Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse is a restaurant of legend in Edmonton. The flagship location was…read moreoriginally opened downtown by Oscar Lopez and Joao Dachery in 2011. Their entire concept took the city by storm and everyone sought the Pampa-induced meat sweats! The idea was to bring authentic, traditional Brazilian food to the heart of the Alberta prairies. I honestly can't think of a better fit - traditional Brazilian churrasco paired with Alberta's premium beef. Genius! Since then, Pampa opened two more locations in Edmonton, as well as one each in Calgary and Red Deer. The original downtown location has since closed but the others remain. (There was also a cafe downtown called A Bite of Brazil by Pampa which I loved that has also sadly closed.) Named Favourite Latin American Restaurant 2022 and 2023 in the Edmonton Journal, I myself hadn't paid them a visit in quite some time. Making my way to their Ellerslie Industrial location on a Saturday evening, I could only think of the parade of meats that awaited me.
The south restaurant is situated in a huge, almost monolithic building, a veritable palace for all things churrasco - authentic Brazilian BBQ. This style of cooking dates back to the 17th century from Brazil's southernmost state located in the Pampa region - or the "prairies" of South America. Cattle herders from the area are known as Gaúchos and they historically used open-pit fires to cook meats on large skewers near the open flames. It's pretty easy to see the parallels and the perfect fit with our own celebrated beef culture in Alberta and Oscar Lopez and Joao Dachery knew this.
Entering the restaurant, the space is expansive, modern, and there are nods to the Gaúcho way of life through the art and decor. There are multiple dining rooms, an entire wall made up of wine bottles, and there's a main area that contains the salad bar and the impressive rotisserie of spinning meats. It doesn't take long for the tantalizing aromas to seduce your senses. Gauchos (dressed appropriately) circulate the dining room carrying large, sword-like skewers of fire-roasted meat, ready to carve them tableside directly onto your plate.
Seated at a circular table in the main dining area (salad bar adjacent), the anticipation was real! But first, a cocktail - and there is no better choice then a caipirinha - Brazil's national cocktail. Pampa offers seven different flavours and I chose the Cashew and Lime Caipirinha (Fresh fruits muddled with simple syrup and cachaça. Refreshing and vibrant - $13.00). This cocktail reminds me a little bit of a margarita but a lot more fruit-forward. I was really interested in the cashew aspect of the beverage and it truly did add a subtle and delicious nuttiness to the drink. The lime component felt incredibly classic, giving this drink a great balance of tart and sweet flavours. Very enjoyable and felt like a perfect refreshing match for the food.
Pampa specializes in the concept of Rodízio which means "rotation" in Portuguese. This refers to the variety of meats that will be brought to your table and carved table-side endlessly. Each table is given a double-sided red and green coin which allows you to control the Rodízio service. (I could have sworn that in the past each guest was given their own coin, now it's just one for the table.) The green side means "GO!" and that you would like meat service. The red side means "stop" and that you are on a break or are finished. At dinnertime you can expect to see 14 different cuts of meat circulating the room. Also included in the experience is the unlimited self-service hot and cold salad bar. Dinner for 12 Years and Older costs $68.95. We turned our token to the green side and never looked back!
The first order of business is naturally the salad bar. There is a huge selection of housemade salads, dressings, picklings, breads, and cheese. There are several hot dishes, including traditional Brazilian Feijoada (which I somehow missed and will have to try next time!). However, my tip is that you shouldn't overdo it with the salad bar because you're really there for the meats. Pacing yourself is the name of the game at Pampa, especially if you're aiming to try a little bit of everything. I made small piles of Salada de Churrasco (a beef penne salad), Pineapple Corn Salad, and Beterraba Assada (oven roasted beets) in an attempt to not get too crazy. Each salad was very fresh and I loved the smokiness and robust flavour that was front and center in the churrasco salad. This salad felt unique and like a good match to the overall experience. Certainly not a typical pasta salad! The pineapple corn salad was creamy and refreshing, almost like a palate cleanser, which was nice.
One salad bar item that I don't recommend holding back on are the Pão de Queijo, a Brazilian cheese bread. They're my absolute favourite and no one makes them better than Pampa does! This small baked roll is crispy on the outside and warm and chewy on the inside. They are a complete d