Meat & Pie Co. is a totally halal Texas-style BBQ joint that also serves scratch-made pies.

That means no pork and no booze, though there are actually plenty of vegan options.

Expansive confines with space for easily over 100 were once home to Lone Star Texas Grill, furnished with a mix of picnic tables, booths, twinkly lights and fake greenery.

Start off with one of a trio of $13 mac n' cheeses, or have one as a side or small main.

The Classic has a five-cheese blend of smoked cheddar, smoked gouda, cheddar parmesan and mozzarella, topped with cornflakes that create a pleasant sweet and crispy crust.

A Jalapeno variety blends zinging sauteed jalapenos in with parm, mozzarella, smoked cheddar, and cheddar, topped with an abundance of crumbled spicy chips. 

Caramelized onions, asiago cheese and crispy fried onions come together in a yummy French Onion mac n' cheese.

Meats are smoked in house using a combination of hickory, pecan and cherry wood.

Bone-in beef short ribs ($43) are marinated then smoked on the bone for nine hours, the wood providing most of the flavour. The result is a hearty, fatty slab of meat with a thick crust.

Smoked tandoori half chicken ($16) brings something a little different to a usual BBQ menu, marinated with tandoori spice and green chillies, wood-smoked and grilled for layers of smoky, spicy flavour.

A half pound of brisket ($19) feels a little less successful to me, smoked for 18 hours but unfortunately a bit dried out.

It's also slightly disappointing that honey mustard or BBQ sauces aren't made in house, but they do help to moisten the drier brisket.

A deep-fried tomato side ($10) is breaded with panko and filled with a gooey, melty garlic herb cream cheese.

Jalapeno cheddar cornbread ($5) is a more classic side with a sticky, crusty top.

A 40 oz Creekstone Tomahawk Steak ($128) is the big ticket item, served with a generous pile of Maldon salt that brings out the richness of the meat.

The brisket fares better as a sandwich ($14) with lots of creamy coleslaw on a sweet brioche bun.

The other two sandwich options are vegan, served on vegan brioche: a cauliflower steak ($13) is deep-fried with a zero per cent alcohol beer batter for a light and crispy coating and accompanied by tartar sauce and pickles for a fish sandwich feel.

While you can't get booze here, you can still order an alcohol-free Old Fashioned ($14).

From a trio of $10 pies, opt for apple or bumbleberry over a banana cream pie that's a little blander but does have lots of nicely bruleed bananas on top.