Pitmaster Evan LeRoy Launches Barbecue Food Truck

Former Freedmen’s pitmaster Evan LeRoy is gearing up for his anticipated restaurant by launching a barbecue truck. Helped out by managing partners Nathan and Sawyer Lewis, LeRoy & Lewis will debut sometime in the spring on Pickle Road.

While there will be brisket and pork ribs, LeRoy the truck will emphasizing other different types of meats and cuts, including whole hog, quail, lamb, duck, bacon chops, beef strip loin, whole chuck roll, and more. It’ll also dish out sides, as well. When it opens, it will run from Thursday to Sunday for lunch.

The brick and mortar, which will have the same name, will also include a brewery and event space. It will be found somewhere in the Hill Country along Highway 290, though the exact location is not available. The restaurant should open in 2018.

Nathan will serve as the brewer, currently at Austin Beerworks, with stints at Karbach Brewing Company and Left Hand Brewing. Sawyer worked in various Texas restaurants, including Houston’s Coltivare, and is Contigo’s general manager right now.

LeRoy & Lewis the barbecue truck will make its home at impending coffee shop Cosmic Coffee and Beer found on 121 Pickle Road, opening in the spring as well. The cafe’s owner Paul Oveisi is presumably taking over Buzz Mill Coffee’s vacated lumberjacky space. Cosmic launched a crowdfunding campaigns on IndieGoGo to raise money for the space.

LeRoy was the original pitmaster of barbecue spot and whiskey bar Freedmen’s, but he left last August. Since then, he’s been hosting various smoked meat pop-ups throughout Austin.

• Pitmaster Evan LeRoy OUT at Freedmen's [EATX]
• Cosmic Coffee and Beer Garden [IndieGoGo]