Join the NYC BBQ Community to Stay Connected
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A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to attend the excellent Pig Island NYC event on Staten Island. While the food was the star of the show, the other aspect of events like Pig Island that I love is seeing people in the barbecue community.
Last year's Jeff Michner Barbecue Benefit at Pig Beach featured big pitmaster personalities from the likes of Chris Lilly and Tank Jackson, something I seriously miss.
When I go to barbecue events, I get the chance to talk to restaurant owners and workers, pitmasters, food writers and photographers, bartenders, and other barbecue lovers like myself. I miss trading notes on the best bites, learning how dishes were made, and the tremendous personalities.
Big events like the Beer Bourbon and BBQ Festival are planning to return in 2021.
My sincere hope is that in 2021 we will be allowed to head back to the fun events that make NYC a special place for food lovers. If we can get COVID-19 truly under control throughout the country, we have a shot of great events being able to come back in full force.
But until that time, we should all stay connected and I encourage followers of NYC BBQ Weekly to join the NYC BBQ online community in the following ways:
Join the brand-new NYC BBQ Facebook group, where we’ll discuss the best barbecue restaurants, news, recipes, and more.
Be a part of the NYC BBQ Meetup group, where we will eventually host in-person meetups when it’s safe.
Follow NYC BBQ’s social channels on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to keep up with the latest news, updates, and delicious food photos.
Sign up for sister newsletter The Smoke Sheet to better keep up with the national barbecue scene and see how those trends influence NYC BBQ.
Thank you all for making NYC BBQ a true community, and I hope to see you in the Facebook group and at Meetups in the future. Also, if you are interested in writing for NYC BBQ Weekly as a guest writer, please drop me a note.
Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ
EAT ALL ABOUT IT
Eater NY writer Robert Sietsema recently biked around NYC to try a few top brisket options, including the revamped brisket at Blue Smoke.
Here are the top BBQ and related food news stories you need to know about this week:
Eater NY’s Robert Sietsema revisited several of the city’s best barbecue joints by bicycle during a recent two-week period to try their brisket. He visited Mable’s Smokehouse, Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque, Fette Sau, Hill Country Barbecue Market, Hometown Bar-B-Que, and Blue Smoke.
Indoor dining will return on September 30 in New York City at 25% capacity. Local barbecue joints that will be reopening their dining rooms will include Hill Country Barbecue Market in Manhattan, Pig Beach in Brooklyn, and Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbecue. (More on this next week once we have a full list of places opening their dining rooms.)
Dekalb Market Hall in Downtown Brooklyn will soon have two new awesome food options: First, the second location of fast-casual favorite Creamline will be serving up fried chicken sandwiches, milkshakes, and more. Pulkies, a new Jewish-style barbecue spot that had originally opened in Chelsea Market, will open in Dekalb Market Hall in October.
Speaking of Pulkies, the Jewish-style barbecue joint was also featured in a new Forbes article on the new generation of Jewish deli food in NYC. It spotlights both Pulkies and Edith’s, a “1950’s Jewish deli that operates from Paulie Gee’s wood-fire pizza joint in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.”
The Meat Hook Butchers have opened a new restaurant in Williamsburg called Cozy Royale that features a handful of meaty specialty dishes, including Pepperoni Rolls, Pork Steak, Sticky Little Pork Sausages, and Beef Neck.
Chris Finnick, owner and CEO of Mama’s Southern Style BBQ 2 in Vauxhall, NJ, was recently honored as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s New Jersey Small Business Person of the Year for 2020.
IRL BBQ EVENTS
One of the only upcoming food events on the calendar is the Forest Hill Wings Fest in November.
November 7, 2020: The Forest Hills Wings Fest, perfect for anyone who loves chicken wings and beer, is scheduled for November at Cobblestones Pub & Biergarten in Forest Hills, Queens. Lots of wings will be available to try and more. Buy tickets here.
January 30, 2021: The 11th Annual Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival will be back at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint. The event focuses on bourbon and beer tastings, along with multiple barbecue joints serving up lots of excellent smoked meats. Buy tickets here.
NOTE: Due to COVID-19, information concerning events in NYC is subject to change, and events may be rescheduled. Click the button below to see the latest up-to-date information. CHECK OUT THE FULL EVENTS CALENDAR HERE
SAY HELLO
If you're not already subscribed to the newsletter, sign up here. You can also follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. If you want to write for NYC BBQ Weekly, sponsor the newsletter, or let me know about the best new barbecue you’ve tried, send me an email and let’s talk!