Restaurants

THE SMOKE SHOP BBQ, BOSTON MASS – A REVIEW

In recent years, destination restaurants have gained immense popularity. Travelers and locals alike seek out these unique establishments known for exceptional cuisine, stunning locations, and memorable experiences. As culinary tourism grows, diners are willing to travel extra miles to indulge in world- class food. THE SMOKE SHOP BBQ of Boston, Mass is such a place. 

With 4 locations: Assembly Row, Harvard Square, East Boston, and The Seaport, chef owner, and pitmaster, Andy Husbands has built his little empire in the BBQ scene here in the northeast. Their BBQ is a result of Andy’s 20 plus years on the competitive BBQ circuit combined with his 30 years as one of Boston’s best chefs. Although the northeast is not particularly known for being a destination BBQ bonanza, we do have some absolutely killer BBQ restaurants sprinkled about that are absolutely worthy of taking that ride and THE SMOKE SHOP BBQ is one of the best, if not THE best. I have happily taken the 1-1 ½ hour ride from the Providence, RI area into Boston to visit THE SMOKE SHOP BBQ at more than one of their locations. What impresses me most about The Smoke Shop is not just the quality of their BBQ but their consistency. In the world of BBQ consistency is the greatest challenge and this is where The Smoke Shop excels at a high level.    

 I have made 6 visits to 2 of their locations, Assembly Row, Sommerville and Harvard Square, Cambridge and have found the Assembly Row location the easiest to get to.  From points south take exit 21 from I-93 N and from points north take exit 20 from I-93 S. As you arrive you will find ample parking with a parking garage only steps away. Assembly Row is also known for its shopping with many retail outlets luring shoppers from near and far. Unlike many BBQ restaurants which only offer counter service, The Smoke Shop is a full-service BBQ restaurant with wait staff and full bar offering Massachusetts’ largest American whiskey program. Whether you are new to whiskey or a long-time aficionado, you are bound to be pleased with their selection of over 250 American whiskeys, including some of their own private barrel selections.

My most recent visit was on a Friday in early November of this year. I visited the Harvard Square, Cambridge location with my brother and a friend for lunch. It was a rather warm, sunny day for early November in New England with the hustle and bustle of heavy pedestrian foot traffic as Harvard Square is known for. Most conveniently there is a public parking garage directly across the street from the restaurant.  We entered the restaurant at 1:30 pm and ordered 1 order “Smoke Shop Famous Wings”, 2 – Pit Crews and The Big Beef Rib (only available on Friday and Saturday).   

All the food came out promptly served on the typical metal trays lined with brown butcher paper and garnished with a slice of fresh watermelon and dallop of house made Gram’s bread and butter pickles; a combination of pickled cucumbers and onions. Deliciously sweet and tangy these provide a refreshing and balancing introduction to your palate in between portions.  The Pit Crew is a combination featuring 2 meats and 2 sides. On one we ordered double brisket with cornbread and glazed Brussels sprouts with onion jam as our 2 sides.  On our second pit crew we ordered double ribs with cornbread and baked beans for our sides. Our Big Beef Rib came with 2 sides. We choose another cornbread and the pimento mac and cheese. And to round out our BBQ feast we went with The Smoke Shops Famous Wings, AS ALWAYS.   

The ‘Smoke Shops Famous Wings” come 6 to the order. They are smoked and tossed with agave and pit spices. These are a “must try”. They are presented with a finishing glaze that delivers a slightly sweet contrast to the smoky and savory goodness. A perfect flavor balance of sweet and savory as well as texture with a crispy skin bite followed by a moist, almost juicy, finish.  

The ribs, St Louis cut they are, are also served with a finishing glaze presentation. Most notably the same as they use for the wings if not slightly different. The glaze is slightly sticky and provides a sheen that makes them quite glossy with great eye appeal.   The ribs had a nice chew albeit moist and tender and came clean off the bone with very slight resistance. Smoke presence certainly makes its mark complimenting the rich pork flavor that shines through.  The flavor profiles in the ribs are quite unique and delicious. A good balance of sweet and spicy.

