London's best American BBQ
Well, slap my thigh and call me Gutsy...
"Restraint" hardly springs to mind when you think of American BBQ; instead you're almost certainly picturing a ravenous hick greedily gutsing down a kilo of ribs as BBQ sauce drips off his face onto the napkin tucked into his pants. (Yeah, we've given this quite a bit of thought too)...
But that's exactly as our American cousins intended... the food's hot, brown... and plenty of it. Oh, and it's tasty as hell! From delicious pulled pork in a sandwich to racks of ribs, brisket and more side orders than you can shake your bathroom scales at... Unlike socks-and-sliders, this is one US export we're happy to take to our bosom.
Q Grill
29-33 Chalk Farm Road NW1 8AJ
Q Grill’s owner Des McDonald was CEO of Caprice Holdings before he opened <a href=”http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/restaurants/restaurant-17721.php”>The Fish & Chip Shop</a> in Islington. Here he turns his hand to American BBQ to great effect, adding a modern twist to with dishes such as charred octopus with kimchi and blood orange.The ribs and the barbecued hen wings in a bag are a must.
Out of all the BBQ joints that have sprung up over the last couple of years there is no doubt that Pitt Cue Co has been the biggest hit. The eatery began life as a food truck under the Hungerford Bridge, and it proved sosuccessful the owners have been able to open a permanent venue in Soho. Over two years and a cookbook later Pitt Cue Co still draws queues for their ribs, pulled pork and ox tail.
This pub in hip De Beauvoir Town has a wood pit smoker to slow-cook beef ribs and pulled pork. To match the menu there’s a selection of tequila, bourbon, American beers and locally brewed Beavertown.
Big Easy
332-334 King's Road SW3 5UR
American
Opening Times
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This could well be London’s oldest BBQ eatery as the original site on the King’s Road has been open for more than 20 years. The menu has home smoked meats and seafood, all served in large portions
As the name suggests the emphasis is on barbecued pork here, with things like pork ribs, pulled pork that’s been smoked for 18 hours and a burger with more pulled pork and streaky bacon. In addition there are southern specialities like spiced catfish and BBQ beans.
It’s all about the marinade at Joe’s Southern Kitchen & Bar (previously Navajo Joe’s),from the 24 hour marinated buttermilk chicken to the 8 hour slow roast beef ribs in BBQ rub. Here you’ll also find crab, gumbo and beer can chicken.
Richard Caring of Caprice Holdings is behind Grillshack, an all day eatery where the theme is strictly American from breakfast till dinnertime. Start the day with buttermilk pancakes or the ‘extra protein breakfast’ with pulled pork, hamburger, maple bacon and eggs. From 11.30 onwards there’s grilled chicken, ribs and steaks.
Having opened in 2002, Bodean’s pre-dates the trend for southern food and BBQ by about 10 years. Various types of barbecued ribs, chargrilled steaks, pulled pork sandwiches and mac and cheese with smoky chicken are on the menu, plus sports are shown on big screens.
