Smokey's Low N' Slow brings the flavors of barbecue to South Burlington

Brent Hallenbeck
Burlington Free Press

SOUTH BURLINGTON - Barbecue has been making the slow crawl north to Vermont, enough so that there’s now a critical mass of rib joints in Chittenden County. Here’s the latest.

The "Just the Two of Us" combo platter at Smokey's Low N' Slow in South Burlington, including brisket, ribs and barbecue chicken.

What is the place?

Smokey’s Low N’ Slow joins local restaurants including Bluebird Barbecue in Burlington and Mark BBQ in Essex Junction on the Chittenden County barbecue scene. Smokey’s menu includes baby-back ribs, a pulled-pork platter, a brisket sandwich, barbecue chicken and other barbecue staples to please any carnivore. (An Impossible BBQ burger is also offered to tempt vegetarians to Smokey’s.) The various selections on the menu reflect the flavors of barbecue found across the United States, from Texas to Kansas City style.

Jon Wish, left, and Shawn Careau stand at their South Burlington restaurant, Smokey's Low N' Slow, on Oct. 21, 2019.

“The purpose here was really to take that cross-section of American barbecue,” said Jon Wish, who owns Smokey’s with Shawn Careau through the Wish & Careau Hospitality Group. The company also includes the Vermont Tap House in Williston and Noonie’s Deli in Middlebury.

Andrew Martin, kitchen manager at Smokey's Low N' Slow in South Burlington, holds a rack of cooked brisket on Oct. 21, 2019.

What’s the story behind it?

Wish and Careau opened Smokey’s on May 27 in a space that used to house the Tilt Classic Arcade and Ale House. The building is just off Shelburne Road in a hard-to-find nook near the Palace 9 Cinemas and behind McDonald’s. Wish said Smokey’s not only offers its sit-down restaurant, but also provides catering for parties, offices and weddings.

“It’s been great growth,” Wish said of the restaurant that has seen a 15-to-20% increase in business each month. “It’s been a fantastic reception, much better than we hoped.”

Diners have a choice of accompanying sauces at their tables at Smokey's Low N' Slow in South Burlington.

Location and information

Smokey’s Low N’ Slow, 7 Fayette Drive, South Burlington. 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. (802) 497-3819, www.smokeysvt.com.

A sign touts the wonders of barbecue at Smokey's Low N' Slow in South Burlington on Oct. 21, 2019.

Do you have a new restaurant, a new brewery or a new food truck you’d like to tell people about? Maybe you want to spread the word about a new chef, a big new dish or an exciting new drink. Contact staff writer Brent Hallenbeck at 660-1844 or bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com