Apocalypse BBQ

A business that began on a Weber Smokey Mountain has grown into one of the area's best barbecue restaurants. In 2022, Jeff Budnechky channeled his pandemic side hustle into a standalone location. Outside the restaurant, a small array of smokers billow aromas of pork and beef that betray Budnechky's Brazilian-Argentinian roots and his wife's Cuban heritage. Arrive early and you might snag an order of the brisket bacon: seasoned and smoked pork belly sliced thick and tossed on the flattop before serving. If you manage to resist ordering the St. Louis-cut ribs at first, you might change your mind after seeing platters emerge from the kitchen, slow-cooked and practically begging to be lacquered with Budnechky's colada-infused "oro negro" sauce. Cafecito-rubbed, Texas-style brisket or pulled pork shoulder pair nicely with the chef's Carolina-inspired mustard sauce (not to mention classic sides like a pepper-flecked mac & cheese, sweet coleslaw, and honey-doused cornbread). Further upping the ante: a ten-seat bar offering tropical and classic cocktails. Try a shaken pina colada made with fresh juices or the berry-infused, housemade sangria.