Almost 10 years after entering the Los Angeles market with a unit in Beverly Hills, Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão opened a second unit in January, this one in the city's downtown Financial District.
Designed by Fogo's internal team of architects, along with SLA Architects and Shawmut Design and Construction, the 8,000-square-foot-restaurant occupies a corner, street-level location in a mid-rise office building. The space previously housed a Roy's restaurant.
Over a period of four months, it was transformed to reflect contemporary Brazilian architectural design elements and nods to the chain's signature gaucho culture and traditions. The interior features a mix of dark materials and natural woods, imported Brazilian stone and slate; custom chandeliers, images of Brazilian Araucaria trees on the walls and a dramatic floor-to-ceiling wine display that's a focal point of the dining room. Large glass windows give diners a view of the street scene outside and passersby a view of the energy inside.
In addition to the main dining room, the new location features three private dining rooms and a more casual Fogo Bar space, which offers a separate menu of smaller plates.
Fogo de Chão, which expanded from Brazil to the U.S. in 1997, now operates 27 units here.