D.C. finally got its first proper Texas BBQ spot last month. 2Fifty Texas BBQ, from Salvadorian couple Fernando González and Debby Portillo, recently opened its second D.C. location in Penn Quarter, selling over 1,000 pounds of meat the first weekend. CEO Debby Portillo gave us the inside scoop on what to get and why it’s so damn good.
Local Beginnings
Portillo and González moved to the U.S. in 2018. While they were part of a large restaurant family in El Salvador, their first experience with BBQ was on a trip to Texas. “Fernando had no background in [BBQ], but when he tried it and felt the southern hospitality, he wanted to replicate that,” explained Portillo.
Shortly after, they set up a BBQ stand at the Riverdale Park farmers market. That then became a full restaurant in 2020, and fierce customer loyalty bolstered them through the pandemic.
The smokehouse in Riverdale Park. (Courtesy of 2Fifty BBQ)
A Day In the Life of 2Fifty’s Pit Master
Everything is smoked at 2Fifty’s smokehouse in Riverdale Park, starting more than two days in advance. 2Fifty receives beef from Creekstone Farms in Kansas early in the morning. Then the team trims and cuts the meat and sets it in a marinade for 24 hours. The next day, the cuts are put in the smoker overnight, before being brought to the D.C. location at 5 a.m. the next day.
What Should You Get?
2Fifty is famous for its brisket (and it’s outlandishly good), but it’s not Portillo’s favorite. “Brisket is king, but my favorite is the whole hog. I love the texture and flavor of it,” says Portillo. For a side, she recommends the brisket beans which are a unique family recipe, but of course, the mac-n-cheese is everyone's favorite.
Hey DC Inside Dish: Where Are González and Portillo Eating?
Portillo says she and her husband love Maydan in Columbia Heights, as well as Anju in Dupont. “We also love everything from Daniella Senior, like Colada Shop and Serenata,” she adds.
