In the true spirit of National BBQ Week, most of us will be dusting off our aprons, popping the beers in the fridge, and getting our BBQ tongs ready to indulge in a spot of al fresco dining.
However, if you’re looking for a place to enjoy some delicious (and non-weather dependent) barbie-style food without having to worry about clearing up, we’ve noted that there are plenty of smokin’ hot BBQ joints around to get excited about.
Here at The PHA Group, we’ve rounded up what we think are some of the best smokehouses in the city:
Bodean’s Smokehouse & Barbecue restaurant
With restaurants in various locations such as Soho (our personal favourite), Covent Garden, Tower Hill, Muswell Hill, and Fulham, in London, you’re never too far away from one of Bodean’s traditional smokehouse restaurants.
The authentic Kansas-City inspired menu features everything you would expect from a traditional barbeque joint; including loaded hot dogs, ribs (the best on this side of the Atlantic according to Time Out) and pulled pork.
And as if that wasn’t enough, you can even order your favourite BBQ treats to be delivered straight to your front door, so you can tell your friends and family you grilled it all yourself. Surely a barbecue experience not to be missed!
Big Easy – Bar.B.Q and Lobster Shak
Inspired by the 19th-century crab shacks and Bar.B.Q of the American Gulf Coast, this BBQ joint prides itself on using only the finest cuts of meat from very carefully selected butchers, as well as lobster, sourced all the way from Nova Scotia.
At their Covent Garden and Canary Wharf restaurants, these barbecue aficionados cook up a storm using the traditional US home-smoked method, over wood. With the Kings Road restaurant favouring a specialist Parilla Charcoal Grill. Offering boozy brunches, and live music, what’s not to love?
Levi Roots Caribbean Smokehouse
Proving that smokehouse-style food doesn’t always have to be all-American, is Levi Roots with his Caribbean Smokehouse ‘Rastaurant’ based in Stratford.
It’s always been Levi’s dream to open a Caribbean-style eatery, and in 2015 that became a reality. Levi’s place serves up some of the best Jerk chicken you’ll ever taste, amongst other traditional Caribbean favourites to make your taste buds dance, including smoked meats and vegetables all finished on their authentic jerk pit.
As Levi says, “Put some music in your food” – simply delicious!
It’s crazy to think that Pitt Cue started up as a food van parked on Southbank, serving Southern-style brisket and pulled pork. Since those days they have grown into a beautiful brick and mortar restaurant based in Devonshire Square, Spitalfields Market, which includes an extended bar, an open kitchen featuring a custom-made wood-burning grill, and a brewery on-site – what an incredible journey!
The specials menu changes daily, but Southern-style smoked meats such as pig’s jowl with apple ketchup, and beef neck with shitake mushroom are always readily available.
This restaurant also now takes reservations (a switch up from previous years), which means no queuing!
Smokehouse Islington is part of Noble Inns, a family-owned company comprising of 4 pubs and restaurants in London.
At the heart of this is their desire to offer the best smoked and grilled food in London alongside the best beer list in London (20 on tap, 60 in the bottle), and source wine from small, independently-owned vineyards.
They butcher their meat offering on-site to create a specialist menu of coal-grilled prime cuts and slow-cooked specialities. Fish is delivered from Cornish markets, and all fruit and vegetables are supplied by Natoora greengrocer.
They also have a beautiful outside area here (hard to find in London), so you can still enjoy the sunshine while you are dining!
Did you like our choices? To learn more about what PR could do for your brand, speak to a member of our award-winning team today.