The three Brazilian women honouring churrasco tradition cooking over charcoal in Bermondsey

Nestled behind an unassuming shopfront on Blue Anchor Lane in Bermondsey, Dom Carnívoro is the steakhouse run by three Brazilian women, co-founders and couple Flávia De Oliveira and Keila Reruska, and head chef Marcela Pereirahas. The team specialise in meat cooked exclusively over open coals in the tradition of the churrasco gatherings of north-east Brazil – a method rarely seen in the British capital. The 76-cover venue has become a meeting place for members of the capital’s Brazilian community, who come to eat food that reminds them of home, and it’s increasingly being recognised as a food destination worth visiting. Earlier this year, the Financial Times described Dom Carnívoro as the place to find “London’s most exciting Brazilian food”.

The restaurant draws on the dining customs of the founders’ home regions: Reruska hails from Ceará and De Oliveira from Bahia. When the pair opened the restaurant in 2021, they could not afford to hire chefs, so De Oliveira taught herself to butcher and grill. To this day, they still select every cut of meat themselves at Smithfield Market. That passion is evident in the eatery’s history. The couple have fought for the business outside the kitchen, winning a legal battle against their landlord in 2023 to stay open. That experience led Reruska to begin a law degree in order to better understand the legal system and protect the project. 

The grill is now run by Pereira, a close friend of the founders. Reruska says, “Eating at Dom Carnívoro is the same as eating a meal in Brazil,” and De Oliveira goes further to explain, “Our food is the taste of mother’s cooking.” The à la carte menu centres on large sharing cuts alongside a selection of skewers. There’s also an all-you-can-eat bottomless experience covering beef ribs, pork belly and picanha (grilled rump steak), and a premium bottomless option that adds tomahawk. Traditional Brazilian sides include feijão tropeiro, sausage, eggs, spring greens and plantain.

On the drinks list there are caipirinhas and a wine selection drawn mainly from Italy and France, while Brazilian music plays in the dining room. The walls display pieces by Colombian artist Rafael Rosas Marin, commissioned by the founders specifically for the restaurant. A back room is also available for private events and larger groups.

Dom Carnívoro is open Monday from 5pm to 10.30pm, Wednesday and Thursday from 5pm to 11pm, Friday from 3.30pm to 11pm, Saturday from noon to 11pm and Sunday from noon to 10pm. It is closed on Tuesdays. 

Food Desk

To book a table at Dom Carnívoro, 51 Blue Anchor Lane, London SE16 3UL, call 07570 117654 or visit the restaurant’s website here.