A Brazilian rodízio steakhouse has taken over the Route 1 building that spent 72 years as The Continental, with Charkoal's Brazilian Steakhouse pulling in roughly 400 reservations for its official public opening on October 14. The new restaurant at 266 Broadway in Saugus serves up all-you-can-eat, flame-kissed meats carved tableside, a format that has become the latest chapter for a stretch of highway long defined by mid-century roadside dining.
According to Boston Restaurant Talk, Charkoal's occupies the former Continental restaurant space on the northbound side of Route 1, offering a traditional southern Brazilian rodízio experience. The restaurant is co-owned by Ana Paula Lima, Marina Lima, Ludovino Gardini, and Michele Gardini, and it held a soft opening on October 12 that featured Saugus Town Manager Scott Crabtree cutting the ceremonial ribbon with a meat knife, a nod to traditional rodízio service, according to Itemlive.
Getting to opening night took nearly two years of work behind the scenes. The 266 Broadway property was gutted to the studs, with plumbing and electrical systems updated and fire access and flood requirements addressed during town review, Itemlive's earlier reporting on the project noted. Town review also addressed parking at the site.
A Bigger Footprint Than The Continental Ever Had
Charkoal's main dining room seats 320 guests, and the building also includes an upstairs private event space for up to 120 people with its own dedicated service bar and kitchen, the same Itemlive report detailed. That private event space offers another venue for gatherings, echoing The Continental's longstanding role as a gathering place for local groups.
The buildout wasn't entirely smooth. During pre-opening construction in April, the building suffered a minor early-morning fire that was contained by an automatic sprinkler system and Saugus Fire Department crews, with no injuries and only minimal structural damage reported, per Itemlive's coverage at the time. Construction stayed on schedule despite the incident.
Cooking Over Charcoal, Southern Brazilian Style
True to its name, Charkoal's cooks its beef, lamb, pork, and poultry over natural open charcoal fires rather than gas, a method co-owners Ana and Marina Lima brought from southern Brazilian culinary tradition, Itemlive reported. The menu centers on traditional cuts like picanha alongside a salad bar with more than 40 items and a separate hot bar.
Pricing at the Saugus location runs from $22.95 for a weekday salad-and-hot-bar option up to $66.95 for the full daily dinner rodízio, according to Charkoal's own menu listings. Weekday lunch rodízio runs $39.95 and weekend lunch rodízio is $51.95, with children six and under eating free. A lighter weekday lunch menu featuring selected cuts is also available for $24.95.
Saugus is the company's first Massachusetts location, joining its restaurant in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
The End of a 72-Year Family Run
The Continental closed in fall 2024 after 72 years in business, known locally for its steak, seafood dishes, and popovers, per Boston Restaurant Talk. The restaurant had been acquired by the Kourkoulis family in 1983; the family's patriarch first worked there after immigrating to the United States in the mid-1950s, according to the Advocate News. In January 2025, the Saugus Board of Selectmen presented owner Paul Kourkoulis with an official town citation honoring 72 years of service.
The Continental had a brush with Hollywood a couple of years before closing. Director Alexander Payne and actors Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph filmed restaurant scenes there in February 2022 for the film The Holdovers, with the restaurant selected as an ideal filming location, the Advocate News reported.
Another Landmark Falls Along Route 1
The shift from a decades-old family steakhouse to an out-of-state dining concept fits a larger pattern reshaping Saugus's commercial strip. As Hoodline reported, Kowloon is slated for redevelopment into a multi-story residential and retail complex along the same corridor.
Along Route 1 in Saugus, The Continental's closure and Kowloon's proposed redevelopment reflect changes to the commercial strip. Charkoal's arrival adds an out-of-state dining concept to that changing landscape, even as the building itself remains a familiar fixture for longtime area diners.
