A new location of Fogo de Chão is coming near the Mall of Georgia in Buford. Plans recently filed with Gwinnett County indicate the popular Brazilian rodízio-style steakhouse (churrascaria) is opening in the former On The Border at 3206 Buford Drive.
The plans suggest that Fogo plans to renovate the existing 7,290 square foot building to suit its needs rather than construct a new building from scratch. This decision should be both less expensive for the operator and also reduce the time it takes to open the restaurant.
Fogo's planned opening in Buford returns a Brazilian steakhouse to the area after the December 2024 closure of Santa Lucia Brazilian Steakhouse after about eight years in business. (ToNeTo Atlantareported in January that Dumpling Master is opening in its place.) A so-called Brazilian steakhouse called "STEAK UP" also existed in the Mall of Georgia food court in recent years but was panned by patrons and didn't last long.
Dallas, Texas-based Fogo de Chão currently operates two restaurants in Georgia: on Piedmont Road in Buckhead and Ashford Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody, which opened in late 2016.
The company was established in 1979 and has been both publicly traded and privately held. It was most recently acquired by private equity firm Bain Capital in August 2023 for a reported $1.1 billion.
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