Courtesy of DBA
Barbecue and tacos are both popular comfort foods in the South, and Georgia is no exception, but you don’t often see them together. Now open in Clarkston (4540 East Ponce de Leon Avenue), DBA Tacos and BBQ offers exactly what its name suggests. Managing partner Matt Coggin is serving barbecue sandwiches and platters with typical sides like green beans and mac ‘n’ cheese, as well as street tacos that utilize similar meats but are offered on corn and flour tortillas with diced onion and cilantro. Plus, there’s chips, queso, and guac.
“Tacos are known as fun. Think about Taco Tuesday. There’s no barbecue Wednesday!” Coggin says. “Tacos bring a more fun presence and allow people to try different things.”
The 2,600-square-foot space has history housing dual concepts—it was once a combination Taco Bell and KFC—but DBA is one restaurant. “We’re able to use most of our barbecue meats—smoked, pulled chicken for the chicken tinga taco and the moist end of the brisket plus some top round for the barbacoa taco,” he adds. Other tacos include pork al pastor, pork pibil, brisket, and a rotating vegetarian option. The typical DBA meats are also available as tacos with coleslaw and barbecue sauce.
Courtesy of DBA
Coggin opened the original DBA Barbecue in Virginia-Highland 15 years ago and decided not to renew his lease in February. A smaller location on Roswell Road near Chastain Park continues to focus solely on barbecue.
“We’ve been doing the same thing for years. I wanted something new, so I didn’t get bored,” he explains. “The pandemic made me realize I liked fast-casual and not just full-service.”
As such, DBA Tacos and BBQ does not have waitstaff. Patrons order at the counter, at the six-seat bar, and soon, through a walk-up window. A drive-through will be added in the coming months and a patio in the spring. Those who choose to dine in will notice the simple, clean-looking decor with earth tones and elements of blue. In two weeks, it will begin offering alcohol with a streamlined menu of beer, hard seltzers, canned cocktails, and margaritas.
“I think it’s a very scalable concept,” Coggin says.
