21 smoking hot BBQ restaurants in London

It’s a shame that one of life’s great food experiences is so ill-suited to the British weather. Here in the UK, lighting up the barbecue is a tradition that’s famously confined to the summer months, and even then, the chances of a rain-free barbie are hit-and-miss at best. Luckily, London has cottoned on to this seasonal travesty and said – no more! You can now find a huge range of incredible barbecue restaurants in London that light up their charcoal and wood-fired ovens every day, so that lovers of food cooked over open flames may never be without. 

For die-hard traditionalists who believe that barbecues are purely for meat, you can find a host of American BBQ restaurants in London where ribs, brisket, wings and pork belly abound. It takes a certain degree of skill and dedication to achieve slow-smoked depth of flavour and a fall-apart texture, but there are many American-style smokehouses in the capital that are committed to the job. 

That being said, London’s best BBQ restaurants are changing the game in more ways than one, and that includes doing away with the idea that barbecues are made for meat. Dalston joint Acme Fire Cult, for example, is paving the way for a new generation of barbecue restaurants by putting the focus on vegetables and doing things more sustainably. Smoking Goat, on the other hand, specialises in Thai drinking food and and dishes cooked over open flames, a far cry from the over-cooked burgers and charcoal-crisp chipolatas we’ve come to associate with barbecues at home. 

London’s BBQ restaurant scene is eclectic and pioneering, so that whether you’re after the finger-licking stickiness of Texas-style short ribs or proper tandoori chicken cooked by Indian barbecue experts, there’s a place in the capital to cater for all your smoky food cravings. Discover the best BBQ restaurants London has to offer in this smoking hot round-up.  

Lagom, Hackney

What: Make your way through the cavernous drinking hall at Hackney Church Brew Co and slide around the back of the bar to the kitchen, where Elliot Cunningham and team are banging out smash burgers and epic barbecue food over a tiny wood fire and a plancha. Cunningham keeps his prices as low as possible so you can get some really incredible value here, and you’ll walk away smelling of smoke - a surefire sign you’ve had a good night.
Where: Hackney Church Brew Co, 16 & 17 Bohemia Place, E8 1DU
Book now: Lagom

Acme Fire Cult, Dalston 

What: Acme Fire Cult is a live fire concept located in 40FT Brewery in Dalston. Keen to move away from the classic ‘dude food’ BBQ, the menu here is based primarily around vegetables and incorporates low-waste cooking techniques such as fermenting and preserving in keeping with its sustainable ethos. Its dishes are whacky, wonderful and totally unique, such as flatbreads with homemade marmite butter, tandoori celeriac with chickpea puree, and grilled leeks with pistachio romesco. This is barbecuing like you’ve never seen it before.
Where: Abbot Street, E8 3DP
Book now: Acme Fire Cult  

From The Ashes BBQ, Hackney

What: From their new home at Five Points Brew Co on Mare Street, From The Ashes pair Martin Anderson and Curtis Bell smoke up some of the best barbecue in the city. Yes, some of the creations are borderline iconic, like that smoked pork, ‘nduja and chilli jam doughnut, but if you haven’t sampled the whole menu, or a Sunday roast, you’re missing out. Thursday smash burger night is also worth a trip across town for.
Where: 61 Mare Street, E8 4RG
Book now: From The Ashes BBQ

AGORA, Borough

What: Yes, we’re slightly stretching the term barbecue to fit in something we love - sue us. If you love skewers cooked over coals and rotisserie meats slowly turning over flickering wood fire, you’ll absolutely love AGORA. This Greek-inspired restaurant (from David Carter of Smokestak) sits right next to Borough Market with big open doors that look out onto the street. It’s a fabulous time - grab some of the wood-oven baked flatbreads whilst you’re here too.
Where: 2-4 Bedale Street, SE1 9AL
Book now: AGORA

Big Easy, Various locations

What:  This mini-chain of the deep south started out life at this original branch in Chelsea, where its wildly popular concoction of bargain-price lobster and BBQ pit-cooked ribs saw it dig its heels firmly into London’s barbecue dining scene. The vibe is as much a part of the fun at this laid-back American joint, inspired largely by happy hour menus, boozy brunches and a slushy bar serving cocktails by the jug.  
Where: Various locations
Book now: Big Easy Chelsea; Big Easy Covent Garden; Big Easy Canary Wharf; Big Easy Westfield Stratford

