OUR MISSION
Space Kat BBQ is dedicated to bringing you the most authentic and delicious barbecue experience. We believe there is enough Brisket, Spare Ribs, and Turkey to go around in the World Capital of Barbecue. We want to show you that different cuts of meat can be just as delicious as Austin’s time tested favorites.
We take pride in doing things the old fashion way, using only wood as fuel to slow smoke our meats. We use offset and direct heat cooking and are always exploring new ways to improve our product and your experience.
OUR JOURNEY
Space Kat BBQ was founded by Jack Zizzo in 2017. After cutting his teeth at some of Austin’s best restaurants in the 2010’s, Jack returned to his hometown of Youngstown, OH and opened Space Kat in an unused kitchen in the back of one of Youngstown’s oldest bar’s, Draught House. Jack soon found his way to the West Coast and planted his flag in the ground at one of San Diego’s most renowned bars, Aero Club, running Space Kat on their patio out of a food truck.
Jack is a culinary astronaut forever exploring the food-time continuum. Jack launched into orbit as a disciple of Texas-Style BBQ and a student of classical fine dining techniques.
His reverence for the time-honored techniques of Texas-Style BBQ ultimately led him to become a smoked meat maestro under the guidance of John Lewis (La Barbecue, and Lewis Barbecue). Jack didn’t just land in Austin, TX to master barbecue, he also polished his skills by learning classical fine dining techniques under the tutelage of Bryce Gilmore (Barley Swine, Odd Duck, and Sour Duck).
Space Kat BBQ is the culmination of Jack’s 10+ years as a pitmaster fused with his many culinary adventures. He creates a galaxy of taste utilizing wood, fire, and meat, tipping his hat to the Texas legends, while actively pursuing the discovery of new, bold, barbecue flavors, producing an unparalleled universe of savor.
Jack has now returned to Austin and partnered with his long time friend, Justin Payton. The two of them met while working at Barley Swine back in 2015. Catch these crazy kats in the space bus outside of Tweedy’s Bar in Austin!
