City Chef Barbecue
A pioneering Texas-style BBQ joint on J. Basanavičiaus gatvė near the New Town, slow-smoking brisket, ribs and pork over oak wood in a relaxed US-bar setting.
- ✓A local pioneer credited with introducing proper Texas brisket to Vilnius
- ✓Meats slow-smoked over oak wood for several hours, low and slow
- ✓Cosy, mid-century, industrial 'US bar' atmosphere
- ✓Sharing platters let you sample brisket, pork, chicken and chorizo at once
- ✓Complimentary self-serve ice cream rounds off the meal
What to expect
City Chef Barbecue is an American-style smokehouse at J. Basanavičiaus g. 1, a short walk south-west of the Old Town on the edge of Naujamiestis. It earned its reputation as a pioneer of the Vilnius food scene by introducing oak-smoked Texas barbecue — and proper brisket — to the city, and the kitchen still follows the low-and-slow approach championed by acclaimed pitmaster Aaron Franklin, smoking meats for several hours using only oak wood and charcoal. The room leans into the theme with a relaxed, mid-century industrial 'US bar' vibe.
The menu centres on Texas-style smoked meats — brisket, pulled pork and chicken — alongside pastrami sandwiches, chorizo hot dogs and loaded fries. Sharing platters are the easiest way to try a bit of everything, and the ribs (šonkauliukai) and juicy burgers are the dishes regulars rave about most; complimentary self-serve ice cream is a nice touch for dessert. There's also a popular Sunday brunch with eggs Benedict. It's an accessible, crowd-pleasing meal away from the tourist core.
- Cuisine
- Texas-style smoked barbecue (brisket, ribs, pulled pork)
- Standout dishes
- ribsbrisketburgerssharing meat platterchorizo hot dog
- Good to know
- meats smoked over oak; Sunday brunch with eggs Benedict; self-serve ice cream
- Best for
- a hearty, casual BBQ feast a short walk from the Old Town
Global flavours across the city, from American BBQ to Asian street food.
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Naujamiestis (New Town)The grid of streets just south-west of the Old Town where City Chef sits.
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