Parrillan, Borough Yards and King's Cross 

What: There are two Parrillans in London - one in Coal Drops Yard and a newer outlet in Borough Yards – with both based around the concept of cooking over a parrilla (Spanish grill). A great option for those who prefer to be behind the barbie, diners are invited to grill their own dishes on personal parrillas - although this part isn’t mandatory if you’d rather leave it to the pros. Familiar tapas dishes such as padron peppers and Andalusian olives kick things off before the grilling begins. Don't miss its signature dish: an enormous wood-roast veal shank with olive oil mash. It's meant for two to share but could easily feed three or four people.
Where: 4 Dirty Lane, SE1 9PA; Coal Drops Yard, N1C 4AB
Book now: Parrillan Borough Yards; Parrillan King's Cross 

Temper, Various locations

What: There’s no getting away from the fact that Temper LOVES to barbecue. Central to all its restaurants are open kitchens where diners can watch the chefs prepare, butcher and cook cuts of meat over roaring fire pits. The attention to quality is second to none as well, sourcing all its beef from rare-breed, grass-fed animals and prioritising small farms wherever it can. As a result, the difference in quality and flavour is palpable. Tuck into its famous tacos, including cheeseburger, cochinita pibil and crab variations, as well as dishes such as wood-roasted sea bass with tortillas, green sauce gochujang butter and fennel-mint salad.  
Where: Various locations 
Book now: Temper Soho; Temper Shoreditch; Temper City; Temper Covent Garden; Temper Paddington

Firebird, Soho 

What: Food cooked over fire, low intervention wines and an industrial-chic dining room - Firebird's offering might not be breaking boundaries any time soon, but these guys are absolutely nailing a concept that’s become fashionable in recent years. Of course, we’re most interested in its charcoal and wood-fire oven, where slow-smoking and charring are integral to its grill-based dishes. Examples might include pork skewers with burnt apple puree and dandelion, or beef cheek smoked over wood fire and served with polenta and spring onions.   
Where: 29 Poland Street, W1F 8Q
Book now: Firebird

Mangal II, Dalston

What: This Dalston ocakbasi is reaching borderline iconic status in east London thanks to a combination of masterful grill cooking and inquisitive, innovative flavour combinations. The Cull Yaw kofte is smokey barbecue cooking at its very best, but in truth, everything on the menu is great. Pop over on a lunchtime for a particularly great value lunch set menu.
Where: 4 Stoke Newington Road, N16 7XN
Book now: Mangal II

HUMO, Mayfair

What: The heart of this smoke-obsessed restaurant is a four metre long open wood-fire grill, where broad-stroke, modern international dishes are cooked entirely over smoke. Different wood smokes are layered, giving dishes a unique complexity that makes HUMO a real outlier in London’s restaurant scene. 
Where: 12 St George Street, W1S 2FB
Book now: HUMO

Cue Point at Orbit Brewery, Kennington

What: Cue Point fuses barbecue techniques from Argentina, Texas, Afghanistan and Guyana. The result? Big slabs of slow-smoked briskets, brilliant sides, and some of the juiciest barbecue in the city. Cue Point has jumped around London a bit over the last few years, but currently has set up shop at Orbit Brewery in Kennington whilst they look for a new permanent site. Given how delicious every single bite on the menu is, we hope it's a question of when, not if.
Where: Arches 225-228, Fielding Street, SE17 3HD
Book now: Cue Point at Orbit Brewery

Yanji, Bethnal Green

What: Yanji does real-deal Korean barbecue, even serving up some of the lesser-seen offal cuts that westerners usually avoid. We thoroughly recommend getting stuck into skewers of chicken gizzards, hearts and pork intestines, as well as classic Korean cooking like bulgogi, japchae and seafood pancakes.
Where: 153 Bethnal Green Road, E2 7DG
Book now: Yanji

Brigadiers, City 

What: Indian barbeque restaurant Brigadiers doubles as a sports bar and is inspired by the army mess bars in India where military regiments would go to eat, drink and socialise. In modern day terms, that amounts to a pool room with a self-service whisky dispenser and TVs locked to Sky Sports. The food, though, is in a world of its own entirely, with a focus is on different methods of Indian barbecue, using tandoors, charcoal grills, rotisseries, wood ovens and classic Indian smokers to achieve flame-kissed flavour across all its dishes.
Where: 1-5 Bloomberg Arcade, EC4N 8AR 
Book now: Brigadiers 

