Atlanta has a well-established Brazilian dining scene, with churrascaria-style steakhouses anchoring the high end of the market and casual Brazilian cafes and bakeries serving the city’s growing Brazilian-American community. Buckhead is home to nationally recognized Brazilian steakhouse destinations, while neighborhoods including Grant Park and Buford Highway host more casual and community-oriented Brazilian spots. The rodizio dining format, where servers bring skewers of various meats to the table and carve them tableside, has made Brazilian steakhouses among Atlanta’s most popular choices for group celebrations and business dining. Brazilian cuisine also extends well beyond churrasco, encompassing savory street food, hearty stews, and fresh pastries that reflect Brazil’s rich multicultural culinary heritage.
When choosing a Brazilian restaurant in Atlanta, consider whether you are seeking the full rodizio experience or a more casual Brazilian meal. For churrascaria dining, quality is reflected in the variety and handling of the meats, the freshness of the market table, and the attentiveness of the gaucho servers. Authentic operations will offer cuts like picanha, fraldinha, and linguica alongside more familiar cuts, not just standard American steakhouse selections. For casual Brazilian spots, look for fresh-made salgadinhos, quality Brazilian coffee, and house-made sauces rather than premade products.
Top Brazilian Restaurant Companies in Atlanta
1. Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse
Address: 3101 Piedmont Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305
Phone: (404) 266-9988
Website: https://www.fogodechao.com
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:30 AM-10 PM, Friday-Saturday 11:30 AM-10:30 PM, Sunday 11:30 AM-9 PM
Google Rating: 4.5/5
Services:
- Rodizio-style continuous table service with gaucho carvers
- Full churrasco meat selection including picanha and fraldinha
- White Carrera marble Market Table salad and sides
- Weekend brunch service
- Private and semi-private dining rooms
- Full-service catering
- Takeout and delivery
About: Fogo de Chao is a globally recognized Brazilian steakhouse brand with roots in the gaucho traditions of southern Brazil. The Atlanta Buckhead location has operated in the heart of the Buckhead dining district and features grand dining rooms, soaring wine cases, and complimentary valet and self-parking. Gaucho servers circulate continuously through the dining room with skewers of premium meats carved tableside, while a curated market table offers an extensive selection of seasonal salads, charcuterie, and sides. The Atlanta location is ranked among the top restaurants in the city and hosts large private events as well as everyday dining.
2. Buteco Atlanta
Address: 1039 Grant St SE, Suite C10, Atlanta, GA 30315
Phone: (404) 963-2929
Website: https://www.butecoatlanta.com
Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 11 AM-12 AM, Thursday 11 AM-11 PM, Friday-Saturday 11 AM-12 AM, Sunday 9 AM-7 PM, Monday closed
Awards & Recognition: Five Creative Loafing Best of Atlanta awards in 2019, including Best Bartender and Best Musicians Hangout
Services:
- Brazilian street food and small plates
- Specialty Brazilian and espresso coffee drinks
- Craft cocktails and Brazilian spirits
- Live samba music programming
- Full bar service
About: Buteco opened in 2018 in the Grant Park neighborhood and quickly established itself as one of Atlanta’s most distinctive food and beverage concepts by combining Brazilian street food with a serious coffee and cocktail program. The restaurant earned five Creative Loafing Best of Atlanta awards in its first full year, reflecting both the quality of its food and the energy of its atmosphere. A traditional Brazilian samba house band performs regularly, connecting the dining experience to Brazilian cultural tradition. Buteco does not accept reservations, maintaining the spontaneous, social spirit of the Brazilian boteco (neighborhood bar) that inspired the concept.
3. PortoBrasil Restaurant
Website: https://www.portobrasilrestaurant.com
Services:
- Traditional Brazilian home-style cooking
- Brazilian stews and one-pot dishes
- Feijoada and traditional weekend specials
- Dine-in and takeout
- Brazilian beverages and desserts
About: PortoBrasil Restaurant brings Brazilian home-style cooking to the Atlanta market, offering a contrast to the large-format churrascaria experience. The restaurant focuses on traditional Brazilian comfort dishes that reflect the everyday cooking of Brazilian households rather than the steakhouse format. This approach appeals to Brazilian diaspora community members seeking familiar flavors as well as Atlanta diners curious about Brazilian cuisine beyond churrasco. PortoBrasil provides a more intimate dining experience with a menu centered on the rich stews, rice and bean dishes, and coastal seafood preparations that define Brazilian home cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the rodizio dining format and how does it work at Atlanta Brazilian steakhouses?
A: Rodizio is the traditional Brazilian steakhouse format in which gaucho servers circulate through the dining room carrying large skewers of various meats and carve portions directly onto your plate. Diners use a two-sided card or coaster, green side up when they want to continue receiving meat and red side up when they need a break. The price is all-inclusive and covers unlimited meat service plus access to the salad and sides market table. Most Atlanta churrascarias offer a fixed price for the full rodizio experience.
Q: What does a Brazilian steakhouse meal cost in Atlanta?
A: Full rodizio dinner at Fogo de Chao in Atlanta typically runs $65-$80 per person for the all-inclusive meat and market table experience. Lunch and brunch are priced lower, usually $40-$55 per person. At casual Brazilian cafes and street food spots, individual plates and items range from $10-$20. Brazilian bakery items and coffee drinks are typically $4-$12. Prices vary by day of week and occasion, and group discounts may be available for private dining arrangements.
Q: What are typical Brazilian dishes beyond churrasco that Atlanta restaurants serve?
A: Beyond churrasco, Atlanta’s Brazilian restaurants serve feijoada, a hearty black bean stew with smoked pork traditionally served on weekends. Salgadinhos, which are savory fried snacks like coxinha and empadas, are popular at casual spots. Pao de queijo, or cheese bread made from tapioca starch, is a Brazilian staple served at most Brazilian establishments. Acai bowls, brigadeiros, and pastel (fried pastry with various fillings) are also widely popular in Atlanta’s Brazilian dining scene.
Conclusion
Atlanta’s Brazilian restaurant scene spans the full range from the celebrated rodizio experience at Fogo de Chao in Buckhead to the neighborhood energy of Buteco in Grant Park and the home-style cooking of PortoBrasil. Whether you are organizing a group celebration, exploring Brazilian street food, or simply seeking an extraordinary meal, each of these restaurants brings genuine Brazilian character to the Atlanta table. Contact them directly for reservations, group dining arrangements, and current pricing.