Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue

About 6 months ago we had a barbecue revelation at Street Feast in London. We dug our teeth into the ribs at SmokeStack and discovered quite how tasty traditional American barbecue can be.

I think this barbecue experience helped B decide more easily that we really should move to the US: here was an opportunity to eat this smoky, slow-cooked meat much more regularly and much more easily that one can in the UK.

B has been keen to try out as many BBQ places as possible since we've arrived in NYC. Our first stop was at Fletcher's. Here their free-range, ethically-soured meat is smoked for hours and hours over maple and red oak: the menu changes daily depending on what cuts of meat are available, and there's a whole range of sides to choose from too.

Drinks are served up in mason jars (obviously, this is Brooklyn after all), and soon your name is yelled across the small room: your tray has been filled with meats and sides and it's time to dig in. Ribs and brisket were perfectly blackened, we doused them in BBQ sauce and chomped our way through the piles of both. The mac & cheese was just as American mac & cheese should be - salty, comforting, and moreish; the collard greens had been tossed with nuggets of burnt ends making them satisfyingly hearty; the slaw was the perfect light and crunchy contrast to everything else on our tray.

With messy hands and faces we managed to resist another portion of brisket and rolled home to start planning our next barbecue trip.

Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue, 433 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215