A famous barbecue restaurant from South Carolina is opening its first Georgia location next week in Atlanta.
What’s Happening: Lewis Barbecue opens Monday at 11 a.m. at Ansley Mall on Piedmont Avenue. The restaurant features a rooftop smokehouse that overlooks the Atlanta BeltLine.
What’s Important: The 8,000-square-foot restaurant brings Central Texas-style barbecue to Atlanta. The menu includes brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, pulled pork, turkey and “Texas hot guts” sausage. All meats are smoked for 18 hours over Texas oak in custom-built pits.
The Timeline: A grand opening ceremony starts at 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 8. The restaurant will be open daily starting at 11 a.m.
Behind the Smoke: Pitmaster John Lewis founded Lewis Barbecue in Charleston in June 2016. He grew up in El Paso, Texas and worked at Franklin Barbecue in Austin before moving to South Carolina. Lewis designs and welds his own smoking pits. The Atlanta location is his third restaurant, with others in Charleston and Greenville.
The Recognition: Lewis Barbecue earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction weeks before the Atlanta opening. The award recognizes restaurants for quality and value.
The Location: The restaurant sits inside Ansley Mall at 1544 Piedmont Avenue NE, Unit 406. A new pedestrian bridge opening December 1 connects the BeltLine’s Northeast Trail directly to Lewis Barbecue.
What’s on the Menu: Sides include Hatch green chile corn pudding, beef tallow fries, mac and cheese and collard greens. Desserts include scratch-made icebox pies. The restaurant has a full bar.
The Experience: Guests watch barbecue experts slice their orders at the counter. Everyone gets a free taste of brisket when they arrive.
