Bluebonnet Barbecue

Bluebonnet Barbecue | 124-126 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

It's been three years since fire razed the original Bluebonnet Barbecue in Collingwood in 2015.

Now, after short-lived residencies at the John Curtin Hotel and the North Fitzroy Star, Bluebonnet owner and pitmaster Chris Terlikar finally has a permanent home for his American-style low-and-slow barbecue in Brunswick East.

'' We've signed a 20-year lease, so we're not going anywhere for a while,'' says Terlikar.

He's taken over the site that once housed Luxor Lounge on Lygon Street. With the help of construction firm Four by Two, Terlikar has turned the former hookah bar into a restaurant with capacity for 170. It's built around a huge central dining room, split into two areas by an existing archway.

As well as tables, the back half houses the open kitchen, complete with a $30,000 Ole Hickory woodfired rotisserie smoker.

More space means more room to play with the menu. '' We want to expand on just barbecue and sides,'' says Terlikar, '' so we're also doing some reverse-seared steaks, a bone-in pork loin with crackling and a one-kilo tomahawk steak.''

Open Tue-Sat noon-1 am; Sun noon-11 pm