In honor of this week's World Cup Finals in Brazil, we thought it was only fitting to pay tribute to the many delicious churrascarias (Brazilian steak houses) throughout South Florida. Churrasco is a grilling technique that originated from the gauchos, a nomadic group (often equivocated to the American cowboys), who roamed the plains of Southern Brazil throughout the mid-to-late 1800s. They would dig giant, coal-burning fire pits in the ground where they would slow-cook pieces of meat on large wooden skewers. Over time, the methods evolved, and this skewer-style of cooking eventually became a mainstay of Brazilian cuisine. And thus, the churrascaria was born. Today, most churrascarias employ a rodízio style of service, where waiters travel around the dining room with giant piping-hot skewers. Guests simply signal to the server that they'd like a piece, and it is then carved directly onto their plates. The selection varies by place, but usually is comprised of seasoned beef, pork, lamb, and chicken. Most are fixed-price, all-you-can-eat establishments, and typically include unlimited access to a sprawling salad bar and a number of traditional Brazilian side dishes. Here we list some of the top churrascarias—in no particular order—in South Florida.
—Sherri Balefsky