Known for its specialty meats and outstanding barbecue, Local Yocal BBQ and Grill has now elevated breakfast dining with their Meatlover’s Dream Brunch.

Housed in a former warehouse in downtown McKinney, owner Matt Hamilton has created a welcoming space with unbelievable food. Hamilton started the Local Yocal Farm to Market in 2010, a butcher shop providing the Dallas area with the finest farm fresh meats, including premium Wagyu steaks, grass fed beef and genetically-certified Black Angus. That venture evolved into a food truck, which served the area for several years, and the restaurant followed in late 2018.

We had the opportunity to enjoy Local Yocal BBQ and Grill on a recent weekend, and were pleasantly surprised by what we found. Our server, Scott, provided the back story on the restaurant and the building. He described the place as “rancher-owned, chef-driven, locally-sourced.” The restaurant sources from local vendors on everything from yogurt to craft beer. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a meal in a restaurant owned by a rancher, so I was eagerly anticipating the experience.

The meal started off with a cocktail, as all good brunches do, and the options did not disappoint. From the Apple Cinnamon Mimosa to the scratch made Bloody Mary, there wasn’t a bad choice on the menu. I opted for the Blueberry Yum Yum, a delicious infusion of Hendricks Gin, Circle 15 Farms Blueberry Jam, and Citra hopped bitters garnished with cucumber slices and lemon. It was as delicious as it sounds.

Then it was time for the hardest decision of all, ordering from the brunch menu, or the lunch menu. Lunch menu options included The Hamilton, 1/3 lb. house ground Wagyu beef with brisket, cheddar sausage, bacon and grilled onions and Gulf Shrimp and Grits. One of the front-runners was the Smoked Chicken Fried Steak, buttermilk marinated, hand battered Wagyu sirloin with smashed potatoes and bacon-braised green beans. The lunch menu options were certainly tempting, but the brunch menu won in the end.

We tried the Smoked Red Pepper Pimento Cheese with grilled sourdough bread. It was the perfect starter, with just the right amount of spice. Next up was the main course, and we chose two of the brunch menu favorites, the Bread Pudding French Toast and the Pulled Pork Benedict. Oh, and there was also a side of Biscuits and Gravy.

The french toast was everything I wanted it to be. Soft, spongy slices of bread covered in whipped cream, whiskey caramel sauce and pecans. It was decadent and delicious. The biscuits were divine, flaky and fluffy, you could taste the love that went into making them. However, the real star of the show was the Pulled Pork Benedict. This was no ordinary Benedict, with pulled rib meat, fried farm eggs, Carolina BBQ hollandaise, on top of sourdough bread. (My mouth is watering as I type this because it was truly that good.) The combination of flavors was so satisfying, we never wanted the meal to end.

I would be remiss if I didn’t say kudos to the chef, Adam West, and his team. Everything was superbly prepared, and the flavors were sweet, salty, spicy and robust. Local Yocal is what you wish every ranch to table restaurant could be, the freshest, most flavorful dishes you won’t soon forget.

Saturday February 29, 11am to 5pm, join owner Matt Hamilton on Local Yocal’s BBQ and Grill Tour, an entertaining day of Texas-bred food and beverages in three locations. Tickets $85/person. For more information, visit Local Yocal’s Facebook event. 

Local Yocal BBQ and Grill: 350 E. Louisiana St, McKinney, TX 75069

Cover photo courtesy Local Yocal

Kirsten Maxwell is the owner of Kids Are A Trip, a travel website inspiring families to explore the world beyond their backyards. She has been featured in many national outlets including Vogue, Lonely Planet and AFAR. She enjoys spending time with her husband and three teen boys in the Dallas suburbs when she isn’t on the road.