Black Label Barbecue gives Rotorua a dedicated low-and-slow barbecue joint where the smoker is part of the restaurant's identity, not just a kitchen appliance hidden out back. Rotorua locals Shaun and Alia Branson developed the business from Shaun's interest in American barbecue in 2017, through competition and catering, before opening the Arawa Street restaurant in late 2023. A custom-built Texas smoker now anchors the wood-fired approach behind the food.
The core menu is built around meats that reward patience. Brisket, pulled pork and St Louis-cut pork ribs carry the low-and-slow focus, while whole chicken wings are smoked before being fried and paired with Alabama white sauce. Diners can order individual portions or use the loaded platters to compare several cuts at once, often alongside cheddar kransky and chicken. It is a format that makes the different smoked meats and textures easy to explore across a group.
Sides keep the spread from becoming one-dimensional. Creamy Alabama slaw, Boston-style baked beans, three-cheese macaroni, crisp potato skins and salads bring acidity, softness or freshness around the smoked meat. The broader menu also makes room for smash burgers, pulled-pork burgers, fried chicken and a pulled-jackfruit burger, so a table can include people who want barbecue classics and others looking for a familiar handheld meal or a meat-free alternative.
The restaurant is deliberately casual and family friendly, with tables inside and on a deck that looks toward Mount Ngongotahā. Pool, pinball, a games console and a children's play kitchen give younger diners and groups something to do between courses. Table bookings, larger-group enquiries, takeaway and catering all sit alongside the dine-in service, extending the same barbecue identity from a quick burger to a full sharing platter or catered event.
Address: 1286 Arawa Street, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand
Been to Black Label Barbecue? Be one of the first to rate it.
+ Log your visit
