Those mourning the loss of Oakwood neighborhood restaurant Brewerks will be happy to learn that a new restaurant, SmokeStacks Cafe, has opened up in its place.
SmokeStacks Cafe is under new ownership, North Carolina natives and siblings who returned from New York.
Ben Schultz and Holly Schultz quietly opened SmokeStacks Cafe at its 701 East Lane Street location a few weeks ago, but this weekend they’ll host a grand opening.
What to expect at SmokeStacks Cafe:
Full service brunch and dinner, which includes an indoor dining room and patio of equal size.
They’re currently open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday-Sunday and beginning dinner service on Friday. After this grand opening weekend, they’ll be open for brunch and dinner Thursday-Monday.
Smoked meats: They’ll specialize in “craft smoked meats (including ribs, wings, brisket and all football favorites),” they shared with Raleigh Convergence.
Their menu includes shareable dishes including “Texas poutine,” plus items such as a smoked brisket sandwich (pictured) and cathead biscuits with buffalo chicken.
Pairings and more: They also plan to offer “cheese boards with wine pairings, beer and wine bottle shop, fall mimosas and homemade Market goods,” Counter Culture coffee and coffee bar drinks.
About the owners:
Brother and sister Ben and Holly have business and culinary backgrounds. Holly, who pursued her culinary education in New York, rose to be the executive chef at a Spanish tapas restaurant in New York. She is also a level 2 certified sommelier.
Ben managed a pizzeria in Emerald Isle, N.C., before moving to New York to train to become a chef, eventually taking on a sous chef position. The siblings eventually worked together at the tapas to manage the food service and dreamed of opening their own restaurant someday.
SmokeStacks Cafe is the culmination of that dream, bringing in the expertise of Ben’s wife, Ashlee, a barista who also knows food prep.
This weekend’s grand opening will include live music on the patio Friday night, and you won’t have to miss the NC State or UNC games on Saturday afternoon — they’ve added TVs.
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