Inspired by Texas, fired by smoke – Petrol Beer & Barbeque opens on the Nagykörút - English

The smoke of a new-wave barbecue has spread from Austin all the way to József körút, the lively section of the Nagykörút near Rákóczi tér. Behind the US-inspired Petrol Beer & Barbeque are Áron Kelemen, executive chef at the renowned Mazel Tov group, his partner Mátyás Hubay and team.

The Nagykörút threading through Pest offers a mixed bag of outlets. Recently joining them is Petrol Beer & Barbeque, the final flower of a love of street food showcased by the Smoke Riders BBQ trucks and Karaván on Kazinczy utca on the part of the owners.

Photo: Chalhoub Emil - Petrol Beer & Barbeque

Here, the guys wanted an honest, fixed BBQ restaurant combined with a craft-beer pub under one roof.

An industrial vibe is combines with the psychedelic visuals typical of local craft brewers Fehér Nyúl, available from several taps. An entire wall dedicated to Barbequina, witch of the barbecues, has been painted by famed muralist Tripo.

The restaurant, inspired by Texas and Louisiana, also draws from the barbecue offerings of several other regions, connected by a love of smoked meat. In addition, it breaks with the appetiser-soup-main course combination and prioritises the experience of social dining based on the sharing concept.

The LITER (HUF 1,700-2,500) on the menu refers to the smallest sampling option, the GALLON (HUF 1,800-3,900) to a larger portion, while SIDE (HUF 400-900) is where you find the side dishes. Think of it as a BBQ tapas bar.

Photo: Puskás Nóri - Petrol Beer & Barbeque

Unusually, they have a smoked brisket pho soup, while with the chicken wings, you can sense the spiciness, acidity and sweetness at play. At the moment, they are also working on vegan barbecue options such as smoked cauliflower, beetroot and sweet potatoes.

Varied Asian dishes include smoked duck-breast salad and Korean BBQ, but there’s Mexican brisket tacos, too. Among the side dishes, smoked kimchi is a ferocious choice for the very brave.

Fourteen types of draught beer and many more bottled and canned craft choices complement an amazing selection of whiskeys, rums and gins. Sports action can be followed on the LED TV beaming out onto the busy boulevard terrace, while the interior feels as zingy and sassy as any BBQ joint should be.