The Charlotte smokehouse that has fed Obama, Hillary Clinton is coming to Raleigh
One of the most popular barbecue spots in Charlotte is opening a new location in Raleigh.
Midwood Smokehouse announced plans Thursday to build a new large restaurant in Raleigh’s Smokey Hollow, a Kane Realty development anchored by a Publix grocery store just off of Peace Street.
This will be the sixth Midwood location and the first restaurant in the Triangle for Charlotte’s FS Food Group, named for owner Frank Scibelli.
“We have had our sights on Raleigh for a few years after having previous success there with Bad Daddy’s, and are looking forward to officially bringing Midwood Smokehouse to that market,” said Scibelli. “Our pitmasters and crew look forward to serving some of the best barbecue at what will be our sixth location in the Carolinas.”
Midwood Smokehouse first opened a decade ago in Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood from which it takes its name. FS Food Group has since added three more locations in and around Charlotte, plus another in Columbia, S.C.
Scibelli founded the Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar chain, eventually selling it in 2015 for $21 million, according to previous reporting in the Charlotte Observer.
Known for smoked brisket
In an interview, Scibelli said he hopes to open the Raleigh Midwood Smokehouse early next year, pending construction delays.
Midwood is best known for its smoked brisket, a product of Scibelli’s barbecue research in Texas. But the menu still reflects North Carolina, serving chopped pork barbecue made from Hickory-smoked shoulders. Other notable times are spare ribs, brisket burnt ends and small plates like smoked meatballs, nachos and barbecue tacos.
“I didn’t feel like I had to pick one (style), I want to make great brisket and great chopped pork barbecue,” Scibelli said. “(Midwood) is strongly influenced by Texas and North Carolina.”
In a first for the brand, the Raleigh Midwood will add a tortilla maker, leaning into the restaurant’s popular barbecue tacos, made, Scibelli said, with flour tortillas.
“The Tex Mex-barbecue fusion is natural, so we are going to put a tortilla machine in there,” Scibelli said. “It goes well with what we’re doing in barbecue.”
The Raleigh Midwood Smokehouse will be sizable at 4,125 square feet, including patio seating built on the inside of Smoky Hollow’s pedestrian walkway.
In a release, FS Food Group named Matthew Barry, a native of barbecue-crazed Lexington, as executive pitmaster. Cov DeRamus, a former Bad Daddy’s manager, will be the managing partner of the Raleigh Midwood, Scibelli said.
Famous diners
Over the years, Midwood Smokehouse has become a destination for political candidates and celebrities passing through Charlotte. Among the diners, Midwood has served former President Barack Obama, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and comedy great Bill Murray.
In Raleigh, the new Midwood will join a burgeoning barbecue scene. The Capital City is currently a barbecue hot spot as a handful of high profile restaurants open, including Sam Jones BBQ, Lawrence Barbecue, Longleaf Swine and The BBQ Lab.
One of Raleigh’s most anticipated barbecue projects, Wyatt’s Barbecue, was called off recently due to hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The way the food business is, things cycle back,” Scibelli said of the barbecue resurgence in Raleigh. “Old ideas come back in barbecue, if you stick to doing a great job. What we’re doing is reminding people of that.”
Other restaurants in the FS Food Group are Calle Sol, YAFO Kitchen, Paco’s Tacos & Tequila and Little Mama’s.
Scibelli is planning more expansions in Raleigh, specifically Italian restaurant Little Mama’s and the Cuban-Peruvian concept Calle Sol, he said.
“Hopefully, we’d like to do more restaurants in Raleigh,” Scibelli said. “The area is booming.”
This story was originally published July 23, 2021 at 2:02 PM with the headline "The Charlotte smokehouse that has fed Obama, Hillary Clinton is coming to Raleigh."
