Highlights

Fogo de Chão opened its second Arizona location at 2134 S. SanTan Village Parkway in Gilbert on Aug. 3, 2026, adding an 8,424-square-foot churrascaria to the Signature at SanTan Village retail center, which also houses Whole Foods Market and Dick's Sporting Goods' House of Sport.

The Gilbert restaurant is the chain's second Valley address. Its existing Scottsdale location, which underwent a remodel, remains open. CEO Barry McGowan noted the brand has operated in Arizona for 18 years.

Merhawit Keleta, who joined Fogo in 2004, serves as general manager of the Gilbert unit and oversees a staff of more than 100. The tableside churrasco format features cuts including Picanha, Fraldinha, and Lamb Picanha, per the company's announcement.

Fogo will direct 10% of first-week sales to St. Anne Friends of the Needy, a local organization that distributes emergency food boxes four days a week.

Who is behind the Gilbert location?

Fogo de Chão is a nearly 50-year-old Brazilian restaurant brand. The Gilbert unit is led by General Manager Merhawit Keleta, a company veteran since 2004, and sits within the Signature at SanTan Village development near Williams Field Road and SanTan Village Parkway.

The opening was reported by KTAR and confirmed by a Fogo press release via GlobeNewswire. Reservations are available through the restaurant's website.

Sources

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  1. GlobeNewswire retrieved 06/08/2026 10:05
  2. gogilbert.com retrieved 06/08/2026 10:05

Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 06/08/2026 10:05. Every claim traces to a source.