Picanha, the Brazilian steakhouse, opens a branch in Center City
Center City gets a third churrascaria, serving rodizio-style meats and an extensive, unlimited salad bar.
Picanha Churrascaria, the popular Northeast Philadelphia Brazilian steakhouse, has set up a Center City location, taking over the space at the Western Union building that was Garces Trading Co.
Owner Amabilis Silva and her family worked with the tiled walls and added wooden touches for a classic look and feel at the rodizio-style churrascaria, in the spirit of Center City chain outlets Fogo de Chao and Chima.
Picanha, named after a cut of top sirloin, has a 24-seat private dining room that used to be a wine shop. It’s opening as a BYOB; the liquor license supposedly is about two months away.
Picanha, locally owned, is the lower-priced option.
At dinnertime ($46.95 per person), meat-skewer-bearing waiters work the room while customers supplement with unlimited selections from an extensive salad bar at the rear of the room. At lunchtime, it’s salad bar-only, sold by weight at $10.95 a pound. It’s free for those under 5.
The meat cuts in Center City include lamb and filet mignon, which are not offered at the original location at Castor Avenue and Hellerman Street, which has been a magnet for the city’s Portuguese and Brazilian community. (We Northeasters remember the location as the Gingham House.)
Picanha is open daily. On May 31, June 1, and June 2, hours will be noon to 10 p.m.
Regular hours commence June 3: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.