São Mateus is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo.

It is the second oldest and seventh most populous municipality in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil.

Originally, it was called Povoado do Cricaré, being renamed in the year 1566 by Father José de Anchieta after Saint Matthew.

The large influx of slaves arriving at the Americas by the São Mateus' port explains why today the municipality is considered to have the biggest Afro-descendant population of the state.

There were also italian immigrants arriving at the area, these ones being responsible for colonizing part of the backcountry of the municipality.