A barbecue restaurant from Mesquite is coming to buzzy Uptown Dallas before the end of the year: Called Rodeo City Provisions, it will take over the short-lived NADC Burger spot at 2908 McKinney Ave.

The restaurant comes from Leo Morales, a seasoned chef and pitmaster. Born to a Colombian mother and a Mexican father and raised in New York, Morales draws heavily on his roots to shape the distinct flavors in his food.

Morales has worked in kitchens since he was a teenager, rising from dishwasher to director and operating partner at Barrel & Bones Craft Bar and Smokehouse, then general manager at Smoky Rose in Lakewood. He briefly owned his first barbecue spot in Fair Park, Parry Avenue Barbecue Company, which earned him a Rising Star Chef nomination at CultureMap’s 2022 Tastemaker Awards.

He later became chief operations officer for Refined Hospitality, overseeing culinary operations for the restaurants at The Statler and the Mesquite Rodeo. That experience paved the way for a return to barbecue in 2024, when Rodeo City Provisions debuted as a concession and suite vendor at the Mesquite Rodeo.

A year later, Morales expanded into a vacant space next to the arena (at 1818 Rodeo Dr.), opening a full-service restaurant under the same brand.

“We are a traditional Texas barbecue restaurant, where I put who I am into it, so I do a lot more than salt, pepper, and garlic,” Morales says. “We use spices like guajillo, chile de árbol, and achiote — real flavors that I grew up with.”

Rodeo City Provisions is going into the old NADC spot at 2908 McKinney Ave.Photo courtesy of Rodeo City Provisions

This approach shines through in a menu featuring prime brisket, ribs, pulled pork, turkey, and chicken by the pound, paired with Latin-inspired sides like creamed corn with queso fresco and Tajín, and borracho pinto beans. Beyond traditional barbecue cuts, the menu offers tortas, tacos, sandwiches, smoked brisket queso, and quesi-birria quesadillas.

Rodeo City Provisions also serves breakfast, including tacos, pork belly French toast, jalapeño cheddar sausage biscuits with gravy, and a loaded “Brekky Sandwich” stacked with chorizo, pork belly bacon, birria brisket, cheese, and a fried egg.

Prices are relatively affordable, ranging from $2 tacos and sandwiches for less than $15 to two-meat plates for $19 and three-pound meat boards that serve up to six people for $140. Weekly specials include pork belly burnt ends on Fridays and $20 racks of ribs on Sundays.

Just a year after launching the Mesquite location, Morales had an opportunity to expand to McKinney Avenue through longtime friends who own the building. The two-story space will feature counter service downstairs, with seating for about 50 guests. Upstairs, seating for roughly 80 will accommodate a hybrid service model, with full service and QR codes at tables for easy ordering. An outdoor smoke pit will sit next to the patio.

The Uptown location will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with a few exclusive menu items. Those include a turkey club stacked with smoked turkey, pulled pork, pork belly bacon, lettuce, tomato, and beef tallow mayo, plus a smoked brisket French dip on bolillo bread with Gruyère cheese and au jus.

Rodeo City Provisions in Uptown will be open 7 am-7 pm Tuesday-Sunday; closed Mondays.