It goes without saying that the most successful destination restaurants offer epicurean experiences worth travelling for – the kind you just can’t find closer to home. While beef brisket, pulled pork and saucy ribs might not sound like destination-worthy fare on paper, those that have followed the team behind Phat Boyz Smokehouse & Kitchen’s journey so far know better. Pit master Luke Saggus and his family kickstarted Phat Boyz as a competitive barbecue crew in 2017, quickly evolving into a popular market fixture and online store before establishing a bricks-and-mortar dispensary in Bundamba in 2019, from which the team sells smoking accessories, rubs and woods (plus mouth-watering barbecued grub, of course). Phat Boyz’ following has blossomed in tandem with its physical growth, with an online fanbase totalling more than 15,000 (including many who make pilgrimages from interstate to get a taste) ensuring Luke’s catering arm is fully booked well in advance. One such catering client – the team behind master-planned residential community Waterlea in Walloon, just past Ipswich – was so enamoured with Phat Boyz’ brand of barbecue that it approached Luke with the opportunity to take over sizeable indoor-outdoor restaurant space The Hangar. Luke signed on after glimpsing the site’s sprawling lawns and ample space for some serious smoking apparatus, enticed by the thought of putting Walloon on the map and creating a reliable spot for the community and those passing through.
Put simply, Phat Boyz specialises in Texas and Carolina-style barbecue accented by South American and Japanese influences. The menu is far from simple, though, proving why Phat Boyz deserves its destination designation. Traditional low ’n’ slow eats such as brisket (seasoned only with salt, pepper and garlic), pork ribs, pulled pork, jalapeno and cheese hot links, and chicken wings are available for the purists, but it’s the off-piste options that make the trek worth it. Fancier fare like smoked-brisket ramen noodles, smoked-beef lasagne, brisket and pulled-pork tacos, barbecue-loaded pizzas, rib fillet and smoked-bacon cheesesteaks, and smoked cheese-kransky hotdogs will have guests thinking they’ve found carnivore heaven. Even early risers can partake in the low ’n’ slow splendour with brisket brekkie burgers, breakfast nachos and breakfast pizzas on offer alongside cups of Mocopan’s Bruno Rossi coffee blend. Much of the magic happens in plain view of the restaurant’s dining area, where Luke’s five-metre, two-tonne ironbark-fuelled smoker La Loco Moonshine Express handles 300 kilograms of meat per cook. A custom-built suspended bird cage handles the asado-style barbecuing of whole chickens, mouth-watering tomahawk steaks and pineapples on special South American-themed Sunday sessions, while a striped, copper-adorned dessert smoker called the Sweet Smoke Express will be responsible for the creation of smoked cheesecakes, Ferrero Rocher tacos, and popcorn burgers crafted by dedicated dessert pit master Daniel Barrington. Luke and his crew rep locally where possible, sourcing protein from the Darling Downs, produce from local suppliers and beer from top-notch breweries Slipstream and Ballistic.
Phat Boyz Smokehouse & Kitchen opens to the public on Saturday June 5 – head to the Stumble Guide for location details and operating hours.
