Our Story · Est. 2020
Started
Started
in a
Drive—
way.
From a backyard smoker in Stamford to Brisket King NYC to a permanent home on Glenbrook Rd — this is the story of Avellino Family Barbecue.
From a backyard smoker in Stamford to Brisket King NYC to a permanent home on Glenbrook Rd — this is the story of Avellino Family Barbecue.
Avellino Family Barbecue didn't start with a business plan. It started with a smoker, a driveway, and a neighborhood that couldn't stop showing up. What followed was six years of building something real — one brisket at a time.
Leland and Sarah Avellino built this from scratch, with family at the center of everything they do. The name isn't a brand decision. It's a statement.
In the middle of a pandemic, Leland Avellino fired up his offset smoker in the driveway of his Stamford home. What started as a way to feed friends and neighbors quickly became something the neighborhood couldn't stop talking about. The weekly pop-up was born.
Where it startedDemand outgrew the driveway. AFBBQ launched its food truck, bringing Texas-style BBQ to events, festivals, and pop-up locations across Fairfield County. The weekly order model continued alongside — customers ordering by Thursday for Saturday pickup.
Corporate events, backyard parties, weddings. Word spread fast that AFBBQ catering was something different — an on-site smoker, prime proteins, and a pitmaster who actually cared about every plate. The catering calendar started filling months in advance.
The Northeast's most competitive BBQ competition. Dozens of pitmasters. One crown. Leland's Texas-style Prime Brisket — Creekstone Farms beef via Pat LaFrieda, 12+ hour smoke, homemade rub — took the top prize. The win wasn't a surprise to anyone who'd been following AFBBQ. It was a confirmation.
Brisket King NYC WinnerAlongside the Brisket King win, AFBBQ took home Best Burger at the Hey Stamford! Food Festival — further cementing their place as Fairfield County's most award-decorated BBQ operation.
Best Burger — Hey Stamford!Spring 2026. Avellino Family Barbecue opened its first permanent brick-and-mortar location in the Glenbrook neighborhood of Stamford — a community they've called home since the beginning. Sit-down dining, takeout, a curated wine and cocktail list, and the same BBQ that earned the crown. The driveway smoker is still running. Now it has an address.
Now open
Leland Avellino — Pitmaster & Owner, Avellino Family Barbecue
"It's not about winning. It's about the experience, seeing old friends, and sharing our love of barbecue with the community."
Leland started working in restaurants at 13. Over the following decades he worked his way through kitchens across Connecticut and New York — from the GE Guest House to BanC House in Norwalk — before landing at Dinosaur BBQ in Stamford, where he became Corporate Executive Chef and helped lead the expansion into five new locations.
Along the way, he discovered a deep obsession with barbecue — from whole hog traditions in Eastern Carolina to the low-and-slow Texas style he'd go on to make his own. When he left Dinosaur BBQ to start AFBBQ in 2020, he brought two decades of professional cooking and a very particular standard: no shortcuts.
Every brisket starts with Creekstone Farms American Wagyu Prime beef via Pat LaFrieda. Every rack is Berkshire pork. Every rub and sauce is made in-house. That hasn't changed since the driveway. It won't.
The Northeast's most competitive BBQ competition. Top prize for Texas-style Prime Brisket using Creekstone Farms beef via Pat LaFrieda.
Top burger honors at Stamford's flagship food festival, where AFBBQ has been a consistent crowd favorite since the food truck days.
Before the awards, there was the neighborhood. AFBBQ built its reputation one Saturday pickup at a time — and that community is still the foundation.
Avellino Family Barbecue isn't a brand name. Leland and Sarah built this together — their kids grew up at the smoker, their neighbors became regulars, and their regulars became friends. The "family" in the name is literal.
That's the culture they're bringing to Glenbrook Rd. An unpretentious place where everyone's welcome — jeans, date night, kids, sports teams. No rules, just good food and the people you share it with.
"We wanted a place where people could come together, enjoy great food, and just have a good time. This neighborhood felt right. It's our home base now."
Now open at 487 Glenbrook Rd, Stamford. Come hungry — and come as you are.