If you’re a true carnivore then you MUST try out a very special kind of steakhouse called a Brazilian “churrascaria”. We actually have two of these type of steakhouses in Center City Philadelphia. Founded in Southern Brazil in 1979, Fogo De Chão, a leading Brazilian steakhouse, expanded into the United States in 1997. Today they have 51 restaurants throughout Brazil, the United States, Mexico, and the Middle East. This steakhouse specializes in fire-roasting high-quality meats utilizing the centuries-old Southern Brazilian cooking technique of “churrasco”, Spanish for roasting and grilling decadent meats over a blazing, open fire.
The restaurant name, Fogo de Chão, actually means campfire or fire on the ground. The serving style is espeto corrido, or “continuous service”, with several meat selections carved table-side according to your liking and temperature. Located inside the historic Caldwell’s Jewelry Building. The interior of the building was originally designed by famed Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer features French-cut chandeliers and 20 foot ceilings. There is also another location recently opened in King of Prussia’s Town Center.
Now for a limited time, guests have the option to add a decadent, shareable Dry Aged Tomahawk Ribeye to any dinner experience or they can indulge in premium seafood appetizers including Chilled Lobster and Cocktail Shrimp. This 32oz Tomahawk Ribeye is dry aged for a minimum of 42 days for an even richer flavor and served with homemade chimicurri sauce to enhance any Fogo dining experience. Plus a recent partnership between Fogo and Coravin will also allow guests to regularly taste and select high-end wines from the new Reserve Wine List without the need to commit to the whole bottle.
“Since Fogo was founded about 40 years ago, we have been leaders in offering premium aged meats to ensure guests have access to the best Brazil has to offer as part of our authentic Churrasco experience,” said Larry Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Fogo de Chão. “Each guest experience is uniquely tailored to individual preferences. Now guests can celebrate the season with a premium Dry Aged Tomahawk Ribeye, perfect for groups, family holidays, or parties that are prime sharing occasions.”
The full “Fogo Churrasco Experience” is a pre-fixe menu which includes continual service of our fire-roasted meats carved table-side by Brazilian trained gaucho chefs, including house specialties like Picanha (signature sirloin), Filet Mignon, Ribeye, Fraldinha (Brazilian sirloin) Cordeiro (lamb) and more.
As a complement to the variety of protein options, guests can also enjoy the gourmet Market Table and Feijoada Bar, which includes seasonal salads, soup, fresh vegetables, feijoada (traditional black bean stew with rice, fresh orange and yuca flour) and authentic Brazilian side dishes. Southern Brazilian side dishes such as pão de queijo (warm cheese bread), crispy hot polenta, and caramelized bananas are served family style. Guests can enjoy as much as they’d like for a fixed price.
With the many selections included in the Market Table, guests can even choose to go lighter with the “Market Table Only” option. You will have no problem filling up on the array of cheeses like fresh mozzarella, aged manchego and two-year aged Parmesan alongside imported cured meats and tangy sun-dried tomatoes. We loved the signature Chicken Salad, a classic mix of roasted chicken, Brazilian seasoning, mayonnaise, celery, onion, raisins and parsley. Or the freshly cut and prepared vegetables featuring a spread of shiitake mushrooms, green beans, zucchini, baby potatoes, cherry peppers, baked garlic, green and black olives, beets, broccoli, bell peppers, tomatoes, jumbo asparagus and more.
Fogo’s new Reserve Wine List provides guests with the opportunity to explore iconic wines at affordable price points and sample selections in three or six oz. pours to complement any meal. The list features premier wines from South and North America which pair exceptionally well with the brand’s fire-roasted meats. We loved the Don Melchor, Stag’s Leap, and Silver Oak selections. Fogo is the first restaurant in the United States to introduce guests to two varietals from esteemed Chilean winery, VIK. The Milla Calla and VIK red blends are available to taste as part of the Reserve Wine List or purchase by the bottle.
If you’ve always got room for dessert, like we do, why not try some of their decadent options like Molten Chocolate Lava Cake with a warm, inviting chocolate cake with a melting fudge center accompanied by a generous scoop of delicious vanilla ice cream. They also offer Strawberry Cream made from fresh strawberries blended into strawberry ice cream, topped with crème de cassis or Payaya Cream, by far the most popular dessert in both Brazil and the United States, fresh papaya is blended with vanilla ice cream and topped with a black currant liqueur.
So why not stop by Fogo de Chão and let yourself experiencean evening filled with all the meat your heart desires. Reservations are recommended and easily made via OpenTable.
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