Berber & Q, Hackney 

What: Haggerston hangout Berber & Q explains that it chooses to cook over fire for the simple reason that ‘it makes taste food better’. And it’s hard to disagree when dishes such as coffee-rubbed pork belly with BBQ sauce and pickled fennel, and wood-roasted prawn pil pil are elevated beyond belief by the jiggery pokery of live flames. The menu is largely influenced by Middle Eastern and North African cuisine, and favours vegetables as much as it does meat and fish. We think any barbecue enthusiast could learn a thing or two from these guys.  
Where: Acton Mews, E8 4EA 
Book now: Berber & Q 

Bodean's, Covent Garden

What: Bodean's is committed to bringing Kansas City-style BBQ to London, with its meat-loaded platters, homemade rubs and secret sauces. Easily recognisable by its distinctive pink neon sign out front, you can find this epic BBQ restaurant at five locations across London where it serves an epic range of combos, burgers, sandwiches, hotdogs, mains and more. 
Where: 25 Catherine Street, WC2B 5JS
Book now: Bodean's

Smokehouse, Islington 

What: This North London gastropub has kept its formula simple: offer the best smoked and grilled food in London washed down with an excellent beer list and wine sourced from local vineyards. These guys also butcher their meat on site to offer quality cuts with the best flavour, while sourcing everything as locally as it can. So, what does that amount to menu-wise? BBQ pork belly with apple BBQ glaze, half smoked beer-brined chicken with wild garlic pesto and lemon dressing, and smoked rare breed ribeye with bone marrow, crushed Jersey Royals and salsa verse, to name a few.  
Where: 63-69 Canonbury Road, N1 2DG 
Book now: Smokehouse 

Smith's Bar & Grill, Paddington

What: Pop into Smith’s Bar & Grill on a Monday from noon onwards and you’ll find this enormous Paddington restaurant cranking out juicy briskets alongside classic Deep South barbecue sides like mac and cheese, corn, pickles and sweet potato fries. A huge brisket platter for two clocks in at just £40 - guaranteed to improve your Monday.
Where: 25 Sheldon Square, W2 6EY
Book now: Smith's Bar & Grill

Smoking Goat, Shoreditch 

What: Smoking Goat has been a smash hit from the minute it opened its doors back in 2014, serving Thai barbecue small plates cooked in large clay pots. Dishes are made for sharing and include Massaman smoked short tib, lardo rice, barbecue beef heart with coriander and peanut salad, and kra pow smoked mutton.
Where: 64 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JJ 
Book now: Smoking Goat 

Smokestak, Shoreditch 

What: Smokestak started out life as a street food shack after founder David Carter was inspired by his travels around the deep south of America. He eventually went on to open this bricks and mortar site in 2016, an industrial sort of place with a large open kitchen where chefs wield their barbecue prowess. The menu is meat-heavy and separated into small and large sharing plates, starting with nibble dishes such as wood roasted bone marrow with sourdough and working up to charred pork belly ribs, beef brisket with mustard sauce, and 30-day dry aged beef rib.  
Where: 35 Sclater Street, E1 6LB 
Book now: Smokestak 

Texas Joe’s Slow Smoked Meats, Bermondsey 

What: Another solid option for American BBQ lovers is Texas Joe’s, a canteen-like joint next to London Bridge station where slow-smoked meats in various guises are the order of the day. It's spearheaded by Joe Walters, aka Texas Joe, who launched the restaurant in 2013 after a desire to bring proper Hill Country BBQ to London. All its meat is carefully sourced from local farms and slow-smoked over English oak to create its unrivalled flavour. Discover beef brisket, short ribs, pork shoulder and chicken thighs all served with slaw, pickles and sauce.
Where: 8-9 Snowsfields, SE1 3SU 
Book now: Texas Joe’s Slow Smoked Meats 

The Blues Kitchen, Camden

What: A good time is guaranteed to be had whichever branch of The Blues Kitchen you end up at. It serves food from American’s deep south, live music every evening and various liquid enticements in the form of draught beers, signature cocktails and a bumper crop bourbon list.  
Where: 111-113 Camden High Street, NW1 7JN 
Book now: The Blues Kitchen 

Hungry for more meat? Dig your teeth into this list of the best steakhouses in London.