12 Nov The Latin Cowboys: Meats, Memories & More

By Joshua Anderson for the Peekskill Business Improvement District

Combining a passion for food and construction while fusing cultural heritage and tradition, Gauchos Steakhouse, a Brazilian Barbecue (Churrasco) restaurant, was opened by Alex Mendia, 34, in 2022. Located at 5 North Division Street, Gauchos is the only Brazilian steakhouse you’ll find within a 30 mile radius of Peekskill, NY. 

Rodízio is a Brazilian style of dining where the servers continually provide guests with all-you-can eat rotation of slow-roasted beef, pork, and poultry on skewers right at your table. These meats are carved in front of your eyes and placed directly onto your plate.  Each cut is expertly seasoned and cooked over an open flame to bring out its rich, smoky flavors.

These kinds of dining establishments, like Gauchos, use a card system (green/red) to indicate whether a customer wants more meat. 

Mendia tried rodizio style once, and knew he wanted to open his own restaurant. When the opportunity presented itself to open a restaurant in Peekskill’s Restaurant Row, Mendia took his shot. Starting with high hopes, he renovated the place entirely by himself. 

 “I wasn’t a chef. I was a builder. But this place? I built this with my bare hands,” Mendia said. 

The restaurant boasts a vibrant atmosphere of live music, authentic dishes and a diverse clientele. If you come to dine, order the picanha, a must-have cut of beef, that is a popular in Brazil and known for being tender and flavorful. To round out your meal, order the caipirinha (the most requested cocktail at Gauchos) made with cachaça, sugar and lot of lime. Cachaça is the most popular spirit in Brazil, made similar to rum but with fresh sugarcane juice. 

“You feel like you’re coming home. That’s the goal,” Mendia said.

Gauchos specializes in 12 different skewers, offering various cuts of meat.  Mendia explains the challenges of working with charcoal over gas, “temperatures can rise up to 700-900 degrees,” so the meats need to be carefully monitored to ensure quality. 

Unlike gas, which offers a consistent flame, charcoal fluctuates, demanding constant attention. That intensity, Mendia says, is what gives the meat its rich flavor 

The term “Gauchos” represents a specific way of preparing and presenting meat. It can also be defined as a South American cowboy, representing freedom, honor and courage. 

Many of these Latino cowboys were known for digging a pit, throwing wood into it, lighting a fire, and cooking meat on sticks over the open flames. 

This restaurant uses charcoal to cook their meats, which mimics the taste and texture of the traditional Gaucho method of cooking over an open fire. 

Beyond rodizio, Gauchos offer a variety of South American-inspired dishes, complemented by gourmet salads, house-made sauces, and freshly prepared sides. Gauchos features weekly specials, live music and DJs. 

Customers come from all over to have a meal or a drink and they leave with memories.  One couple, who proposed at the restaurant, often returns to reminisce and enjoy Gauchos’ atmosphere. 

Almost the entire staff is bilingual, versed in English and Spanish. Some admit to struggling with conversation, but cherish the opportunity to grow with every interaction. 

In 2020, Mendia built his restaurant, transitioning from construction contractor to restaurateur. He designed the restaurant’s wooden interior to remind him of his grandparents’ homes and focused on creating authentic dishes with cultural ties. 

Suddenly, in 2022, while Mendia was painting the side window, a car crashed through his restaurant, leaving Mendia permanently affected. He was told at the time he might not walk again, and might need surgery to prevent paralysis. 

The accident was a major setback, occurring at a critical time when he was investing all his savings and efforts into establishing and opening the restaurant. He was left unable to move for some time, relying on his wife’s assistance. 

However, that didn’t stop him, and according to him, nothing will, “If I survived all of that, I’m not giving up. That’s not an option for me.”

This restaurant isn’t just meat and music. It’s a living example of a second chance and a symbol of what determination can build.

The kitchen and the bar staffs start prepping at noon, if they expect a crowd, like on nights when there is a show at the Paramount. 

“When the place is packed and people are watching me make drinks, that’s when I come alive,” the bartender, Juan Carlos Murillo said. 

He enjoys making a negroni, a classic cocktail made with equal parts gin, campari, and sweet vermouth, and often garnished with an orange slice or peel.  Caipirinhas and margaritas are top sellers especially during the summer. 

Murillo initially came here through friendship with the owner. What keeps him here is a passion for cocktails, the opportunity to develop his craft and his English. 

Gauchos balances family dining with evening entertainment through careful programming of live music, karaoke nights and special events. All while maintaining a safe, welcoming atmosphere.

Gauchos has always tried its best to support locals, that includes rotating art exhibits every three months, featuring Peekskill’s own artists.  There are specific light fixtures focused on the artwork; all of the art is for sale.

The restaurant has plans for more community partnerships, vegan menu options and improvement every year. 

“You keep evolving. You don’t just open a place and stop.

 

 

(C) 2025 Peekskill Business Improvement District. Photos by Joshua Anderson. Edited by Bill Powers.  If you are a downtown destination business, and would like to be considered for an upcoming profile article, please email us at peekskillbid1@gmail.com.