Pure Grit Brings Savory Vegan BBQ to NYC
Pure Grit BBQ founder Kerry Fitzmaurice poses in front of her new restaurant. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
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I first started writing about the concept of vegan barbecue in 2016, and since that time, I’ve been waiting for a full-fledged restaurant in NYC to finally realize its potential. Now that restaurant has finally launched, and its name is Pure Grit BBQ, located at 36 Lexington Ave in Manhattan.
Founder Kerry Fitzmaurice has been working for years to launch the Pure Grit BBQ restaurant. She originally had planned to open her fast-casual vegan BBQ restaurant in May 2020, but the pandemic had other plans. She pivoted to online retailing, patiently waiting until the day New York City returned back to “normal” enough to make the restaurant make sense.
After an incredibly long wait, Pure Grit BBQ opened in Manhattan last week. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
Fitzmaurice experienced many feelings when the doors opened last week. “I felt relief, excitement, and fear — all the emotions,” she said. “It was a beautiful day to invite friends and family to come finally experience the food and taste it. It was exactly what I hoped it would be.”
During the past few years, while waiting to open, Fitzmaurice has worked alongside co-founder Jenny Mauric and chef Emily Hersh to create items that fit the brand’s “BBQ For All” tagline. The menu today features a wide array of dishes, including starters like Fried Tofu Bites tossed in BBQ sauce; main plates like sliced Impossible Cut or Smoked Jackfruit; open-faced sandwiches like Fried Daring Chicken Sandwich and Impossible Queso Burger; and sides like coleslaw, waffle fries, baked beans, and fried sweet potato bites. Oh, and there are killer “Kitchen Sink Cookies” for dessert.
Chef Emily Hersh (left) and her mother represented Pure Grit BBQ at a recent event in Brooklyn. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
This week, I tried the Impossible Cut, Fried Daring Chicken Sandwich, Impossible Queso Burger, and a few more items. The standout for me was the Fried Chicken Sandwich (which is made with Daring plant-based soy protein) that is served with a cornbread waffle, coleslaw, red onions, pickles, and hot maple syrup. The Impossible Queso Burger also had a nice combination of textures and flavors, but I admittedly wasn’t going to confuse it with a traditional cheeseburger.
Maybe the most impressive aspect of the menu is that every time is also gluten-free. A few months back, I was having some minor gut health issues and attempted to go gluten-free for a few weeks as a test. I have since gone back to gluten, but it was a helpful and exceptionally challenging experience. So many things you might not think have gluten do have it, so I applaud what Fitzmaurice, Mauric, and Hersh have created here. Every gluten intolerant person in NYC needs to try this menu.
A full spread at Pure Grit BBQ. (Photo by Sean Ludwig)
Some traditional barbecue lovers out there will look at the Pure Grit BBQ menu and refuse to give it a spin. That would be a shame, given the culinary creativity at work and the thought that has gone into this concept. And the fact that the items are damn tasty, no matter what label the food has.
One thing I’d love to see more barbecue lovers consider is supplementing high-quality meat-focused meals with more health-conscious ones. Giving vegan BBQ a chance could even be a way for barbecue lovers to help save the planet.
Don't forget to grab a Kitchen Sink Cookie for dessert at Pure Grit BBQ. (Photo courtesy of Pure Grit BBQ)
Pure Grit BBQ joins a few other known vegan BBQ concepts around the country that have garnered buzz, including Smorgasburg NYC staple Monk’s Meats, Oakland’s Vegan Mob, Portland’s Homegrown Smoker, and Los Angeles-based Compton Vegan. I have no doubt this category will keep expanding as more people discover that you’re allowed to be both a hardcore meat-lover and an appreciator of creative vegan eats.
Sean Ludwig
Founder, NYC BBQ
EAT ALL ABOUT IT
I interviewed Leonard from the NY-based Baseball and BBQ podcast for an article in The Smoke Sheet.
Here are the top BBQ and related food news stories you need to know about this week:
In Wednesday’s issue of The Smoke Sheet newsletter, I interviewed Leonard Aberman of the Baseball and BBQ Podcast. Co-hosts Leonard and Jeff are based on Long Island, and despite their distinctly Northeastern ties, they’ve landed an incredible slate of baseball and barbecue guests from all over the country. I had a blast talking with Leonard about how the podcast got started, all-time top guests, and more. READ MORE.
New Jersey food reporter Pete Genovese has released his ranked list of the 33 best BBQ joints in NJ for National Barbecue Month. The list is in an odd order (Kimchi Smoke and Mutiny BBQ should be in the top 10, for example), but most of the heavy hitters are represented here. READ MORE.
NJ-based Ray Sheehan, aka BBQ Buddha, announced that he would be opening a new restaurant called Ray’s Roadside Kitchen this summer in Cream Ridge, NJ. The town he’s based in sounds delicious, so I’m confident the food will be too. Sheehan is the author of multiple books and won the first Sauce King NYC competition, so I can’t wait to check it out. READ MORE.
Last weekend, hundreds of wing fans from all over New York shook their tail feathers to Oceanside for the NY Best Wings Fest. Smoke Sweats, a friend of this newsletter, captured several of the top moments of the event on Instagram. The event was also written up by the Long Island Herald. READ MORE.
This Memorial Day weekend, expect lots of folks to bring out their grills and smokers. However, the Firefighters Association of the State of New York is reminding grillers to be mindful of the dangers this weekend and offers several tips to keep your family safe. READ MORE.
Pig Beach BBQ’s new cookbook, co-authored by Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride, was released this past week. The book has already received many write-ups, including a spotlight from the New York Times. READ MORE.
IRL BBQ EVENTS
Do not miss Rib King NYC 2022, which will feature many amazing bites on Memorial Day weekend.
Here are the top BBQ and related food events coming soon to the New York metro area:
May 28, 2022: This Memorial Day weekend is going to have a forecast for delicious pork and beef at Rib King NYC 2022. The event will be held at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden on Staten Island and is great for families and groups. Chefs and pitmaster talent will include Holy City Hogs, Bark Barbecue, Big Guns BBQ, Blue Smoke, Smoke Sweats, Chef Jesse Jones, Jase BBQ, Queens Custom Barbecue, and many more. BUY TICKETS HERE.
June 9, 2022: If you love brisket (let’s get real, you probably do if you’re reading this), then you won’t want to miss the Brisket Bash with Hill Country Barbecue in NYC and Kimchi Smoke in NJ. Kimchi Smoke founder Robert Cho will join Hill Country executive chef Ash Fulk in a discussion about brisket, barbecue, and everything in between moderated by Nick Solares while guests enjoy a tasting of their smoked brisket and pickles. BUY TICKETS HERE.
June 11-12, 2022: The Sun BBQ Fest celebrates the best in barbecue with lots of food, cold beer, hand-crafted cocktails, and live music. We invite guests to enjoy full plate vending from nationally acclaimed BBQ teams, sample small bites in our “People’s Choice Competition”, or participate in the annual Wing & Rib competition. MORE INFO HERE.
June 12, 2022: Fink's Second BBQ Grand Bus Tour will take participants on a bus ride to four North Jersey spots to eat smoked meats and drink cold beer to their hearts' content. Hosted by David Finkelstein, owner and pitmaster of Fink's BBQ Smokehouse and Fink's BBQ and Cheesesteak Roadhouse, the event will be a ride of a lifetime. BUY TICKETS HERE.
Please get in touch if you would like your food event listed here!
SAY HELLO
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