SHOTGUN Mississippi-born chef Brad McDonald, who runs the Lockhart in Marylebone and has previous worked at Copenhagen’s Noma, headed to Soho for his second London venue, open since October.

Barbecue joints are popping up all over London, but Shotgun is something a bit different. More a bar-restaurant than a restaurant-bar, as the staff tells me, it nevertheless takes a more elegant approach to the Southern US genre. The room itself is lovely – narrow and intimate, all dark-wood paneling and potted palms, while the spirits behind the long marbletopped bar point to the serious cocktails made behind it, using the likes of rye whiskey, cognac and absinthe. Even on a Monday, every stool the length of the bar was occupied, as were all the cozy booths for two or four.

The food menu is quite compact, consisting mainly of snacks and meats cooked low and slow over whole logs. A signature small plate is pig’s ear with sour pancakes (£8/$11.50); we, being conscious of the meat feast to come, opt to go veggie. The salad of smoked goat’s curd, heirloom carrot, pearl barley and buttermilk sauce (£9/$13) is a standout – a sweet and subtle combination of textures.

But it’s really all about the main event here – beef brisket so tender you could cut it with a spoon, juicily flavorsome Middle White suckling pig, and chili-tinged baby back ribs, all perfectly abetted by sides of buttery baked potato purée and tangy coleslaw. Service was speedy and welcoming, and the retro soul soundtrack made for a suitably mellow backdrop. Open 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM (Sun 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM) Snacks/small plates £1.50-£9 ($2-$13); meats £9-£22 ($13-$32) depending on size ordered. Wine from £4.50 ($6.50) by the glass, from £28 ($40) by the bottle. 26 Kingly Street tel +44 (0)20 3137 7252