Crocodile on the smoker at Hughes Barbecue, Waterloo

Barbecued crocodile and a dedicated vegan smoker are just two of the ideas being kicked around at one of the most finger-licking launches in the barbecue genre in recent years.

Anton Hughes, the former pit master at Vic's Meat Market and co-founder of SMH Good Food Guide 2017 Best Cheap Eat winner Bovine & Swine, is striking out on his own in Waterloo.

Hughes Barbecue will open at the George Hotel on October 13, the 100-seater venue on Elizabeth Street stretching out into the hotel's beer garden.

"It'll be family friendly," says Tanya Lumley, Hughes's partner in the venture.

Hughes says he is keen to flex his creative muscle and explore Australia's multiculturalism at the new venue while still staying true to Texas-style barbecue technique.

"We've been playing around with duck and quail and different Asian flavours," he says.

"We're even looking at a dedicated vegan smoker."

Hughes has been training for the venture by competing in the Barbecue Wars, the biggest event of its kind outside the US. His brisket won in a field of 111 entries.

Is there any ingredient he'll avoid at the new venue? "Kangaroo is a bit lean, but we want to push things. We're working on some barbecue desserts."