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In the middle of Mercado da Vila, in Cascais, there is a Brazilian spot that has found a new home: Pizza do Gagau. Created by Edgar Dieckmann (known as Gagau) in Rio de Janeiro six years ago, it began as a project selling frozen pizzas with thin, crispy bases, designed to combine quality, flavour and practicality. “We brought the formula that people in Rio like in a pizza: lighter, with a thin and crispy base,” the founder told Time Out Cascais. “But from the beginning it was important to listen to the Portuguese public and respect local tastes. Our pizzas end up being a meeting point between these cultures,” he adds.
Gagau had already been making pizza for many years in Brazil and, during the pandemic, began selling frozen versions. In March 2023 he decided to cross the ocean to Portugal with the aim of introducing the project to a new market. After arriving, he worked in hospitality and started building contacts. The turning point came when he met a couple who loved the project. “We started doing events at their house.”
The model grew organically. Alongside the events, they began producing and selling vacuum-packed frozen pizzas. The next step was a natural one: finding a permanent space.
After analysing several locations in Cascais and Parede, an opportunity appeared at Mercado da Vila with the arrival of a new investor partner, André Gustavo. The shop opened in November 2025 in the terrace area, benefiting from the market’s shared social space and the movement generated by the market stalls.
But what sets this pizzeria apart in a municipality where Italian options are plentiful? “Nowadays everyone is making Neapolitan pizza, with thicker dough. My pizza is thin, crispy and light. It’s the kind of pizza you can have with a beer, chat with friends and feel relaxed – you don’t feel too full.” The dough is made with 00 flour and fermented for 24 hours. The bases are pre-baked – “more in the style of Roman pizza” – which guarantees crispiness when finished.
On the menu, classic options sit alongside flavours with a Brazilian accent. The margherita (€11) and pepperoni (€12) are among the most popular, especially in a space that attracts many tourists and families. The house version leans more towards the Brazilian side and includes fresh cherry tomatoes. Among the flavours that speak directly to the Brazilian community are calabresa with onion (€13) and chicken with catupiry (€14), a well-known Brazilian brand of creamy cheese. There are also variations such as catuperoni (€14), which combines catupiry and pepperoni, as well as vegan options like mushroom (€12) and courgette (€11).
Among the house creations, the Sweet Diávola (€14) stands out, combining sausage, gorgonzola, red onion and a touch of sweet chilli. If you prefer something sweet, there is also a Nutella pizza (€14).
More than simply selling pizzas, Gagau wants to recreate the spirit of the gatherings that gave rise to the project. “We want to create an extension of the events that used to happen at home – a space where friends and families can come together.”
R. Padre Moisés da Silva, 1 (Cascais). Wed–Sun 12.00–21.00