupiry (ca-too-pi-REE) – soft spreadable cheese
chicken coxinha (koh-SHEEN-yah) – shredded chicken and cheese, coated in a batter and fried
empada (em-PAH-dah) – chicken or heart of palm pie
esfiha (ess-FEE-ha) – baked puff pastry with chicken or beef
Guarana (GWAR-ah-na) – guarana (an Amazon plant) flavored soft drink
Kibe (kee-bee) – bulgar wheat and meat puff pastry
pao de queijo (pow de KAY-zhoo) – cheese bread
Kiosk Brazil Website >[codepeople-post-map]
Great article Rebecca. I’m originally from Brazil and I just moved from NY (where’s easy to find food from all over the world) to Plano. I was happy and pleased to find Kiosk Brazil! Great food, great prices, great atmosphere.