A churrascaria is not an easy type of restaurant to run. In Brazil Churrascarias are massive 400 plus seater restaurants turning over 1000 covers at lunch time on weekends. A churrascaria is not an easy type of restaurant to run. In Brazil Churrascarias are massive 400 plus seater restaurants turning over 1000 covers at lunch time on weekends.
Churrascarias are temples devoted to meat with a very different serving method. Most Churrascarias boast a very wide grill with 2 rows of rotating spikes laden with every kind of beef one can imagine. Waiters pass by the grill, grab a whole spike and a small plate to capture any dripping juices and a machete-sized sized knife and bring the spike to your table. At any moment there’s a swarm of waiters and a dizzying array of different cuts buzzing around the room. You can beckon them towards you and give strickt instructions on how you’d like them to cut your churrasco. Thin slices, thick slices, with or without fat, well done or rate, etc.
There’s no limit to the imagination of the churrascaria chef when it comes to what one might find on the spike. From prime cuts of beef to crocodile meat or grilled cheese! Some of the most prized beef cuts are: Alcatra (sirloin), Picanha (prime rump steak), Maminha (stripsteak), Costela (ribs).
There are quite a few chains of Churrascarias making a roaring trade in the USA, in particular Fogo do Chão, with almost 20 houses all over North America. There is a small list of churrascarias in London (see below) but none manages to reach the fevered pace of the Brazilian Churrascarias. We are working on a review of all Brazilian Churrascarias in London for the summer, but I can safely say I have not been impressed my any I have tried over the years. Rodizio Rico seems to be the most prolific, with 3 houses in London but Preto seems to be catching up. They have opened a second house – Preto Churrascaria Putney – which has a very nice environment and good quality beef. Rodizio Rico is well run and has good decor on all of its houses but service tends to be very slow. I have visited the Rodizio Rico Churrascaria in the O2 a couple of times but have never seen it as full as any churrascaria in Rio or São Paulo. However, until we revisit all the Churrascarias in London (someone has to sacrifice themselves for it) I would only recommend Rodizio Rico or Petro Churrascaria Rodízio.
London Churrascarias:
London (UK)
Amber Grill Rodizio
47 Station Road, Willesden Junction, London NW10 4UP
Tel. 020 8963 1588
Braseiro
256 High Road, London NW10 2EY
Tel. 020 8451 8902
Buffet Brazil Earlsfield
505 Garratt Lane, London SW18 4SW
Tel. 020 8871 3875
Buffet Brazil Putney Bridge
26 Putney High Street, London SW15 1SL
Tel. 020 8780 1750
La Carrilera
160 High Road, London N15 4NU
La Pampa Grill
4 Northcote Road, London, SW11 1EH
Tel. 020 7924 1167
Rodízio Preto Victoria
72-73 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1DE
Tel. 020 7233 8668
www.rodiziopreto.co.uk
Rodízio Preto Putney
31-33 Putney High Street, London SW15 1SP
Tel. 020 8788 4388
www.rodiziopreto.co.uk
Rodízio Rico Bayswater
111 Westbourne Grove, London W2 4UW
Tel. 020 7792 4035
www.rodiziorico.com
Rodízio Rico Islington
77-78 Upper Street London N1 0NU
Tel. 020 7359 8059
www.rodiziorico.com
Rodízio Rico O2
The O2 shopping area, Millenium Way, London SE10 0DX
Tel. 020 8858 6333
www.rodiziorico.com
Hey Nando
I share your love of Churrascaria Rodizio! Me and my wife have tried a few around London – we’ve been to Rodizio Rico in Islington and the original Rodizio Preto. You’re right, neither of them really match up to the real deal – Rodizio is definitely one of the things I miss about Brazil! Of those two, I’d say Rodizio Rico seemed to have the best range of meats and buffet food – we definitely plan to go back there sometime soon!
Looks like you’ve missed a Rodizio in London off the list – Comida on South Molton Street, just off Oxford Street. During the day it’s a bit cheaper than either Rico or Preto. I’ve been there a couple of times and found it fairly good both times.
I’ve been 3 times to Preto Putney. The first 2 times (October and December) were really great, but yesterday I was absolutely shocked. The buffet was a bit poor: no heart of palm, no fried cassava, and the cheesy rolls were well baked but had no taste. There was basically just 3 types of meat coming to the tables (every 5 minutes). Without seeing the chicken hearts after 1,5 hours waiting, I asked the manager if they had it. He said it was coming soon. Asked him again half and hour later, he said he never talked to me before. Then he came with chicken hearts completely dry and almost burned. I said it was too dry, and he told me he would come back with RARE chicken hearts (obviously being sarcastic). I said I didn’t like rare chicken hearts, and he just left. Had to wait 30 minutes (twice) for my soft drink to come, despite the number of waiters not busy at all. Complaint to the hostess, and the waiter who took my order came to my table in a very rude manner, asking what was the problem. I said it was a problem to be discussed between the management and me, not between the two of us, then he gave me a pat on my back and said the problem was me. My friends were just as shocked as I was.
I went there to eat something different, but next time I’ll just go to a normal steak house. And now I understand why last year it was always fully booked, and now there’s no queue at all… Really sad.
I agree with Tatiana about Preto in Putney. I was there with a group of my co-workers back in december for a celebration and the servers and “gauchos” were just plain rude.
I think it comes down to poor management of the staff. The buffet was just average, meat wasn’t that great. One passador oferred me one type of meat then i asked for it again they said it was not on the menu. same Story with chicken hearts and ribs took forever.
Last year was always full because they sold it very vouchers at groupon.
None of the churrascarias are any good in the UK. The meat preto and RR use is generally cheap nasty and frozen and bears absolutely no resemblance whatsoever to the great restaurants of Brazil and even the USA. One day somebody will open a great churrascaria in London with fresh meat from quality Longhorn cattle and meat that has not been frozen. That person will deserve every success, they will need to charge double or treble the price of the current pathetic churrascarias that can be found in London, we will be pleased to pay for the quality