Operations

Vegan barbecue concept popping up in Brooklyn

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October 11, 2021

Pure Grit BBQ has partnered with Al Horno Lean Mexican Kitchen to open its first vegan BBQ pop-up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Launched Friday, customers may now dine in, take out or order local delivery on the Al Horno website. Extended delivery through UberEats and Grubhub will launch later in the month, according to a company press release.

The menu features standard barbecue sides, including mac and cheese, coleslaw, sweet potatoes and cornbread waffles, as well as smoked mains including: jackfruit, mushrooms, impossible brisket and hot links — all vegan and mostly gluten-free.

How it all began
Pure Grit BBQ was founded by a hungry woman in search of BBQ while visiting Austin, Texas. Kerry Fitzmaurice was at SXSW, envious of her colleagues as they headed out for famous Texas BBQ. She hadn't eaten meat in 30 years and felt excluded, especially when she found that even the sides were off limits. Realizing that other people must feel the same way, she found that vegan barbecue was more than a thing; it was a thriving group of other hungry people looking to dig into great food with no compromises.

When she returned to NYC, she recruited a former colleague and creative director, Jenny Mauric, to partner with her on creating the brand.

In February of 2020, they were looking to open their first location when COVID-19 hit. Once the shock of the new normal wore off, they pivoted and made their recipes available online. With the slogan "BBQ for all," they packaged their barbecue essentials to sell directly to consumers. The BBQ Sauce, The Hot Stuff and The Rub — produced and packaged in small batches in New York City — presently ship nationwide. The products have been featured in The New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, as well as vegan publications including The Beet and BBQ Newsletter NYC BBQ.

"The dream was always to open a fast casual vegan BBQ joint in NYC that welcomed everyone to the table," Fitzmaurice said in the release. "We are ready, NYC is ready. We are so grateful for this opportunity to launch with a pop up in Brooklyn and thrilled to announce that Chef Emily Hersh from Hell's Kitchen Young Guns is coming on board to bring our dream to life. She is a BBQ lover from San Antonio and was the missing piece."

The concept will be open for three months.