2fifty, Riverdale Park, Prince Georges County, Maryland

2fifty (née 2fifty Texas) is, of course, the best barbecue place in the Washington metropolitan area, and it’s one of a handful of top brisket places in the East. There’s not a whole lot of argument about that. I’ve posted on 2fifty several times before, most thoroughly here. Nancy and I went there recently because I hadn’t been there in a while, and because I was hungry. And it turns out that there’s a lot of news.

The first bit of news is that they now make all their own sausages. I ordered a couple — the Spicy Cheese and the Poblano — and Nancy ordered the smoked turkey and coleslaw.

As I anticipated, it was a lot of food, and I was uncharacteristically wise to put off ordering the Texas hot link to another day. Nancy’s turkey came with 2fifty’s sauce, a good vinegar-tomato sauce that’s nicely spiced and not cloyingly sweet, as are too many sauces. You also will note a healthy serving of traditional Texas barbecue accessories — jalapeños, pickles, and red and white onion.

What a great plate of food! 2fifty always has been very strong on sausages, and their homemade sausages kick things up another notch. The sausages have a great snap, great enough to challenge a plastic knife, and they’re beautifully seasoned. The Spicy Cheese has a good but not painful level of spiciness, maybe a tad more than the Poblano. Both taste very good, and each offers a whole lot of food (I think the formal term for that size sausage is “big honking”) for only $5 – plus something to whet the governor’s beak, and a tip. One sausage is a meal – and a deal. The turkey was very good, moist and graced with smoke, as always, and they’ve improved on the slaw, which now has that just-right balance. As always, the food was plentiful and delicious.

Demand has long exceeded supply at 2fifty, but they now have two huge new cookers —

so they’re now able to cook enough to open Wednesday through Sunday. The place is always busy, and they are still apt to run out. That’s why 2fifty recommends that you order ahead and set a time to pick up your order or to dine in. If you’re as disorganized as I and just show up to order, plan on waiting a while. The indoor seating is pleasant, festooned with rave reviews from all over — and a Certification from the Campaign for Real Barbecue that they cook only with wood, no gas, no electricity: True ‘Cue.

And you can watch the artists in action, slicing and dishing up some wonderfully fragrant food.

Oh, and 2fifty has a second location at Union Market in DC. The food in Riverdale Park is wrapped and transported to Union Market. Of course, briskets get wrapped and held in any event, and the result is the best brisket served within DC itself.

Finally, the 2fifty folks, Debby Portillo and Fernando Gonzales, now also run Dumm’s Pizza and Subs, which occupies the rest of the building. 2fifty started in the Dumm’s Pizza space as a Sunday-only pop-up. That’s where we first encountered 2fifty as reported in this much-updated post. They wisely haven’t tinkered with the recipes in a pizza place that has served the neighborhood well for 30-odd years. They have, however, added some barbecue sandwiches and a pulled pork pizza to the menu. And — here’s a treat — the trimmings from 2fifty’s wagyu and prime briskets go into the Dumm’s Pizza hamburger. Really. Can you find wagyu and prime beef in a $5.25 cheeseburger anywhere else in the world? Raise your hand if you can. No hands? I thought not. Think of the possibilities for a family meal. You want some of that great barbecue, but someone’s vegetarian, and someone else only eats burgers and fries. Something for everyone, all in one place.

One thing that hasn’t changed. Fernando Gonzales and Debby Portillo are beautiful people, friendly, doers of good works, and deeply committed to serving great food. If you’ve been there before, you’ll go back without my saying anything, but if you haven’t been yet, go. No need to thank me.

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