Beloved South African Chicken Chain Is Finally Coming to Austin

South African chain Nando's PERi-PERi recently announced that its first ever Austin location will open in the Mueller neighborhood in early 2024.

Drawing influence from Portuguese colonies in South Africa, which used the area's peppers to produce addictive "peri-peri" hot sauces, the Johannesburg grilled chicken joint is renowned worldwide, with "Cheeky Nandos" having entered UK parlance as a cheap and quick meal from the restaurant.

Nando's gained some American notoriety from being featured in the third episode of Season 3 of Donald Glover's FX series Atlanta, when the protagonists of the series stumble upon a British billionaire who is so obsessed with the chicken chain that he has a Nando's on-site at his estate in London.

Nando's is as ubiquitous in Africa and Europe as Church's or Golden Chick are in Austin. The chain was started in 1987 by Fernando Duarte and Robert Brozin in the Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville after the two had chicken with peri-peri at a spot called Chickenland. They were so hooked that they bought and rebranded the restaurant. Currently owned by the Enthoven family, Nando's is comparable to local stalwarts El Pollo Rico, known for its half or whole roasted chickens, bowls, wraps, and sandwiches.

Nando's recently expanded into Texas but has been in the United States since 2008, with two locations in Houston as well as one in the DFW area. The Mueller location is set to open sometime next year at 1825 McBee St. in the Origin Hotel, which is near children's museum the Thinkery and already houses the restaurant/bar Blue Lacy.

Formerly the home of Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, the neighborhood is known for its housing density and green spaces and is currently experiencing a restaurant boom, and to top it off, there are heavy rumors of a Whole Foods location coming to 51st and Cameron sometime in the near future.