The story
Coorparoo Square’s opening in late 2017 was one of the biggest food stories of last year, and among the list of anticipated retailers was barbecue joint Special Rub. The venue, owned and operated by the PopMega crew (Hai-Hai Ramen, King Tea, the forthcoming Superfly Funkeye) originally planned to be open and trading as part of Coorparoo Square’s second wave of arrivals, but as anyone familiar with the hospitality game knows, even the best-laid plans can go awry. A string of unforseen snafus pushed back the opening to 2018, but despite the elongated gestation period the Special Rub crew persevered and maintained their vision of a unique and engaging take on barbecue. Now, Special Rub is putting its meat through a baptism of fire (and smoke), finally opening to the public last week.

The space
Nestled within a spacious corner tenancy facing Old Cleveland Road, Special Rub boasts a stylish industrial fit-out, with exposed ceilings, a sturdy bar and stripped-down furnishings from Woodsters. The crew recruited some big names in the street-art scene to add eye-catching murals to the walls and bar. Spot works from Drapl, Sofles and EMM.18 while you keep one eye on the menu. One of the most unique aspects of the space is the windows looking into the kitchen from the street – hungry roamers will have a tough task tearing themselves away from this kitchen theatre, getting a glimpse of the imported wood smokers and kitchen team as they expertly cook and carve to cater for everyone’s carnivorous cravings.

The food and drink
Any fan of barbecue knows that the whole cuisine revolves around the quality of the meat. The Special Rub team is sourcing organic grass-fed Cape Grim beef from Tasmania, which is lovingly smoked for hours at a time until the meat is fit to melt in your mouth. Each of America’s southern states boasts its own style of barbecue, and here at Special Rub the approach is inspired by the Texas style dry rub method, where sauce is eschewed in favour of a tasty spice mix (the titular Special Rub), before being smoked. Like any iconic communal cuisine, patrons are encouraged to assemble and order a range of beef brisket, beef short ribs, pulled pork butt and sausage links, bolstered by an array of sides and sauces including brisket burned-end beans, slaw and Cajun rice. If barbecue isn’t your jam, that’s okay. You’ve got the option of chomping on fried chicken and waffles or stacked burgers if that’s more your thing. As far as the drinks are concerned, Special Rub will specialise in bourbon, with small-batch bottles soon to line the shelves in bulk. Should you be after something else, Special Rub also serves tap beer, a choice selection of wines, cocktails off tap, shakes, and locally made soft drinks.

If you’ve got a hankering for a hunk of meat, scoot on over to the Stumble Guide for opening hours and more information.