Lancaster Smokehouse | |
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![]() The Smokehouse in 2023 | |
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Restaurant information | |
Established | 2011 |
Owner(s) | Chris Corrigan and Cathy Corrigan |
Previous owner(s) | Mike Kelly |
Food type | Southern barbeque |
Street address | 574 Lancaster St. W. |
City | Kitchener, Ontario |
Country | Canada |
Coordinates | 43°28′47″N80°29′03″W / 43.479660°N 80.484245°W |
Seating capacity | 600 |
Website | lancsmokehouse |
The Lancaster Smokehouse (colloquially The Lanc) [1] [2] is a southern-style barbeque restaurant in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada at 574 Lancaster Street West.
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.
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]
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]
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]
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]