Pig Beach Opening Long-Awaited Queens Location This Weekend
Pig Beach Queens, which has the largest outdoor space of any NYC BBQ joint, opens this Sunday in Astoria.
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More than a year after its planned launch, the owners of Brooklyn’s Pig Beach NYC are finally opening its long-awaited Queens counterpart in Astoria this Sunday. The restaurant, located at 35-37 36th Street in Astoria, is in the old Studio Square beer garden space and is roughly twice the size of the already huge Brooklyn location, measuring more than 28,000 square feet.
Pig Beach Queens was slated to originally open in April 2020, but those plans were scrapped as NYC (and the world) began to realize just how disruptive the pandemic would be to restaurants and our lives generally. Co-owners Matt Abdoo, Shane McBride, and Rob Shawger valiantly reopened Pig Beach’s Brooklyn location in July 2020 after four months of being closed and it has flourished since reopening, with a great outdoor space and high-quality food.
The new smoked lamb shoulder at Pig Beach in Astoria is a neighborhood-inspired item.
Chef Matty Boudreau, who has collaborated previously with Pig Beach on pop-ups and events on Long Island, will be taking over pitmaster and kitchen duties at the Queens location. Boudreau has worked off-and-on in Long Island and NYC fine dining restaurants for the past 15 years. He says the menu will be similar to the Brooklyn location (brisket, ribs, burgers, BBQ sandwiches, etc.) at first but it will evolve and transform over time. The restaurant will have its own specials too.
The only major menu item that is different from the Brooklyn location for the opening is the new Greek-style smoked lamb shoulder, which is served on a grilled pita with “NYC white sauce.” I was able to sample this new item and found it remarkably similar to eating smoked pulled pork but had more flavor and came to life more with the white sauce.
The large inside area at Pig Beach Queens will open soon.
Because the new Queens location was previously the Studio Square beer garden, the restaurant has also invested in a significant bar operation to help attract large groups and events. More than 10 beers are available on draft and more than 10 canned beer, cider, and seltzer drinks are available. Local brewers including Finback Brewery, EBBS Brewing, Brooklyn Brewery, and Interboro Spirits and Ales are all represented on the bar menu.
Pig Beach's Brooklyn location has long been considered one of the best in NYC and the menu is nearly identical at the Queens counterpart.
Additionally, because the location is so large (it’s by far the biggest BBQ joint in the NYC metro), Pig Beach Queens also lends itself to being an event venue. Boudreau said the space could hold concerts and will be the location for the next Jeff Michner BBQ Benefit event in April 2021. There is also a private event space inside the restaurant that is near completion.
Don't forget to order some sides at Pig Beach Queens.
Outside of the Queens location, the Pig Beach team also has a long-awaited Palm Beach location in Florida planned to open before the end of the year. Partner, chef, and pitmaster Matt Abdoo will be traveling down to the Palm Beach location to oversee the opening.
The bar at Pig Beach Queens is well-stocked and has a lot of options.
Expect a lot more news to drop about the new Pig Beach Queens location in the next few weeks. Be sure to check out more photos and insights on the NYC BBQ Instagram page in the coming weeks to learn more about Pig Beach Queens and what the future holds for the location.
Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ
EAT ALL ABOUT IT
Last weekend's NYCWFF Backyard BBQ had a lot of amazing bites. (Photo by Anthony Scerri / Smoke Sweats.)
Here are the top BBQ and related food news stories you need to know about this week:
This past Sunday’s massive New York City Wine and Food Festival (NYCWFF) came to a close with the indulgent and exciting Backyard BBQ session. The Backyard BBQ featured many of the best pitmasters in the New York City metro area and one of the best in Texas. I was there and captured a lot of the action, with some help from Anthony Scerri of Smoke Sweats. READ MORE.
Jersey Shore BBQ closed its Belmar, NJ location recently, but owner Doug Walsh said his Point Pleasant Beach location that opened in June will remain open and become the focus of the business. "We have three times the space in Point Pleasant Beach than we had in Belmar and we really wanted to evolve our offerings to a little more than just barbecue," said Walsh. "We also want to evolve our catering practice as well, and we didn't have the space to do that in Belmar." READ MORE.
New York-based vegan BBQ operation Pure Grit BBQ launched its first pop-up in Brooklyn, with plans for more future pop-ups coming soon. READ MORE.
Eater NY wrote about the proliferation of new smash burger joints in New York City. “Since April, more than a half-dozen burger spots have opened their doors in Manhattan alone, including several from established chefs not previously associated with counter-service restaurants.” READ HERE.
IRL BBQ AND FOOD EVENTS
The Bowl of Zole festival from Food Karma Projects in Williamsburg will feature lots of pozole and mezcal samples.
Here are the top BBQ and related food events coming soon to the New York metro area:
October 23, 2021: The Bowl of 'Zole Pozole and Mezcal Festival from Food Karma Projects celebrates pozole and mezcal by bringing excellent chefs and top importers together in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The second annual Bowl of ‘Zole will take place on Saturday, October 23. There will be outdoor and indoor spaces to enjoy food and beverages. BUY TICKETS HERE.
October 23, 2021: If you enjoy sampling beer, don’t miss the Jersey City Craft Beer Fest. Harborside’s Morgan St Lot will be hosting an eclectic local variety of beer and cider in all styles combining the best elements of a beer garden with the staggering array of choices found only at a festival. Guests will enjoy craft beer samples paired with live entertainment, food, and games. BUY TICKETS HERE.
November 11, 2021: The annual WhiskyFest New York event is back in November at the Marriot Marquis in Times Square. Meet the whisky distillers, master blenders, and other whisky experts who will be in attendance. This is your chance to taste from a selection of single malt and blended Scotch, Irish, bourbon, rye, Tennessee, Japanese, Canadian, and craft-distilled whiskies, all assembled in one Grand Ballroom. BUY TICKETS HERE.
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