Lancaster Smokehouse

Last updated

Lancaster Smokehouse
Lancaster Smokehouse logo.jpeg
Lancaster Smokehouse in 2023.jpg
The Smokehouse in 2023
Lancaster Smokehouse
Restaurant information
Established2011;13 years ago (2011)
Owner(s)Chris Corrigan and Cathy Corrigan
Previous owner(s)Mike Kelly
Food type Southern barbeque
Street address574 Lancaster St. W.
City Kitchener, Ontario
CountryCanada
Coordinates 43°28′47″N80°29′03″W / 43.479660°N 80.484245°W / 43.479660; -80.484245
Seating capacity600
Website lancsmokehouse.com

The Lancaster Smokehouse (colloquially The Lanc) [1] [2] is a southern-style barbeque restaurant in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada at 574 Lancaster Street West.

Contents

The restaurant is located at a historical building, which was built as a railroad hotel in the 1840s. It was heavily renovated after 4 fires between 1992 and 1994. The building was purchased by Hog Tails in 2011, becoming their second location. The restaurant mostly serves meat-focused dishes which are smoked using aged hickory. The restaurant began a trend of Southern food restaurants in Waterloo Region.

History

Use as hotel and tavern

The Lancaster Hotel ca. 1900 Lancaster Hotel in Bridgeport Ontario 1900.jpg
The Lancaster Hotel ca. 1900

The Lancaster House was a railroad hotel built in the 1840s located at 574 Lancaster St. W. [3] [2] It was the first hotel built in Bridgeport, Ontario. [4] The hotel's license was issued to Gottlieb Bitzer. [5] In 1896, the building was purchased by John Grasser from Habfried Hunderhager. [4] In the 1930s, the building was used as a meeting space and held a 85-person dining room; [5] Herman Wagner owned the building at this time. [5] David Kirby, who owned the Tavern from 1956 to 1976, established the Ocean Queen lounge: a nautical-themed jazz venue. [5]

Between 1992 and 1994, there were a series of four fires which resulted in the building being completely renovated. [2] [6] During this period, Mike Kelly owned the building. [5] The first fire, in February 1992 was caused by a cigarette; [6] the second, in May 1992, was thought to be caused by light bulbs and destroyed the tavern's top floor. [6] [3] Both the third and fourth fires were arsons: they occurred in February 1993 and July 1994. [6] The Tavern continued to operate as a bar and Dixieland jazz venue. [7] [2]

Purchase by Hogtails

Hog Tails, a Waterloo-based southern barbeque restaurant, was opened in 2009 by Chris and Cathy Corrigan. [8] [2] [7] Due to their lack of seating and lengthy wait times, the restaurant looked for a second location and purchased the Tavern from Kelly in 2011. [8] [2] The restaurant was renamed to the Lancaster Smokehouse, [2] and the Corrigans renovated its kitchen and dining area—which seats 600. [7] Darryl Haus purchased the original Waterloo Hog Tails location in 2015 and it later permanently closed. [9] [10]

The Corrigans stated the weekly Dixieland jazz shows would continue; [7] the shows were later moved elsewhere. [11] As of a 2016 Waterloo Region Record article, the Smokehouse now hosts weekly blues shows. [12] The Smokehouse was featured on the Food Network show You Gotta Eat Here! . [8] The segment was recorded in 2013 and was broadcast in 2014. [8] The Smokehouse added a concrete outdoor patio in the early 2020s. [13]

Food and menu

The Lancaster Smokehouse serves southern-style barbeque with mostly meat-focused dishes, for example, Texas short ribs, Nashville Hot Chicken, Po' Boy, and Beef Brisket. [1] [14] [15] According to Andrew Coppolino of CBC News, the Smokehouse recognizes "the pigtail's historic place at the Waterloo County table" by having it on the menu. [16] For drinks, local beers, wines, bourbons, Southern-themed cocktails, and soft drinks are served. [12] The meats are smoked using aged hickory and large pieces of meat are smoked overnight. [1] Food portions are large, with Jasmine Mangalaseril of TheRecord writing "we [left] with a couple days' lunches and suppers in hand". [1] [12] Dessert is provided by Crumb Bakehouse, a sister company of the Smokehouse. [1]

