Along with his wife, Debby, Gonzalez has sold 2Fifty Texas BBQ at the Riverdale Park Farmer’s Market, Streetcar 82 Brewing Co., Town Center Market and events along the Route 1 corridor for the last year while catering on the side.

Pending various county permits, the Hyattsville residents now plan to open a brick-and-mortar location in the old general store at 4700 Riverdale Road, named for the temperature at which they cook their meat: 2Fifty Texas BBQ.

Started by European immigrants in towns like Lockhart in the 19th century, Central Texas barbecue is focused on the quality of the meat, rather than any sauces. The meat at 2Fifty is rubbed with just salt and pepper and cooked over indirect heat from wood fires in a Meadow Creek Smoker from Amish Country, then served by weight, like at a butcher’s shop.

“For us, Texas style is more related to the use of wood throughout the cooking process,” Gonzalez told the Hyattsville Wire. “We’ve used wood smoke from day one.”

Fernando Gonzalez is fluent in American Sign Language and has been involved with the deaf communities in El Salvador and Belize since 1998, and the couple plans to make 2Fifty as inclusive and ASL-friendly as possible, including hiring staffers who are also fluent.

The couple originally came to the Route 1 corridor to establish an outpost of Típicos Margoth, a Salvadoran chain started by Debby Gonzalez’s grandmother in 1962, but after realizing that there were no local craft barbecue restaurants, they decided to start with that.

The obvious pick on the menu is the full tray, a sampler with brisket, beef short rib, smoked turkey, pulled pork, smoked jalapeño and a sausage link. Sides include smoked feta cheese, coleslaw, brisket beans, caramelized pineapple and a German-Czech recipe for a mustardy potato salad.

For drinks, 2Fifty offers imported Mexican Coke, which is still made with sugar cane instead of corn syrup.

Gonzalez says that the county permitting process has been tortuous so far — echoing a complaint that the Hyattsville Wire has heard from nearly every other restaurateur that we have interviewed who has moved to the Route 1 corridor — so he doesn’t know how long it will be before the restaurant opens.

But in the meantime, you can pick up their barbecue every Thursday at the farmer’s market, at events advertised on their Instagram page or through online ordering and catering.