Skip to main content

Pig Beach is Brooklyn’s best new barbecue

Feasting is our column dedicated to cooking, grilling, eating and discovering what’s on the menu across America and the world.

New York City barbecue has truly come into its own this last decade. It started with places like Blue Smoke and Fette Sau, which paved the way for gems like Arrogant Swine to open their doors in the last couple years. It seems like a new barbecue spot is popping up every few months, but one opening this year has stood out above the rest. Enter Pig Beach, a collaboration between two award-winning barbecue teams that’s found a permanent home in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Recommended Videos

Opened by Shane McBride (Balthazar)—the captain of Ribdiculous Bar-B-Krewe—and team Salty Rinse’s Rob Shawger (founder and team captain), Ed McFarland (Ed’s Lobster Bar) and Matt Abdoo (Del Posto), the Pig Beach team brings more than 80 years of restaurant cooking experience and several American BBQ awards to the table. Michael Greenlee—former wine director of Le Cirque and Gotham Bar and Grill—even created a white wine for the joint called Salty Rinse.

pig beach nyc
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Their focus is live fire, but they take inspiration from all types of cuisines. They’re inspired by the culture of American barbecue and embrace regional techniques they picked up on their competitive trips across the country. But they also bring in foreign flavors and borrow from cuisines such as Italian, French, Middle Eastern and Asian to create dishes like za’atar rubbed leg of lamb and yuzu glazed smoked duck. Everything we tasted on a recent trip to Pig Beach was outstanding. The burger was a fan favorite and the Yankee Red Hot Sausage, stuffed with provolone and hot cherry peppers, can only be described as addicting. The wings and pork shoulder were some of the best we’ve had ever. Their variety of house made sauces are a must, and they cover everything from a Carolina vinegar blend to a creamy Alabama-style white sauce. You can’t go wrong ordering anything on this menu.

Related: Behold: (Arguably) the Best Meat on Earth

Pig Beach is also known for their guest takeover series where pit-masters from across the country spend two days at the helm of the restaurant’s smoker. Most recently, we got to taste ribs from Carey Brindle of Peg Leg Porker in Nashville, Tennessee. Slathered with a smoky dry rub, this rack required no sauce and the meat fell right off the bone. If you missed out on this round, not to fear—Pat Martin of Martin’s BBQ in Nashville will be taking over to showcase his whole hog on September 21-22.

Pig Beach is currently an outdoor space, but they’ll be moving seating inside after October when the weather gets brisk so you can enjoy their juicy barbecue year-round. To learn more, visit pigbeachnyc.com.

Amanda Gabriele
Amanda Gabriele is a food and travel writer at The Manual and the former senior editor at Supercall. She can’t live without…
Country singer Dierks Bentley is releasing a new, limited-release bourbon
Launched to coincide with his new album, Dierks Bentley is releasing a new whiskey
Whiskey glass

Dierks Bentley is a country music star. He also launched his own whiskey brand, ROW 94, in September 2024 in collaboration with the historic Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro, Kentucky. Recently, the brand announced the release of a new, limited-release bourbon.
ROW 94 Broken Branches

Named for his new album, it was made in partnership with Lofted Custom Spirits at the Green River Distilling Co. It begins with a mash bill of 70% Kentucky-grown corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted and row barley. It's matured for at least five years in new, level 4 charred American oak barrels using "Branch Aging" with fire-toasted oak staves seasoned for up to twenty-four months.

Read more
Starting tomorrow: Strato Frappuccino brings cold foam and bold new textures
A reimagined version of the classic Starbucks Frappuccino
Starbucks Strato

Starting tomorrow, Starbucks lovers can try a new, reimagined version of the classic Frappuccino. The Starbucks Strato Frappuccino blended beverage features a new layered twist inspired by the Italian word Strato, which means layer. The new drink debuts tomorrow, July 8th, in three sweet flavors, each combining creamy cold foam with familiar flavors. These new drinks are for those looking for a more refined version of the classic Frappuccino, with a fresh take on familiar flavors. The new flavors include:

Brown Sugar Strato Frappuccino Blended Beverage: A blend of Frappuccino® Roast coffee, milk, and ice, layered with brown sugar-flavored cream cold foam. A blend of cinnamon is an elegant finishing touch.

Read more
Kentucky Owl’s new Batch #13 is the final masterpiece from a bourbon legend
Kentucky Owl

Popular whiskey brand Kentucky Owl recently announced the launch of its newest bourbon, Batch #13. It was blended and crafted by former Master Blender John Rhea. What makes the whiskey more unique is that it was the last bourbon blend created by the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame member before his retirement.
Kentucky Owl Batch #13

Batch #13 consists of a blend of five different bourbons. There’s a mix of younger and wheated whiskeys and more mature and higher rye whiskeys. The blend is roughly between eight and nine years old.

Read more