24 for '24: #5 Latina With Authentic Brazilian Barbecue
24 for ‘24 is a series showcasing 24 of Beijing’s best places to drink, eat, and relax in 2024, to help folks get out of the house and into all these great F&B spots around the city.
Established way back in 1998, Latina Brazilian Steakhouse has been bringing the authentic flavors of Brazil to China for 26 years. Opening their flagship store in Lujiazui, Shanghai they now have numerous branches in various cities across China, including three here in Beijing and even a couple of branches overseas.
Latina has long been a haven for meat lovers, specializing in churrasco, aka Brazilian-style barbecue, as well as local Brazilian snacks, side dishes, drinks all made with high-quality ingredients imported from South America. Their commitment to authenticity has made Latina a top choice for Brazilian cuisine and meat enthusiasts in Beijing for many years.
Churrasco Barbecue
For those who aren’t familiar, churrasco-style barbecue is a traditional Brazilian style of cooking where chefs showcase the grilling and carving of each meat. First, the meat is grilled over an open flame on slowly rotating long skewers ensuring that the meat is all uniformly cooked. Then, servers take these same long skewers and move around the restaurant directly slicing them onto your plate. This is normally done, as is the case at Latina, in a rodizio aka all-you-can-eat style. Churrasco is a tradition that started centuries ago in the south of Brazil and continues to this day.
At Latina, you can enjoy over 30 types of barbecued meats including a range of high-quality imported beef such as the Wagyu Picanha from Uruguay. Picanha, also known as tri-tip, is a cut of beef taken from the top of the rump or “sirloin cap”, it has a layer of fat on the outside which seeps into the meat while cooking making it super juicy and tender.
Along with picanha, other cuts of beef to watch out for are the Fraldinha. Known for its strong marbling characteristics, it’s one of Southern Brazil’s most distinctive and flavorful cuts of meat. The Latina chefs also make sure to carve against the grain so that it remains as tender as possible. Another is the Costela or beef ribs, which are cooked medium to medium rare so that it remains soft.
Aside from beef they also have Brazilian pork sausages – you can choose between spicy, non-spicy or both – as well as a variety of lamb cuts like sirloin or chop, chicken wings marinated in different sauces and a range of seafood like shrimp, squid or if you indulge in their deluxe or prime menus, oysters, scallops and lobster as well. Besides the meat, their grilled pineapple is also noteworthy and is the perfect dessert to finish your meal.
As all the meats are offered to you directly at the table, you can pick and choose which meats you want along with how much of each one you want. If you’re after some specific cuts you can just go for bigger portions of those, or if you want to try a little bit of everything you can do that too! Each table comes with a little plastic two-colored cow, with a green side marked with “yes, please” and a red side marked with “no thanks”. Display the cow on the green side to keep the meat flowing and then flip it over to red once you’re full or if the meat sweats are in full swing and you need a little break!
The Buffet
If you think the 30+ barbecue items are all they offer, think again! Latina's buffet also includes over 60 varieties of cold dishes, main courses, snacks, desserts, and salads. Among the extensive buffet options, don't miss the Brazilian Empanadas—golden, crispy pastries filled with fragrant beef, kind of similar to a mini pasty.
Another highlight is the Feijoada, a Brazilian black bean and pork stew normally served with rice, which is a national dish of Brazil. There's also the Farofa Manioc, a quintessential Brazilian side dish made from toasted manioc flour. A word of warning though, don’t go too crazy at the buffet because you want to save plenty of room for the churrasco as it's the star of the show!
Drinks
In addition to food, Latina also has plenty of Brazilian drinks on offer as well. For those who enjoy a cocktail a must try is their Caipirinha. Brazil's national cocktail, it’s simply made from three ingredients: cachaça – a Brazilian spirit made from sugarcane juice -- lime and sugar. It’s sweet and sour at the same time and the perfect cocktail for summer.
For non-drinkers there is the a popular Brazilian beverage Guaraná. Made from guaraná berries, which contain a caffeine-like substance, this drink can give you an extra boost similar to a Red Bull without all the crazy additives. It's also the official drink of the Brazilian national football team!
Menus
Latina has a few different menus available, however the main three all you can eat barbecue options are:
- Original Churrasco (lunch RMB 229, dinner RMB 329) – over 20 types of all-you-can-eat barbecue meat and all-you-can-eat buffet.
- Deluxe Churrasco (lunch RMB 329, dinner RMB 429) – everything in the original plus Angus beef cuts: ribeye steak, top sirlon cap, short ribs, bottom sirloin and seafood: oysters and scallops.
- Prime Churrasco + Drink Free Flow (lunch RMB 599, dinner RMB 599) – everything in the deluxe plus all-you-can-eat hand carved jamón ibérico, Wagyu beef brisket, Wagyu picanha and rock lobster and premium free-flow*.
*They also have a range of drink free-flow deals that you can add on to your meal.
Latina’s Newest Location
Latina recently opened a new location on the 7th floor of Joy City in Wangfujing, its third location in Beijing. The new venue has a chic vibe, with flooring patterns inspired by Brazilian seaside promenades, lush greenery, and sunlight streaming through the top-floor windows, creating the ambiance of a picturesque seaside city.
For those enticed by this description, here are some weekly deals you can enjoy there:
- Monday: Ladies' Night - original churrasco half-price for women.
- Tuesday: Free Flow Night - free selected draft beer and soft drinks with the purchase of any churrasco set.
- Wednesday: Buddies Night - Four diners for the price of three (original or deluxe churrasco).
- Thursday: Oyster Night - Half-price fresh oysters
In addition to the regular weekly offers, Beijinger readers can get an exclusive deal on the Dinner Deluxe Churrasco package for RMB 349 instead of RMB 429! There are only 30 packages available so get yours before they all sell out by scanning the QR code below!
Please note: this package is only available at Latina’s Wangfujing Joy City branch and is limited to two packages per person.
Latina Brazilian Steakhouse (Wangfujing branch)
Unit P011-P013, 7F, Zone G, Wangfujing Joy City, Dongcheng District
东城区王府井喜悦购物中心G-7F-P011-P013
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm, 5-10pm; Sat-Sun 11am-3.30pm, 5-10pm
Phone: 010 6526 2899
Latina Brazilian Steakhouse (Grand Summit branch)
2F, Unit 201 Grand Summit, 19 Dongfang Donglu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区东方东路19号北京官舍201商铺
Hours: 11am-3pm, 5-10pm
Phone: 010 8531 5287
Latina Brazilian Steakhouse (Gemdale Plaza branch)
3F, L311, Gemdale Plaza, 91 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国路91号金地广场L3层L311
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm, 5-10pm; Sat-Sun 11am-3.30pm, 5-10pm
Phone: 010-6535 1425
READ: 24 for '24 Restaurant Series
Images: Uni You, courtesy of Latina
