Rodizio Grill of Chattanooga offers an authentic taste of Brazil
Downtown Chattanooga is an eclectic, unique place. Whether you live downtown, work downtown, or just enjoy date night downtown, there’s something for everybody. But we’d been missing something for a while, up until last November. The opening of Rodizio Grill brought not only mouth-watering Brazilian food the likes of Chattanooga had never seen before, but also an escape from the usual dining experience and feel.
The dark wood floors, warm-toned paneled walls, and high quality furnishings, Rodizio has an upscale air about it that can’t be found anywhere else. A New York City feel right here on Broad Street, while representing the authenticity of the Brazilian food being served.
“We want to represent the uniqueness of Brazilian dining, and bring it to Chattanooga,” says general manager Jon Riede. They’ve done exactly that with their authentic table side service from their gauchos-- the name for Brazilian cowboys, but known as your servers at Rodizio.
“The word Rodizio actually means ‘rotation’, which is how the meat is served to the table,” says Riede. Choose between two fixed price dinner options: the Full Rodizio, which includes unlimited offerings of all meats, the salad bar, and the authentic Brazilian hot bar for $34.99, or choose to partake in just the salad bar and the hot bar for $22.99. Riede suggests the Full Rodizio for those of you who are dining with them for the first time as you get to experience the full Brazilian meal.
Understand before you go in, that this will be the closest you’ll get to Brazil without actually traveling South.
“All recipes are made by a Brazilian chef, born and raised,” says front house manager Fernando Elias. “They’re homemade. He uses his own his recipes.”
Over fifteen items come from the rotisserie grill, including the popular Picanha, which is top sirloin seasoned with sea salt only. Other meats include beef, pork, poultry, fish, and lamb. Little needs to be done to the meats to flavor them. Just a little salt and pepper to give it a kick, but for the most part, the beef cuts flavor themselves as they turn on the rotisserie skewer.
Another mouth-watering favorite is the grilled pineapple, which is fresh grilled and glazed with brown sugar and water. It doesn’t seem like it can get much simpler or more delicious than that, but then there’s the current chef special of cilantro shrimp. Thank goodness we don’t have to choose, right?
The table side service rounds out the unique, and authentic nature of Rodizio. It’s non stop service, and truly like dining in any restaurant in Brazil. The gauchos, your meat carvers and servers, take serious care of their customers, happy to explain cuts of meat, answer questions, or cook to order for a customer—although we recommend trusting the chef’s choice. Be a little adventurous! Cuts of meat are unlimited, but usually come in one to two ounces at a time.
Speaking of adventure, during the month of October, Rodizio will be bringing in more exotic offerings during their Wild Game Fest, serving things like rattlesnake sausage, wild boar, and bacon-wrapped rabbit loin. Test your limits and try something completely out of the ordinary. It’s not everyday you get to go to Brazil!
Make sure you try out the full bar Rodizio offers. They have a great selection of wines and high quality liquors. Test the national drink of Brazil, the Caipirinha, comprised of muddled limes with sugar and a Brazilian spirit called Cachaca, a sugar cane liquor. If liquor isn’t your thing, take a simply made 100% fruit juice. Brazilian limeade is never a bad choice.
Rodizio Grill
Dinner daily 4 p.m. to 10 p.m
Lunch Thur-Sun, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
439 Broad St ∙ Chattanooga
(423) 777-4999 ∙ rodiziogrill.com