The downtown office crowd will soon be able to fill up on burnt ends, pulled pork, and other barbecue staples when the second location of Fat Pete’s BBQ opens at 801 18th St. NW. Chef Howard “Hondo” Greenberg says they hope to be open by Sept. 1.

A third location is slated to debut one month later in College Park, Md., according to Hondo. And that’s just the beginning. “We’ll hopefully have 10-15 restaurants in the next couple of years,” Greenberg says.

Maybe you remember when the Fat Pete’s BBQ opened in Cleveland Park? It came with a little drama because the team had to rip out the front of the building to get its gargantuan wood-burning smoker into the kitchen. That won’t be necessary at the 18th Street NW location because all of the meat will be smoked in Cleveland Park and brought over in vans.

That also means their menu will be paired down. “It’s going to be more condensed, with not as many specialty sandwiches,” Hondo says. He adds that they’re expecting to do quick in-and-out service, so things like burnt end grilled sandwiches are being cut from the menu to save time. 

Don’t worry though, burnt ends, the gold nuggets of the barbecue world, will be on offer, along with staples like chopped brisket and pulled pork. They’ll also drive over their addictive hushpuppies. As far as other sides, expect more cold items like cucumber salad and pasta salad.

What makes Fat Pete’s stand out is not only the smokiness of its meat, but the fact that the restaurant pulls from all regions known for barbecue, especially when it comes to sauces (there are at least five).

The new location from Co-owners Peter Balish and Jeff Holibaugh will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Fat Pete’s BBQ, 80118th St. NW; fatpetesbbq.com