Brazilian pizzeria to open in Winter Garden

A top-50 pizzeria in Latin America is making its way to Winter Garden. 

SEO Basilico based in São Paulo, Brazil, is expanding internationally, bringing Neapolitan-style pizzas and an intimate dining experience to local residents. 

Owners Juliana and Leandro Marcondes have lived in Winter Garden for five years and wanted to bring their passion — pizza — to the place that welcomed them with open arms. 

The Marcondeses previously owned two franchises in Brazil for more than 17 years. Although those businesses weren’t pizzerias, their love for the craft remained. 

“We have always been passionate about pizza,” Juliana Marcondes said. “We started learning how to make it at home for friends and family, and over time, it became more serious.” 

The couple said positive feedback from friends and family encouraged them to keep refining their skills. 

“It’s pure passion,” Juliana Marcondes said. “I grew up in a family that made pizza every week. My mom made dough; my uncle came over on Saturdays and made pizza, too. It became something emotional for me. Over time, we kept learning — reading, watching videos, traveling, tasting different pizzas, comparing flavors. Every trip included visits to pizzerias.” 

After moving to Winter Garden, they knew they wanted to open a pizzeria but faced challenges finding a location and navigating the process of starting a business in a new country. 

In the meantime, they reached out to pizzerias in Brazil, hoping to create a partnership to bring a brand to the United States. 

Once they connected with SEO Basilico, they instantly knew it was the right fit. 

“We hadn’t visited in person yet, but what drew us in was how artisanal everything is,” they said. “They work only with small producers and very high-quality ingredients. You can see the care they put into every pizza, and that’s exactly what we always dreamed of doing. Everything just aligned.” 

With Italy-sourced ingredients, SEO Basilico aims to bring a new flavor profile and atmosphere to the community. 

“We don’t want to be just another pizza place — you can find pizza,” Leandro Marcondes said. “We want to offer an experience. We want people to feel welcomed, to feel something emotional when they eat the pizza—the care, the flavor, the Italian sauce and flour.” 

The pizzeria will offer 12-inch pizzas made completely in-house — from dough and sauce to preparation and baking. 

Beyond pizza, SEO Basilico also will offer sandwiches made on pizza dough, salads, appetizers and potentially pastas dishes. Desserts will feature tiramisu, sweet pizzas and more. 

“What makes us different is the combination of quality ingredients, careful preparation and attention to detail,” Leandro Marcondes said. “Everything is made fresh — nothing is rushed or pre-prepared in a generic way. We respect all styles of pizza, but we want to offer something truly special — something that people won’t compare to fast-food chains, but instead see as a unique, high-quality experience.”

The Marcondeses want guests to linger — enjoy the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere in no rush. 

Guests will be able to watch their pizzas being made right in front of them, adding to the intimate atmosphere. 

“We want the presentation to feel unique—not just the same as everywhere else,” Juliana Marcondes said. “We respect all styles of pizza — New York style, big chains — but what we want is to offer something different. You can’t compare it to something like Pizza Hut or Domino’s. It’s a completely different product. We work with lighter cheeses, higher-quality ingredients — it’s just another level.”

The restaurant now is in its final stages of construction, with owners purchasing furniture, designing uniforms and sourcing ingredients. They hope to open to the public in late May or early June. 

“This means a lot to us,” Juliana Marcondes said. “We’re already getting great feedback, especially from people connected to the Mooca neighborhood in São Paulo, where the original pizzeria is located. There’s a strong sense of community there, and people are excited to see those flavors brought here. We’re putting a lot of care into every detail — uniforms, plates, décor — everything. We hope this will be the first of many locations.” 

In the coming years, the couple hopes to open new locations, focusing on customer experience and relationships rather than profit. 

“We want to focus on community-based locations, not just tourist areas,” Juliana Marcondes said. “Building relationships with customers is very important to us.” 

The Marcondeses said they’re putting their hearts into this project to create a welcoming environment and serve high-quality food to the community they now call home, excited for what the future awaits.