Reception

According to a 2012 Record article, HogTails and the Smokehouse started a trend of Southern food restaurants in Waterloo Region. [17] Sandra Walneck of TheRecord reviewed the restaurant in 2016. [12] Walneck praised the food and atmosphere, but criticized the slow service and some of the dishes. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cajun cuisine</span> Franco-American food developed by the Cajun people

Cajun cuisine is a subset of Louisiana cooking developed by the Cajuns, itself a Louisianan development incorporating elements of Native American, West African, French, and Spanish cuisine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Restaurant</span> Single establishment that prepares and serves food

A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearance and offerings, including a wide variety of cuisines and service models ranging from inexpensive fast-food restaurants and cafeterias to mid-priced family restaurants, to high-priced luxury establishments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbecue</span> Cooking method and apparatus

Barbecue or barbeque is a term used with significant regional and national variations to describe various cooking methods that employ live fire and smoke to cook the food. The term is also generally applied to the devices associated with those methods, the broader cuisines that these methods produce, and the meals or gatherings at which this style of food is cooked and served. The cooking methods associated with barbecuing vary significantly but most involve outdoor and indoor cooking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kitchener, Ontario</span> City in Ontario, Canada

Kitchener is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario, about 100 km (62 mi) west of Toronto. It is one of three cities that make up the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and is the regional seat. Kitchener was known as Berlin until a 1916 referendum changed its name. The city covers an area of 136.86 km2, and had a population of 256,885 at the time of the 2021 Canadian census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regional Municipality of Waterloo</span> Upper-tier regional municipality in Ontario, Canada

The Regional Municipality of Waterloo is a metropolitan area of Southern Ontario, Canada. It contains the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo, and the townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. Kitchener, the largest city, is the seat of government.

King's Highway 85, commonly referred to as Highway 85, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario, connecting Highway 7 to immediately north of the Waterloo city limits. The 10-kilometre (6.2 mi) highway, which is mostly controlled-access, travels through the Regional Municipality of Waterloo along the Conestoga Parkway from its interchange with Highway 7, which continues south along the parkway, to an interchange with Regional Road 15, where it continues as Regional Road 85 to St. Jacobs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbecue in the United States</span> Culinary tradition originating in the southern United States

Barbecue is a tradition often considered a quintessential part of American culture, especially the Southern United States.

Tri-Pride, stylized tri-Pride, is an annual non-profit lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Pride festival in the Waterloo Region of Ontario, encompassing the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo. Prior to the launch of Guelph Pride in 2003, the event also included the city of Guelph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Jacobs Farmers' Market</span> Market in Woolwich, Ontario, Canada

St. Jacobs Farmers' Market is a farmers' market and flea market in Woolwich, Ontario, Canada. It is located to the south of King Street North, to the east of Weber Street North, and to the west of the railway tracks. It is the largest year-round farmer's market in Canada, and is a popular destination for residents of the town and nearby communities, as well as tourists from Canada, the United States, and Europe. It draws about 1 million visitors annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbecue in South Carolina</span> Regional style of food preparation in the United States

South Carolina is home to several distinct styles of barbecue characterized by different cuts of meat, types of barbecue sauce and preparation. It is particularly well known for the heavy emphasis on pork and the popularity of a mustard-based barbecue sauce in the central part of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bao Sandwich Bar</span> Bao restaurant in Waterloo and Mississauga, Ontario

Bao Sandwich Bar is a bao restaurant in Waterloo and Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The restaurant serves Vietnamese bánh mì sandwiches and Taiwanese gua bao. The menu items take inspiration from a variety of Asian cuisines.

