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A steakhouse phenomenon is opening a new location in Crabtree Valley Mall.
The internationally famous Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão plans to open a new restaurant in Raleigh’s Crabtree Valley Mall.
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This would be the third Fogo de Chão location in North Carolina, following planned restaurants in Charlotte and Durham. The Durham Fogo de Chão is going into the former Uncle Julio’s location in Streets at Southpoint mall, but is still in the permitting process.
“North Carolina is an important milestone for Fogo de Chão, and we’re pleased to continue our expansion in the state with our new restaurant in Raleigh at Crabtree,” said Barry McGowan, CEO of Fogo de Chão in a release. “Raleigh’s continued growth and Crabtree’s position as one of the region’s leading shopping and dining destinations makes it an ideal location for our continued expansion. We look forward to introducing the Fogo experience to guests throughout the market.”
The new Raleigh Fogo de Chão will replace Uncle Julio’s in Crabtree, which closed in 2024. It is expected to open by the end of 2026.
Fogo de Chão is the best-known Brazilian steakhouse brand in the country, famous for large grilled meats carved tableside. While a major steakhouse brand, Fogo de Chão has yet to open a North Carolina location. Since being acquired by private equity group Bain Capital in 2023, the brand has been on a national expansion.
There are now more than 100 Fogo de Chão locations worldwide, with most based in the United States.
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Steakhouses have been one of the hottest restaurant trends in the Triangle in recent years, adding spots like Perry’s and Epic Chophouse, plus local top chef Scott Crawford’s newest Crawford Brothers Steakhouse.
But nothing is quite like Fogo de Chão. In the new Crabtree restaurant, diners will see an open Churrasco-style grill, with nearly a dozen cuts of steak cooked over flames and then carved from metal skewers.
“We are pleased to welcome Fogo de Chão to Crabtree,” said Eric Bunyan, leasing executive for Macerich, the owner of Crabtree Valley Mall. “Raleigh continues to experience tremendous growth, and we’re focused on bringing concepts to Crabtree that reflect the high caliber our visitors expect. Fogo’s unique culinary offering and commitment to authentic hospitality make it an exciting addition for the local residents and visitors to Crabtree.”
The new Fogo de Chão continues the redevelopment of Crabtree, which has announced several new tenants along with a multi-million dollar renovation. Other additions include the massive eater-tainment concept Level99 and the return of childhood icon Toys R Us.
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