Rio turns up the heat in Durham

A popular Durham restaurant is preparing to expand its offering with a move to a larger city centre location.

Rio Brazilian Steakhouse is relocating from Walkergate to a much bigger site at The Riverwalk in response to growing demand for its popular rodizio-style dining. 

The new restaurant will open to VIP guests on November 28 before welcoming the public the following day.

Co-owners Rodrigo Grassi Duarte and Howard Eggleston are investing further in the brand, creating a significantly larger space with 160 covers and upgraded kitchen facilities to support rising customer numbers. 

The venue will feature planted walls, floral ceilings and an immersive design inspired by Rio de Janeiro’s Tijuca Urban Forest.

Guests can expect the same authentic churrasco experience, with specially trained Gaucho chefs carving premium cuts of meat at the table throughout the meal.

Rodrigo said: “Rio Brazilian Steakhouse has always stood for authenticity, quality, and hospitality and over the last three years we have become heavily rooted in the city, however weekend after weekend we’ve had to turn bookings away due to capacity constraints at our existing site.

“We have been deeply grateful for the ongoing support of our guests and the wider Durham community, and this expansion allows us to serve more people while maintaining the high standards that define the Rio Brazilian Steakhouse experience.”

The expansion follows a £500,000 investment in Rio’s new Sunderland restaurant, which quickly topped TripAdvisor rankings after opening.

Across the group, there are now eight Rio Brazilian Steakhouse venues and eleven Tomahawk Steakhouse sites, including Durham’s Boat Club.

Howard added: “The move to The Riverwalk marks an exciting new chapter for the restaurant, and represents an investment not only in our restaurant, but in the North East community.

“We are proud to further invest in the city with the move to a larger location enabling us to better serve our growing customer base.”

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