Public Kitchen & Bar is a tapas-style bistro in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, located at 300 Victoria St. N. The restaurant began as a catering business, before opening its first brick-and-mortar location in 2013. The restaurant is owned by Carly Blasutti and Ryan Murphy. In 2017, the restaurant moved to a much larger location. The menu frequently changes, and consists of tapas-style shareable plates. The food is mainly Spanish cuisine, but takes inspiration from a variety of other cuisines.

Meetpoint is a Turkish restaurant in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, at 1 The Boardwalk, #400.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arabesque Family Restaurant</span> Lebanese restaurant in Kitchener, Canada

Arabesque Family Restaurant, also known as Arabesque Café, is a Lebanese restaurant in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, located at 869 Victoria St N.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhima's Warung</span> Asian fusion restaurant in Waterloo, Canada

Bhima's Warung is a southeast Asian fusion restaurant in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, located at 262 King St N.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Yeti Cafe</span> Cafe and restaurant in Kitchener, Canada

The Yeti Cafe is a cafe, restaurant, and music venue located in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, at 14 Eby St. N. The cafe is located near the Kitchener Farmer's Market. Victoria Kent opened the Yeti cafe in 2012, located in a repurposed house. The cafe's menu uses unconventional naming of its dishes and features omelets, bagel sandwiches and bread sandwiches. For drinks, coffee, tea, and espresso are served. The Yeti has received praise from reviewers for its atmosphere, food, and coffee.

Veslo Family Restaurant is an eastern European restaurant in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, located at 100 Arnold St.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Mangalaseril, Jasmine (March 7, 2019). "Dining Out: Wear your eating pants to The Lancaster Smokehouse in Kitchener" . Waterloo Region Record. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Flanagan, Ryan (September 22, 2011). "Bridgeport landmark is history". Kitchener Post.
  3. 1 2 Aagaard, Christian (May 26, 1992). "Second blaze hits Lancaster House: Fire Marshal's Office searches for cause" . Waterloo Region Record . Kitchener, Ontario. B1. ProQuest   275423908.
  4. 1 2 Eichler, Idessa (1950). Thirty-Eighth Annual Report of the Waterloo Historical Society (PDF). Waterloo Historical Society. "Bridgeport, a History".
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Fire causes $300,000 damage to 139-year-old Lancaster hotel" . Waterloo Region Record . Kitchener, Ontario. February 18, 1992. A1. ProQuest   275240250.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Lancaster House fire labelled arson" . Waterloo Region Record . Kitchener, Ontario. July 14, 1994. B1. ProQuest   275418722.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Lancaster Tavern to become smokin' hot barbecue restaurant". Waterloo Region Record . September 22, 2011. Archived from the original on May 8, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Parkhill, Charlotte (April 25, 2013). "You Gotta Eat Here". Kitchener Post.
  9. ↑ "Techies and foodies driving change in downtown Kitchener restaurant scene". Waterloo Region Record . February 6, 2016. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  10. ↑ Coppolino, Andrew (March 4, 2019). "Don't Skip This Dish: Brisket Nachos at Lancaster Smokehouse". Kitchener Post. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Opinion | New Orleans North: A longtime music tradition returns to Waterloo Region". Waterloo Region Record . March 4, 2022. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "Dining Out: Southern flavour hits the spot at Lancaster Smokehouse in Kitchener". Waterloo Region Record . March 18, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  13. ↑ Chronicle, Bill Jackson Waterloo (June 10, 2021). "'We've taken a rundown lot and made it into something beautiful': Patios await reopening in Waterloo". Waterloo Chronicle. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  14. ↑ Coppolino, Andrew (March 30, 2019). "Winner, winner, fried chicken dinner: Hot spots in Waterloo region for this favourite dish". CBC News . Archived from the original on May 22, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  15. ↑ Coppolino, Andrew (July 27, 2019). "From classic to crafted creations, Andrew Coppolino takes a look at local sandwich options". CBC News . Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  16. ↑ Coppolino, Andrew (April 27, 2019). "Iconic dishes of Waterloo region". CBC News . Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  17. ↑ "More great southern cooking". Waterloo Region Record . September 20, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.