Bp BARbq

Along with American football and speakeasy-themed bars, another quintessentially American export is gaining ground in Budapest: barbecued meat. Don’t yet go searching for regional barbecue restaurants specialized in Carolina- or Memphis-style, but Budapest’s fledgling smoked meat scene stepped it up a notch when Bp BARbq opened in 2016 in the city's trendy Jewish Quarter.

In addition to pork, the standard barbecue meat, Bp BARbq also makes (Central) Texas-style brisket, a more challenging and labor intensive cut. Following a 14-16 hour slow-smoking treatment under gentle heat inside a barbecue pit, the tough cuts of brisket turn into beautifully soft, fall-apart gelatin flaunting a black bark.

The main event at Bp BARbq is the barbecue sandwiches. The Boston butt pulled pork (€8) and the chopped "Reuben" brisket sandwiches (€9) are both excellent, but it's the Tipsy Texan (€11) that shines brightest at Bp BARbq: enclosed by a toasted bun comes a layer of fatty brisket topped with a flavorful smoked sausage. Yepp: meat over meat. "Tipsy Texan" pays homage to a similar sandwich made at the world-famous Franklin Barbecue in Austin.

With sandwiches priced around €10, Bp BARbq isn’t exactly cheap, but if you’re curious about barbecued meat in Budapest, this place won’t disappoint. The sandwiches come with a 160 gram /5.6 ounce meat, so they're unlikely to leave you hungry. Note that the format is counter-order, and the foods usually come out quickly.

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