The Islington-based food truck gets a rebrand
If you’ve driven past the familiar spot on Maitland Road in Islington, you might’ve noticed The Lot – Smokehouse & Beer Garden; the latest chapter for this former car park, brought to you by Matt and Ali, promises the same beloved flavours but with a fresh twist.
Matt’s journey to this point is as eclectic as The Lot’s extensive menu. From starting as an electrician in the mines to working as an engineer on super yachts, it was his time in the United States, particularly in Asheville, North Carolina, and Austin, Texas where he soaked in the vibrant food and craft scenes.
“The amount of breweries in Asheville was insane. There would have been 20 or so in the CBD and it’s a smaller radius and has a smaller population than Newcastle,” Matt said.
It was this experience that led Matt to launch the Hunter River Brewery Trail and Taphaus were born – two projects that continue to run alongside The Lot.
Taking over the space on Maitland Road was a natural progression for Matt, with Taphaus having been operating inside the spot for the past 12 months.
“A year later, they [former owners] asked if I was interested in taking over the space and in August 2024 it became official.”
For those well acquainted with the food on offer from Smokin Hot ‘n Saucy, never fear. Still holding onto its Texan roots but now with just more to offer.
“We’ve kept the same core range with our Texas flavours but just taken off those blinkers a little bit and expanded into more. Straight away, we put ribs on and we’re brought in weekend specials. We’ll literally BBQ anything and see how it goes.”
The standouts are without a doubt the Smokehouse Meat Plate filled with brisket, pork ribs, pulled pork, smoked sausage pickle chips, corn ribs, slaw, and fries; Mexican Street Tacos with either chicken or pork; and whatever is featured on the weekly specials’ menu.
“I’ve given our chef, Mike, free range and so far, it's working! The corn ribs have gone off and we’re currently getting pork knuckle ready for the upcoming Oktoberfest theme.”
Oktoberfest is just one of the many special events that Matt and Ali have planned to create a lively, community-driven atmosphere at The Lot.
“We didn’t want people to just eat, drink, and then move elsewhere. We want people to have a reason to stick around and enjoy the space.”
With live music happening every weekend, plans for special events like the NFL Superbowl, a Thanksgiving lunch, and even talk of a Bluesy brunch featuring American-style food and live blues, The Lot is shaping up to be more than just a place to grab a bite.
The Lot – Smokehouse & Beer Garden is set to become a new crowd favourite for the Islington community with a space for people to linger, whether that’s for live music, good conversation, munch on some smoky eats, or a chance to sample a local craft beer.
