The accolades keep coming in for 2Fifty Texas BBQ — this time from an unlikely source.
Southern Living magazine named the Riverdale Park eatery one of the six best new barbecue joints in the country, the only one on the list located outside of North Carolina and Texas.
Contributing editor Robert F. Moss, who wrote the story, is the foremost expert on barbecue in the country and author of five books on the subject.
He traveled incognito to 2Fifty and a number of other barbecue joints that had opened since January of 2020 before picking the most outstanding.
Moss praised the meat cooked over oak on a 1,000-gallon offset smoker and the array of side dishes from owners Fernando González and Debby Portillo:
The juicy, thick-sliced brisket has a tangy, smoky bark, while half racks of St. Louis-cut ribs offer perfectly firm, meaty bites. The casing of the jalapeño-infused sausage has the proper Texas-style snap when you bite it, but what really puts 2Fifty’s offering over the top are the things that come alongside the meats.
Many of these dishes reflect González’s and Portillo’s Central American roots. Cool chunks of watermelon are drizzled with fruity red Chamoy sauce, and tender fried plantains are meltingly sweet on the tongue. The barbecue beans are made with Central American-style red kidney beans and laced with brisket trimmings, while tender green beans get a tangy kick from Tajin seasoning, a blend of chili and dehydrated lime juice.
The other restaurants on the list are in North Carolina or Texas. Portillo told the Hyattsville Wire that it was the first time the restaurant has been named the “best” of an area bigger than the greater D.C. area.
“It’s very shocking,” she said. “This means a lot to us.”
2Fifty is also one of 10 local eateries that are being highlighted as part of a self-guided restaurant tour in Riverdale Park.
As part of the Taste of Greater Riverdale, customers at 2Fifty who post a photo on social media with the hashtag #tasteofGR to be entered to win a $200 Target gift card. Winner will be announced on Sept. 18 at the Thrives Day Community Event at Tanglewood Park in Riverdale.
Support the Wire and Community Journalism
Make a one-time donation or become a regular supporter here.