I am stunningly amazed at how consistent the quality of the brisket is at The Smoke Shop. Served on a thick slice of Texas toast, the brisket screams rich beefy flavor with that unctuous mouthfeel that makes beef brisket the crown jewel of all BBQ. Just the right amount of smoke combined with a good level of salt and tenderness makes the brisket smack with flavor. In 5 out of 6 visits I have had brisket consistently rating a 9 on a scale of 1-10. Only once did I encounter a slight hiccup with brisket that was a little on the dry side. Perhaps a result from a holding issue. Being served on a slice of thick Texas toast offers an added benefit as some of the flavor and juices from the brisket is absorbed into the toasty bread imparting its flavors and moistness.  A delicious bite to savor.  

The Big Beef Rib was, undoubtably, the star of the show. It has limited menu availability (Friday and Saturday only) and was a first experience for me. A single full cut beef short rib, it is presented by slicing the meat in bite size pieces to, and from, the bone providing an efficient was to enjoy it. Smoke presence and rub flavor was on point as well as tenderness creating a great bite. It comes served with a chimichurri dipping sauce which provides a great fresh, slightly acidic, contrast that accentuated the rich beefy flavors. 

Sides tend to be an afterthought at some, if not most, BBQ restaurants. With so much time and effort that goes into the process of slow smoked BBQ, the sides don’t always receive the same attention and focus. Not at The Smoke Shop. Here it is evident attention and focus is afforded to the execution of their side dishes.  The mac and cheese is rich and creamy studded with pimentos and topped with cornbread crumbles. An explosion of taste and textures. Pit beans are a classic though studded with smoked brisket. With that said here is one time I will offer some criticism.  The Pit Beans are without a doubt delicious on their own, However, as a side, I would rather they shine on its own merit, without being adorned with pieces of smoked brisket. Brussel sprouts are caramelized with an onion jam that makes them outstanding. Intense flavors here and delicious.   The cole slaw is sweet and spicy offering a little kick that compliments the rich BBQ meats quite well.    

Our beverage of choice during our meal was unanimous. We all opted for the seasonal Sam Adams Octoberfest on draft. A marzen style beer with copper color and sweet malty flavors but light on the hops to compliment the BBQ. As we were nearing the end of our meal it was time for a whiskey!   With over 250 whiskeys available one cannot go wrong. Here the choice was unanimous once again. Michters 10-year Rye served neat.  

Dessert here must be considered. At most BBQ restaurants desserts are very limited. The Smoke Shop offers 2 deserts in particular that I STRONGLY recommend. The gooey butter cake which is a rich pound cake with a baked-on cream cheese topping. A rich and creamy delightful cake that’s not overly sweet. As good as this cake is there is one more. They take this gooey butter cake and transform it into what they call CRACK CAKE!!!  A perfect description. What they do is caramalize the edges of the gooey butter cake and then serve it in what appears to be small broken pieces.   One could call it gooey butter cake burnt ends and that would be fitting, however, it does not quite do the justice that the description CRACK CAKE does!  Absolutely decadently delicious. One could not end a delicious BBQ meal on a better note. Th crack cake is A MUST TRY BEFORE YOU DIE!

The Smoke Shop also offers many activities and classes as well as catering services. They have been a repeat recipient of Boston Magazines BEST OF BOSTON awards for best BBQ Boston.. Check them out and make the drive! It’s a worthy destination!

 The Smoke Shop BBQ | by Andy Husbands

author avatar
Tom Pino
Tom’s journey as a butcher began during the years in the mid-70s, marking the onset of a remarkable 49-year career in the meat industry. Starting as an apprentice in 1981, he immersed himself in the art of butchery amidst supermarkets. His career trajectory took him from mastering meat cutting to assuming management and merchandising roles across five major companies in southeastern New England. His expertise in meat and his dedication to the craft led him to embrace the BBQ fever in the early 2000s. He acquired a basic horizontal offset smoker and began his journey as an amateur pit master. Tom’s passion for BBQ grew as he experimented with modification techniques to enhance smoker performance. Tom’s profound knowledge of meat and his love for BBQ have seamlessly merged.

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