Little Bertie

Not sure how to give a ‘normal’ review here, as my first visit to the outdoor café backyard of Bertie’s Butcher was as part of a BBQ Pitmaster class.
The extent of my BBQ knowledge comes mostly from getting $ 2 snags at Bunnings each weekend, so safe to say I was a little out of my depth among the BBQ super-​fans who had gathered for this (I was there as part of a bucks day). We drank beer while we learned about the different cuts within a brisket, dissected it up, and made our own spice-​rubs, but the real highlight for the hardcore pitmaster folk there was swapping tips and tricks and talking hardware (some guys had 6 different BBQs with an eye on adding more…)
The real highlight for me was eating after the class — the rest of the place had long since shut up shop but those in the class were served an amazing late lunch (is 4.30pm late lunch or early dinner? Linner?) of some slow cooked American-​BBQ treats. Amazing.
As far as the class goes — was a bit disappointed there was no live BBQing, but I’m sure the other guys in the class would have laughed at me for saying that as all their ‘recipes’ included 12+ hour slow cooks. Not real practical to a live setting. As far as the food goes — a nice more relaxed and small-​scale alternative to Meatmother across the road.

Having spent a bit of time working around the Richmond area, I became a big fan of Bertie’s Butcher and their delicious lunches. Well, these kids realised they were on to something because in addition to pumping out amazing salads and meaty sandwiches, they have since open a dedicated lunch spot out the back.
If you’re passing by at breakfast time, they also serve Syndicate coffee (O.K) and non-​BBQ breakfast items. But let’s face it, you’re connected to a butcher — the BBQ is going to be where it’s at.
The menu is simple: every day they put on a type of meat and offer a choice of 1 – 2 sides. For example, they might do a big beef brisket cookoff one day and offer pork belly sliders the next. All cooked in their big smoky BBQ out the front.
What happens if per chance, you head out here and find out you’re not digging the animal de jour? Easy — just go around to the butcher out the front and order yourself a wrap or maybe even a not-​so-​humble sausage roll and bring it back to enjoy in the sunny courtyard with a cool glass of homemade iced tea.
The backyard BBQ atmosphere is relaxed and fun. I have found myself going alone in my lunch break and ending up chatting to other people at the table. Except on beef brisket day, where I sat next to two guys that couldn’t utter anything other than «oooooohhh…so good.» I think they needed a moment.