Fogo de Chão is something truly special that any Manhattanite or its inhabitants should try. It’s an experience, whether indoors or al fresco as of late, that is something fun, exciting and overall pleasing to your palate as you dive into the rich flavors of what Churrasco meats really taste like amid a beautiful setting.
I am usually not one to ever focus on restaurants in New York City that have locations across the country and world. The thought process mostly is think local, eat local. Fogo de Chão, which you can dine at in many other states, is a shining exception because it is that damn good. Like no joke I wish I was there right now instead of writing about it good.
The concept of Fogo is quite interesting as its much different compared to many other restaurants you will visit in NYC. First off, the location is stunning. I wish we were able to eat inside at this point (safely, of course) because its insides are absolutely incredible to witness.
Everything from its labyrinth of a main floor that includes a chic bar to the left of its entrance to its massive dining space that is decorated wonderfully only enhance the overall vibe there.
They have, like many other spots, built an al fresco experience that is quite impressive. Also the area that its located in already has a great NYC feel to it with it being surrounded by colorful places like MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) and Uniqlo.
Now, onto the best part… the food! The name Fogo de Chão translates into English as “fire of ground”, which is used in the traditional gaucho cooking method of roasting meats on an open fire.
The restaurant has a history dating back over forty years ago, to 1979, with its first location in the United States appearing in Dallas back in 1997. The Manhattan based location has been opened for several years now with many more to come.
We recommend that you try every meat that is presented. And it literally is presented. The waitstaff come by your table and ask if you would like to try a certain type of meat. Then they cut it for you, you pull it off yourself, put it on the plate, eat it, and enjoy! Simple as that.
And this isn’t just some chicken or steak options. Heck no. They have everything from Filet Mignon to Costella (Beef Ribs) to Linguica (Spicy Pork Sausage) and more that will leave you saying “yassss” each time you take a bite. Bottom line this is a place that you are going to have a blast at for all the reasons listed above and then some.
For more information on Fogo please check out their official website.