Need Advice on opening Brazilian Restaurant (Phoenix, Scottsdale: relocate, work, business)

[ms973]

Hi there. My husband and I are from New York and would love if you can give us some feedback. We currently own and operate our own restaurant. We love the business however we would really like to relocate. We have good friends who just relocated to Goodyear from NY and they love it. They are too new to the area to really give us advice on where would be a good place to open our business preferably areas surrounding Phoenix . Which areas do think we should target? average plate price $10.00
great food!

[AksarbeN]

I’ve checked online and can’t find any Brazilian restaurants in the Phoenix metro area listed, the valley is yours. However some things that you may or may not have already thought about. Do you specialize in dinner only or lunch and dinner? Some locations that would be good for lunch customers may not be good for the evening dinner. I believe there are some areas of the metro valley (that those who live there) may not favor a unique type of dining. I know of two Cuban restaurants that seem to do well but I’ve not revisited them and they seem to be in good locations on east Camelback Rd and east Bell Rd. in the north east part of the valley.


I would believe that Scottsdale has the best chance for a “good” new restaurant of “special a cuisine”. Most of the tourists are looking for nice places to dine and things that are special and unique. There are also plenty of “customers who live in the area” of the n/e valley and Scottsdale to support continued business. They tend to look for a nice cuisine rather then a “great little mom & pop café” for a place to enjoy dining. However you can always find me in a great little mom and pop café with good food and prices!

[ms973]

I so appreciate your advice!!

[Sonic]

Yes, Phoenix would be a GREAT place to start an ethnic restaurant since it's lacking in that field. As far as locations, I'd recommend the metro ex: Chandler, Tempe, Phoenix or Scottsdale

[ms973]

Thanks to you too Sonic for the advice! My husband is a native Brazilian and I am American. He has been in this business for 12 years. Hopefully it will work out in Phoenix for us!!

[AksarbeN]

Can you give all of us a little better idea of what type if food is on the menu? I might be thinking of the wrong items as I’ve never heard of or have eaten at a Brazilian restaurant.

[ms973]

The main focus is our BBQ grill imported from Brazil which we have 10 different types of meats slowly cooking (skewers rotating). On the buffet table with have different types of rice and beans and typical Brazilian dishes as well as some American such as ribs, fries, baked chicken etc.. Some of our customer's favorite Brazilian dishes are:
-chicken stroganoff
-carne asada which is baked sirloin sliced with carrots and bacon
-tilapia fish in a tomato and coconut sauce
-thinly sliced grilled steak with onions
-Empadao which is similar to the American chicken pot pie
Desserts - flan, rice pudding, chocolate cakes etc.

[ms973]

I left out that our skirt steak seems to be the biggest hit of the all the meats.

[AksarbeN]

Now you have my attention! ;-)

You have too many dishes that are my favorites. I love “stroganoff” but only have had beef ~ now I’m looking forward to trying the chicken. Also the chicken pot pie is another favorite and there just aren’t too many places that see pot pies in the metro area.

Everything sound good and I’m sure with the right location you’ll do very well. There are many office workers that can’t commute too far at lunchtime; if you can find a good busy area of office building for the lunch group and yet still have tourists and locals coming in for dinner hour, you’ll do well.

How “upscale” or not do you want for your location? Many “cafes” seem to make it very well with just a small neighborhood location with nothing special inside or out. Also how large of a place are you looking for? Other places seem to have very elaborate high dollar cuisine and location, yet they don’t have the customers.

I’ve always heard that the best location for a new restaurant is near one that is already too busy. When the competition is too busy for more customers ~ they tend to come over to the next-door location to eat.

[ms973]

Well thank you! We are not upscale by no means. We have a "cafe- like" atmosphere. We have a substantial lunch crowd but not enough for dinner. Dinners are pretty slow because we are in a more commercial (financial district) area. I think if we were in a more residential area we would do wonders. My husband has worked in more upscale places and would like to eventually open one in the future but whats involved in that we do not have (monetary wise). So we figured we start off small, which we are doing. Its actually less headache. Looking for about 2,500 sqft. That should do it.