Panther and Chief. They’re the hottest condiments in town. And by hottest, we mean red hot. Fiery. Meatmother is Richmond’s brand new American BBQ joint and they know how to turn up the heat.
You just can’t beat real American BBQ – short brisket that falls off the bone, spicy pulled pork, good old mac and cheese.
Yes, co-owners Neil Hamblen and Nick Johnston aren’t from Texas, but Canadian head chef Yannik Dagenais is manning the smokers.
Two Cookshack smokers direct from the USA are pumping 12 hours a day, with the “smoke today, sell today” motto keeping things full of flavour.
At Meatmother all the meat is smoked over hickory, the pork stays in for around 10 hours, even the BBQ chicken wings get an hour and a half before hitting the grill.
The menu isn’t messy, just a few combos of meat, side and sauce, and a brioche bun. We’d order double of the bun if we could; the brioche bread is sweet enough to cut the chilli in your Panther sauce and soaks up the juices just right.
From Swan St, Meatmother plays its cards close. The ground floor’s bar stools and high tables are great for a quick bite – keep an eye out for the $10 Sunday Footy Special.
Cleavers and sheep skulls hang from the exposed concrete walls but the vibe is more bounty hunter than butcher, courtesy of Matt Rawlings from Figure Grounds.
Try a Bacon Sour at the bar, a concoction that comes with candied bacon garnish, before heading upstairs to the communal tables where wooden chairs and enamel dinner trays bring back childhood memories of school lunches. We wouldn’t say no to a glass of milk after this fiery feast either.
Meatmother
167 Swan Street, Richmond 3121
T: 03 9041 5393
Tuesday to Friday
12pm – 2pm / 6pm – 10pm
Saturday
11am – 3pm / 6pm -11pm
Sunday
11am – 3pm / 6pm – 9pm
